Financial Aid Processing Specialist

Job Summary

The Office of Financial Aid encourages applications for a Processing Specialist! This office 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 Coordinator of Processing and is part of a processing team that is responsible for verification, determining eligibility, direct and private loan certifications, Return of Title IV, and other financial aid processes. This role will be responsible for verification processing, the supervision of Processing student employees; oversee document processing, and a variety of processing tasks related to student aid eligibility, financial aid advising, and supporting the office as needed. This position maintains a thorough and current understanding 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 partners 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

Processing

• Evaluate documents received and route to the correct student file for further processing as part of the application and verification process.
• Review documents submitted and send corrected application records to the Dept. of Education when needed.
• Award and administer financial aid packages and loans to students based on eligibility for various award programs.
• Review, evaluate, and process applications and related documents and send corrected application records when needed.
• Adjust awards as needed to reflect student’s enrollment and eligibility.
• Examine documents which are routed to specialized queues that cannot be automated and determine how best to complete processing. Update and maintain financial aid records in a student information system.
• Continually assess business processes and proactively identify and address issues that may impede quality service.
• Other duties as assigned to support Processing and the Office of Financial Aid.

Student Employee Supervision

• Supervise, mentor, train, empower, evaluate, serve as a resource, and provide leadership to the Office of Financial Aid Processing student employees.
• Interviewing, hiring, and onboarding new student employees.
• Student employee scheduling management.
• Participate in student employee supervisor management meetings.
• Ensure that the work assigned to the team is completed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Ensure direct reports maintain compliance with state and federal regulations and University guidelines and that students are trained to complete processing tasks in accordance with these rules, regulations and guidelines in a timely manner.

Advising/Customer Service

• Assist students and families who need assistance with processing related issues and other general financial aid questions.
• Serve as a resource on processing related questions for staff and student employees within the office.
• Assist other university departments on Federal Title IV regulations and processing requirements.
• Assist with general frontline duties, such as phones, front counter, email, etc. as needed.
• Continually assess customer service and proactively identify and address issues that may impede quality service.

Outreach

• Participate in campus and community outreach events, including events held in the evening and on weekends.
• Assist with the review and development of 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 align 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 $47,000 to $50,000 annually.

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.
• One year of professional, job-related experience.

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 improves 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

• 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.
• NASFAA credentials.
• 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 January 31, 2022 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