Financial Aid Advisor I

Job Summary

The Office of Financial Aid is part of the Enrollment Management unit, where we support recruitment and student success efforts of the campus through the administration of financial aid programs. This full-time position reports to the Assistant Director of Counseling and is part of a counseling team that provides excellent customer service to students and their families as they navigate the financial aid and scholarship process. General duties include: financial aid counseling, a variety of processing tasks related to student aid eligibility , conducting outreach presentations, and supporting the office as needed. This position maintains a thorough and current working knowledge of all Title IV federal, State of Colorado, and institutional rules, regulations and procedures to ensure accurate release of information and program compliance.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The CU Boulder Office of Financial Aid is committed to helping students pay for college by building innovative programs to support access and graduation, empowering students to make healthy financial decisions, investing in the development of our staff, and engaging lawmakers and stakeholders to improve aid policy. We coordinate over $425M in grants, scholarships, work-study and loans for over 20,000 students each year. Our staff consists of 38 full-time professional employees and 50-60 student employees.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Counseling:

• Assist with general front line duties, such as phones, front counter, email, etc. as needed and serve as a resource to student employees.
• Advise students and families on application processes, important timelines, types of aid, eligibility requirements, financing options and other resources available.
• Exercise professional judgment when students or their families have unusual financial circumstances to determine additional eligibility.
• Adjust awards as necessary to reflect student’s enrollment and eligibility.
• Continually assess customer service and proactively identify and address issues that may impede quality service.
• Provide individual and group financial aid advice to students and families, including adequate loan counseling and financial literacy information.
• Support campus colleges/departments by providing counseling services in other locations on campus, such as the Law School.

Processing:

• Process Satisfactory Academic Progress, Professional Judgement, and other letters of appeal.
• Review requests to make adjustments to aid for changes in enrollment, change in program, etc.
• Review over-awards and make appropriate adjustments.
• Process verification of cost of attendance and verification of financial aid offers for external organizations.
• Assist with verification processing and awarding projects as needed.
• Cross-train with other teams and assist with processing needs as necessary.
• Participate in office processing projects for special populations such as study abroad, continuing education, etc.

Outreach:

• Participate in campus and community outreach events, including events held in the evening and on weekends.
• Develop and present outreach presentations on financial aid and scholarships for prospective and current students.
• Assist Admissions with recruitment events that could include presenting, hosting workshops, or managing a resource table.

Professional Development:

• Collaborate with immediate supervisor to determine areas for professional growth and identify and request appropriate training opportunities offered by the office, the University, and through various professional associations or organizations.
• Participate in external and internal trainings, conferences, webinars etc. related to administering all types of financial aid.
• Attend staff meetings, retreats and other meetings as assigned. May include representing the Office of Financial Aid in enrollment management and campus-level initiatives.

What You Should Know

All University of Colorado Boulder employees are required to comply with the campus COVID-19 vaccine requirement . New employees must provide proof of vaccination or receive a medical or religious exemption within 30 days of employment.

What We Can Offer

The hiring pay range is $44,000 to $46,000.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .

Be Statements
Be resourceful. Be supportive. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• At least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.

What You Will Need

• A strong commitment to providing an extraordinary student experience.
• Ability to interpret and apply federal, state, institutional rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to communicate key and critical information in a timely fashion.
• Ability to gain confidence and trust of others through honesty, authenticity, and acceptance of responsibility.
• Ability to exemplify excellence through diversity by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment that maximizes the success and inclusion of all students, staff, and faculty.
• Ability to create new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Ability to build partnerships and work collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

What We Would Like You To Have

• At least one year of professional experience working in a financial aid office or other student service office in a higher education setting.
• NASFAA credentials.
• Knowledge of State of Colorado financial aid regulations.
• Experience with federal financial aid data systems including NSLDS, FAA Access, and COD.
• Experience using PeopleSoft or other student information systems.
• Bilingual.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. A current resume.
2. A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by 12/05/2021 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs .

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: recruiting@colorado.edu