Financial Aid Counselor

General Summary

Join Us at Lake-Sumter State College
Located in the heart of Florida, Lake-Sumter State College provides students with the opportunity to pursue their goals and join Florida’s dynamic workforce. We embrace our mission as a community college to increase access and opportunity for all learners in the communities we serve.

Under the leadership of President Heather Bigard, we are embarking on a bold journey to transform the ways in which we connect and educate our students while embracing our rich history of high-quality education and personalized student support services. We currently serve over 6,500 students each year and plan to grow to over 10,000 in the next several years.

The rapid growth in the Orlando metropolitan area, and particularly in our service area of Lake and Sumter Counties, is driving growth, innovation, and workforce demand in an array of industries offering high-skill, high-wage positions. By rapidly adapting and responding to this demand, Lake-Sumter State College will continue to be the premier workforce engine driving training and education opportunities in these counties.

Lake-Sumter State College delivers student success through personal attention and flexible pathways leading to rewarding careers and higher wages. We are committed to:

• Caring about each individual student, our peers, and our community;
• Communicating to ensure clarity and transparency, and
• Collaboration , knowing that the best possible outcomes are ensured when there is a sharing of ideas.

This is an exciting time at Lake-Sumter State College! When you join our team, you’ll have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with incredible faculty and staff who are focused on making a real difference in the lives of students in our community. Together, we will create a significant impact to meet the needs of today’s students and prepare for future generations.

We invite you to join us in our commitment to student success!

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

1. Responsible for meeting with students, answering phones.
2. Process verifications and corrections through Banner FA.
3. Responsible for reviewing and adjusting COA accordingly to the enrollment status.
4. Responsible ISIR Compare report.
5. Assisting with the Over award, Pell Back offs, reviewing non verifiable student files to clear C Flags, and other federal reports.
6. Assist the Associate Director with Appeals, Professional Judgements and Dependency Override processing.
7. Assist the Associate Director with internal audits (file review).
8. Counsel students and parents on various financial aid programs.
9. Supervise Student worker for the Leesburg Campus
10. Assist Director and Associate Director with Course out of Program evaluations

Qualifications

EDUCATION : B.A. or B.S. degree required. Master's degree preferred.

EXPERIENCE : Minimum of two years of financial aid student experience or three years of relevant financial experience. Two years of Banner/Ellucian experience preferred. Demonstrated excellent interpersonal and customer service skills required

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Demonstrated knowledge of Banner or comparable software programs.
• Must be proficient in COD, NSLDS, and FAA Access.
• Student oriented/focused.
• Proven knowledge in awarding and disbursing financial aid.
• Financial aid experience in the day-to-day operations of federal, state and local programs.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high paced environment.
• Demonstrated strong mathematical aptitude and strong attention to details.
• Knowledge of general office practices and procedures; excellent organizational skills.
• Knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and correspondence forms.
• Microsoft Office Suite experience.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to exercise important human relations skills in establishing and maintaining effective working relations.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously.
• Must be willing to work flexible hours and extended hours both on and off campuses
• Promote a common purpose consistent with stated College goals and demonstrate a commitment to students and the learning environment.
• Possess the knowledge of general written standards and procedures utilized, and have the ability to read, interpret, and follow procedural and policy manual related to the job tasks.
• Proficiency in computer applications, including Microsoft Outlook and MS Office products (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Demonstrate the ability to respond to supervision, guidance and direction in a positive, receptive manner and in accordance with stated policies.
• Provide quality customer service by creating a welcoming and supportive environment.
• Present a professional image in word, action and attire.
• Demonstrate professionalism in effectively communicating and collaborating with a diverse population while understanding and respecting each other’s view of the world, personalities and working styles.
• Conduct oneself in a manner consistent with the College’s standards of ethical conduct.
• Apply effective techniques to work both independently and to create working relationships with others to achieve common goals; successfully communicates and collaborates with others to achieve goals.
• Demonstrate skills necessary to look at situations and processes critically to make recommendations for improvement.