Financial Aid Counselor - Higher Ed. jobs in Fayetteville, AR

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is seeking experienced, motivated, and dedicated leaders and educators to participate in the design and delivery of an innovative four-year medical school curriculum that engages medical students in active and novel learning.

Required Documents to Apply:

Job Description:

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is seeking experienced, motivated, and dedicated leaders and educators to participate in the design and delivery of an innovative four-year medical school curriculum that engages medical students in active and novel learning.

About the Position

Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Admissions, Recruitment, and Whole Health Initiation, the Director of Financial Aid will manage the day-to-day financial aid and scholarship operations to ensure compliance with all school of medicine, state, and federal regulations. The Director will focus on providing the highest level of integrated student service through individual financial aid advising and financial wellness programming.

Major Responsibilities/Essential Functions Specific to the Position:

• Design processes and policies to ensure effective, efficient, and timely completion of all financial aid-related procedures.
• Deliver exceptional service to all internal and external customers with a student-centered and proactive approach to financial aid, financial literacy, and student account and billing.
• Collaborate with AWSOM officials in the development of strategic goals and objectives.
• Work closely with the Registrar, Admissions, and other departments to ensure compliance with school of medicine, state, and federal regulations to complete related procedures.
• Lead the development of financial wellness programming and financial aid advising/counseling (including educational debt management) for all AWSOM students.
• Review financial aid application documents for accuracy and completeness.
• Interpret regulations, develop, and recommend procedures to ensure compliance and accurate student record maintenance and services.
• Work in collaboration with the Registrar to verify enrollment status and satisfactory academic progress prior to disbursement of financial aid.
• Analyze applicant information and need data to generate reports to identify applicants and students with greatest financial need.
• Within the student information system, allocate funding to ensure financial aid packaging for all AWSOM students.
• Collaborate with various departments to develop and maintain financial aid online presence.
• Provides guidance and oversees testing procedures to enhance financial aid processes and procedures.
• Develop and maintain detailed cost of attendance budgets for all AWSOM students.
• Ensure all financial aid and educational debt data protocols and processes are implemented to safeguard information and all reporting is accurate and timely.
• Provide, plan, organize, and collect individual student data and reporting for institutional research, national medical school reporting for the AAMC, LCME, and other accrediting agencies.
• Provide leadership and direction in maintaining student privacy, including ensuring compliance with FERPA and providing training as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Required

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible financial aid experience in a regionally accredited institution.
• Strong analytical skills with solid database management experience; able to utilize the data warehouse, student information systems, etc. to provide regular reporting of student-related information.
• Strong knowledge of financial aid record keeping requirements and regulations.
• Thorough knowledge of federal, state laws and regulations, and best financial aid practices.
• Comprehensive understanding of federal privacy laws associated with the management of student financial aid records and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) with the ability to handle confidential matters with discretion.
• Effective communication skills to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse population of students, faculty, staff, and external constituents.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines.
• Ability to interpret and apply knowledge of policies to a variety of situations.
• Strong problem identification, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, judgment, and decision-making ability.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in financial services, business, higher education administration, or related field.
• Five (5) years of financial aid experience in a School of Medicine.
• Prior experience applying for first time institutional Title IV FSA programs.
• Prior experience participating in institutional or programmatic accreditation.
• Demonstrated leadership with results orientation.
• Supervisory experience.

Skills Expected of All AWSOM Team Members

• Exemplary written, verbal, and other communication skills
• Adaptable and flexible to the needs of the position and the school
• Collaborative Skills: Build and maintain relationships internal and external to the organization
• Creative and Open-Minded: Enjoy exploring and supporting innovation in teaching strategies, topic areas, professional growth opportunities, and more
• Discerning: Ability to recognize and support innovation
• Highly self-directed, and reliable and accountable
• Strong commitment to self-care
• Committed to Diversity and Inclusion: Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders (e.g., co-workers, students, community members)
• Ability to effectively mentor a diversity of individuals
• Commitment to meet and maintain professional development requirements related to this role

About Us!

Founded in 2021 by philanthropist Alice Walton, the School of Medicine will offer a medical degree-granting program that builds on conventional medicine with an inclusive, compassionate, and whole health approach. The School of Medicine embraces self-care to empower students to care for their patients and themselves and helps them rise to the health challenges of the 21st century with a focus on mental, physical, social, and emotional health. The School will have an attached clinic for training in these concepts. Currently, the School of Medicine seeks to be a national medical school with the goal of welcoming its inaugural class in 2025, pending programmatic and institutional accreditation.

Construction of the 154,000 square-foot building has begun with the goal of completing and welcoming the first class in Fall 2025, pending accreditation. AWSOM will be located east of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

What We Seek

We are building a cadre of medical professionals trained in conventional medicine and in whole health, by reimagining medical education. We seek leaders and faculty who are excited by this endeavor. We are building a health care learning and delivery environment in which diversity is a strength and highly valued. Thus, we seek candidates who contribute to diversity in all its forms. Ideal candidates are committed to our goals of inclusive excellence, and to facilitating optimal health for all using a whole health approach.

Faculty and staff members will contribute to the development and rollout of the ARCHES curriculum, which is built on evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning. It includes the following six core elements:

• Art of Healing
• Research, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation
• Clinical Care
• Health Systems Sciences
• Embracing Whole Health
• Science of Medicine

All six areas of the curriculum will be interwoven throughout the four-year curriculum.

How To Apply

Applicants should submit the following materials:

• Letter of interest highlighting essential qualifications and interests
• Resume
• Diversity Statement

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement, background check and verification of being fully vaccinated for COVID-19. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

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