Specialist, Financial Aid

Austin Community College is a public two-year institution that serves a diverse population of approximately 41,000 credit students each Fall and Spring semester. We embrace our identity as a community college as reflected in our mission statement. We promote student success and community development by providing affordable access, through traditional and distance learning modes, to higher education and workforce training, including appropriate applied baccalaureate degrees, in our service area.

As a community college committed to our mission, we seek to recruit and retain a workforce that:

• Reflects the diversity of our community
• Values intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Is attracted by the college mission to promote equitable access to educational opportunities
• Cares about student success and collaborates on strategies to facilitate success for under-represented populations
• Welcomes difference and models respectful interaction with others
• Engages with the community both within and outside of ACC

Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

ACC is committed to the ongoing systemic changes needed to ensure the increased recruitment, inclusion, retention, and completion of historically underserved and under represented populations. Through continual strategic community engagement and professional development of administrators, faculty, staff, and students, the college demonstrates its dedication to fostering a culture and climate for equitable outcomes.

As an open access and low-cost institution, ACC is proud to serve a diverse student body. Dedicated faculty members are excellent professors who help students achieve their educational goals and are sensitive to the diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds of our students. In 2017 our faculty adopted a Statement of ACC Faculty Values. This Statement affirms that ACC's faculty members value collaboration, service, agency, scholarship, inclusion, and teaching, all of which attest to our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our mission.

Job Posting Title:

Specialist, Financial Aid

Job Description Summary:

To provide complex financial aid services to students at the college and assist in providing technical support in the administration of financial aid programs.

Job Description:

Description of Duties and Tasks

• Uses databases (Ellucian Colleague, NSLDS, Fortis, FAA CPS Online, Selective Service, USCIS, etc.) to ensure applicants meet federal and state regulations before awarding financial aid.
• Creates and runs reports and submits updates. Generate customized Informer reports for data accuracy.
• Answers student inquiries regarding financial aid processes, awards and disbursements.
• Conducts financial aid outreach programs and presentations.
• Coordinates a variety of financial aid transmissions to student accounting.
• Works with other ACC departments and state agencies.
• Attend workshops, presentations, and training relating to State and Federal Educational Financial Aid.
• Administer, process and reconcile federal aid and grants.

Additional Job Specific Duties

• Reviews and approves or denies Professional Judgment and Dependency Override requests from students.
  
  
• ​ Reviews and facilitates committee decisions regarding student appeals for Satisfactory Academic Progress, Unusual Enrollment History, and Selective Service registration.
  
  
• May oversee the work of temporary/hourly employees.
  
  

Knowledge

• Federal and state regulations pertaining to financial aid programs.
• Student financial aid awarding processes and activities.
• Financial aid outreach programs.
• Work-study programs.
• Tax laws applicable to financial aid.

Skills

• Maintaining an established work schedule.
• Effectively using interpersonal communications skills including tact and diplomacy.
• Effectively using organizational planning skills with attention to detail and follow-through.
• Maintaining confidentiality of work-related information and materials.
• Advising students and parents regarding financial aid programs and processes.
• Applying federal and state regulations to all aspects of financial aid programs.
• Reviewing financial aid applications for eligibility.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Determine individual benefit eligibility.

Technology Skills

• Use a variety of spreadsheet, word processing, database, and presentation software.
• Use student information and database systems.

Required Work Experience

• Two years related work experience.

Required Education

• Bachelor's degree.
  
  An Associate degree and four years of related work experience may substitute for this education requirement. Applicants who substitute work experience to meet the education requirement must use additional related work experience to meet the years of "Required Work Experience" for this position. Please note that the college reserves the right to amend these terms of substitution at any time.

Special Requirements

Licenses/Certifications; Other

• Must not be on default of any federal/state student loans.

Physical Requirements

• Work is performed in a standard office or similar environment.
• Subject to standing, walking, sitting, bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling.
• Occasional lifting of objects up to 10 pounds.

Safety

• Work safely and follow safety rules. Report unsafe working conditions and behavior. Take reasonable and prudent actions to prevent others from engaging in unsafe practices

Hours

Coverage of all ACC campuses, including evenings and weekends, is occasionally required.

Pay Range

$33,982 - $48,545

Reports to Associate Director, Financial Aid

Number of Openings:

1

Job Posting Close Date:

July 1, 2022

ACC Benefits Overview

Full-time faculty and staffing table employees who work in full-time and/or part-time positions at the college are eligible for ACC medical benefits effective the first of the month after their first 60 days of employment. Benefits include medical, dental, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, retirement plans and AD&D.

ACC does not participate in Social Security. ACC participates in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) and the Optional Retirement Program (ORP-Faculty and Administrators Only). Part-time and Hourly employees participate in the ACC Money Purchase Plan (ACCMPP) as a retirement program required by federal law.

EEO Statement

The Austin Community College District is an Equal Opportunity Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, political affiliation or other protected categories.

Clery Act

As required by the US Department of Education, employees are required to report violations under the Title IX and, under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), select individuals are required to report crimes. If this position is identified as a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified, trained, and provided resources for reporting.

Disclaimer

The above description is an overview of the job. It is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities of the job, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Duties and responsibilities may change with business needs. ACC reserves the right to add, change, amend, or delete portions of this job description at any time, with or without notice. Employees may be required to perform other duties as requested, directed, or assigned. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made by ACC as its discretion to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

If you are a current Austin Community College employee, please click this link to apply through your Workday account .