Orange Coast College

Financial Aid Assistant

Job# O-045-19

Salary: $47,470.00 - $63,999.00 Annually

Deadline: 04/30/19

Full job description and OFFICIAL application available ONLY at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cccd/jobs/2411125/financial-aid-assistant?page=2&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

Summary

Performs general and specialized clerical duties related to processing information for student grant and other financial aid programs.  Maintains student financial obligation records.   Provides technical assistance and information to students, staff and the public.

Distinguishing Career Features

The Financial Aid Assistant is the first in a multi-tiered career path for financial aid transaction processing.  The Financial Aid Assistant will focus on learning the details of individual programs, and external and internal regulations, policies, and procedures while accepting and reviewing applications for completeness and entering data onto student information systems.  Advancement to Technician requires two or more years in the capacity of a Financial Aid Assistant and the ability to demonstrate a working knowledge of loan and grant programs, the ability to determine eligibility and loan amounts, and ability to resolve application discrepancies.   Advancement to Analyst is based on need and requires three years as a Technician, advanced knowledge of financial aid programs, the ability to update financial aid tables used in student information systems, and the ability to package financial aid applications and awards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Specific duties may vary among departments and jobs.  Incumbents typically perform a substantial portion or all of the following kinds of duties: 

• Serves as first point of contact for the office on phones and at front counter. Disseminates general financial aid information to students and the public.  

• Assists students and parents with FAFSA financial aid applications, processing procedures, and interpreting policies of the funding organizations.  Explains the different types of financial aid programs, including obligations and payment schedules. 

• Instructs students in correct procedures for completion of forms and applications, special requirements and restrictions, and supporting documentation such as tax returns, income and housing verifications, and transcripts.  Reviews completed forms for accuracy and completeness. 

• Assists students to understand the relationship between financial aid awards and course load, grades, and other student achievement factors. 

• Sets up appointments for financial aid counseling. 

• Processes applications and calculates awards for local financial aid and grants using established procedures and guides.  Enters information into computer-aided databases. 

• Schedules appointments for students to see Financial Aid Counselors.  Compiles information to support conferences. 

• Initiates first-level form letters on delinquent and defaulted loans.  Receives information from the Department of Education and other sources, including internal reports, verifies account balances and student status, and initiates written contact with students.  Works with students to restore current account status. 

• May prepare standardized correspondence for/to students, verifying status and other information.  

• Performs miscellaneous clerical duties for the office such as updating policy and procedure manuals, editing student files, replenishing forms and communication devices, collecting data for reports, and preparing general correspondence. 

• Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position.

Qualifications and Physical Demands

Knowledge and Skills:

Requires basic knowledge of the policies and procedures associated with financial aid programs including grants and waivers.  Requires basic knowledge of federal and institutional satisfactory academic progress policy.  Requires basic knowledge of regulations and institutional policies relevant to admissions, registration, accounts payable, and financial aid practices.  Requires knowledge of and skills with routine office policies, procedures, and equipment, including PCs and applicable student information databases, word processing and spreadsheet applications.  Requires sufficient English language skill to prepare routine correspondence.  Requires sufficient human relation skills to provide general information to student-customers, exercise patience when dealing with students, and convey a positive image of the college.  Requires sufficient math skills to compute principal, interest, sums, percents, and ratios.

Abilities: 

Requires the ability to perform all of the duties of the position efficiently and effectively with minimal supervision. Requires the ability to perform basic record keeping, data entry, file maintenance, and report writing duties.  Requires the ability to communicate program elements and requirements with students, faculty and outside agencies/customers.  Requires the ability to instruct students on the financial aid application process and to resolve a conflict.  Ability to perform data entry into an automated information system. May require the ability to perform assignments on varying work schedules.

Education and Experience:

The position requires a High School diploma or equivalent and two years of related work experience such as in loan origination or servicing, financial aid or basic accounting.  Additional higher education may substitute for some experience. Or, any combination of education and experience that would provide the required equivalent qualifications.

Licenses and Certificates:

May require a valid driver's license.

THE COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: