Financial Aid Director - Higher Ed. jobs in Grand Rapids, MI

Summary and Purpose:

This position is responsible for administering the State of Michigan programs, assisting with endowed funds management, assisting in recruitment and retention efforts of the college through counseling of new and current students and their parents, processing verification and special/unusual circumstances, as well as daily communication via phone and email.

Responsibilities/Duties/Tasks/Essential Functions:

• Administers the State of Michigan Programs.

  • Reviews and maintains knowledge about all program requirements

  • Reviews rosters for eligibility and coordinates awarded aid

  • Certifies and requests reimbursements on the State of Michigan portal

  • Balances all programs and performs closeouts when necessary

●    Assists with endowed fund management

• Reviews applications and criteria for endowed scholarships

• Coordinates matching students to appropriate endowed scholarships

• Manages tracking of endowed scholarship funding levels in spreadsheets, Colleague, and the Awardspring system

●    Counsels students and parents regarding financial aid options.

• Discusses available loans, grants, and scholarships and the procedures needed to obtain them

• Answers incoming phone calls and responds to emails in FA mailbox.

• Assists students with determining loan amounts needed; advising to borrow responsibly and discusses repayment responsibility/options

• Explains how adding and dropping classes will affect loans and other aid.

• Discusses financial aid and how that relates to Student Accounts and billing

●    Processes verification and special/unusual circumstances

• Discusses and clarifies with student/parents what qualifies for these reviews

• Requests and reviews documentation necessary for processing

• Communicates outcomes and updates accounts accordingly

●    Assists Director/Assistant Director

• Assists with maintaining and updating information on the Financial Aid web pages

• Returns skip tracing notices to lenders and servicers

• Prepares mailings (initial award offers) and retrieves mail for office

●    Assists with Financial Aid Outreach

• Attends events such as FAFSA completion events and high school financial aid events

• Develops/Presents at AQ Open House, Accepted Student Days, STAR Days, other on campus events, etc. 

●    Assists with any other area of financial aid as requested

Knowledge, Skills and Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required from accredited college or university

• Previous experience in Financial Aid, Higher Education, or a related field preferred

• At least one year of work experience in a related field preferred

• Must demonstrate proficiency or ability to quickly learn software, databases and websites used in financial aid

• Must be detail-oriented and accurate

• Must have general knowledge of financial aid and its function

• Must demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills

• Must be able to work well with numbers

• Must be able to sit for long periods of time

• Must be able to clearly speak, write, and hear English

• Must be able to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Must be able to function effectively in a busy environment with interruptions.

• Constant use of computer and telephone.

• Some occasional lifting (20-35 pounds)

MISSION, VISION, VALUES:

Aquinas College, an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic and Dominican traditions, provides a liberal arts education with a global perspective, emphasizes career preparation focused on leadership and service to others, and fosters a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good.

Aquinas College is recognized as the exceptional Catholic liberal arts college that prepares individuals for careers of leadership and service in developing a sustainable and just global community.  Aquinas College is recognized by its values: Faith, Service, Learning and Community.

Aquinas College prides itself as a leader in sustainability, and this requires the participation of every member of the college community.  In this regard, employees and their supervisors are expected to engage in the process of “appreciative inquiry” to identify ways that each position can advance sustainability in the employment experience.

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties, all employees are expected to conform to the Aquinas College Service Statement:

The College serves our community with excellence and respect through an institutional commitment to quality, accountability, cooperation, professionalism and responsiveness.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Aquinas College is an equal opportunity employer and an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic Dominican tradition. Aquinas College provides a liberal arts education with a global perspective, emphasizes career preparation focused on leadership and service to others, and fosters a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good. Aquinas College values: Faith, Learning, Service and Community.

Aquinas College offers an excellent benefits package that includes affordable medical, dental, and vision plans, generous paid vacation each year, 16 paid holidays, paid sick time and short-term disability, and college-paid life and AD&D insurance. Additionally, Aquinas employees and their dependents are eligible for free tuition at Aquinas after one year of full-time employment.