Financial Aid Counselor

Position Summary

The Financial Aid Counselor serves as a resource to prospective and current students and their families throughout the financial aid process. This position assists students in understanding and applying for financial assistance programs, including scholarships, grants, loans, and other forms of aid, while ensuring compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Meet with prospective and current students, families, and campus visitors to provide information regarding available financial aid opportunities and processes.

Respond to questions related to scholarships, grants, loans, work-study, and other financial assistance programs.

Review and evaluate financial aid applications and supporting documentation to determine student eligibility for aid programs.

Compare application data, including family financial information, academic records, and enrollment details, with eligibility requirements for institutional, state, and federal aid programs.

• Assist students in completing required forms and navigating the financial aid application process.
• Maintain accurate student records and documentation within university systems.
• Communicate with students and families through in-person meetings, phone calls, email, and other communication platforms.
• Support the overall mission and goals of the Financial Aid Office and Freed-Hardeman University.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information professionally.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and general computer applications required.
• Experience with or knowledge of Colleague student information systems is preferred.

Summary Interviews students applying for financial aid, such as loans, grants-in-aid, or scholarships, to determine eligibility for assistance in college or university by performing the following duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Confers with individuals and groups to disseminate information and answer questions relating to financial assistance available to students enrolled in college or university.

Interviews students to obtain information needed to determine eligibility for aid.

Compares data on students' applications, such as proposed budget, family income, or transcript of grades, with eligibility requirements of assistance program.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Competencies

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Customer Service - Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Solicits customer feedback to improve service; Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments.

Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.

Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.

Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.

Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.

Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.

Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.

Quantity - Meets productivity standards; Completes work in timely manner; Strives to increase productivity; Works quickly.

Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.

Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals.; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree (B.S. or B.A.)

Language Skills

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Internet software; Spreadsheet software and Word Processing software.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Other Skills and Abilities

Other Qualifications

Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.