Financial Aid Specialist

Financial Aid Specialist

Contact Elizabeth White, Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs at  or whiteeh.

• FLSA:
  Non‑Exempt

• Title:
  
  Financial Aid Specialist
• Position Number: FS-FA-SS
• Type:
  Full Time
• Leave Format:
  Staff
• Shift: Day/Special Events
• Supervisor
  
  Title:
  
  Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs
• Location:
  
  Main Campus (Dobson)

The Financial Aid Specialist within the Financial Aid Office is responsible to the Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs and to the Vice President of Instruction and Student Services to provide customer service, technical support and clerical support for Surry Community College’s Financial Aid Office through the following duties:

• Provide knowledgeable assistance to students and others in completing application process/forms for aid.
• Knowledge of basic eligibility criteria for federal, state, and institutional aid.
• Complete the import process to pull the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data for all admitted applicants into the system.
• Complete processing of State Grants (including Next NC and NC Targeted Assistance Program) through Colleague Interface.
• Handle all phases of the NC Child Care Grant including applications, verification of child care providers, attendance and payment.
• Assist with counseling, awarding and overseeing Alternative Loans, including certification and disbursement.
• Process ISIRs for students within a specified portion of the alphabet and create applicant files in Colleague and Soft Docs.
• Correspond with aid applicants to obtain all required documentation necessary for eligibility determination.
• Evaluate and maintain applicant folder until complete, including verification as mandated by the Department of Education and completion of all admissions requirements.
• Provide assistance to, and cross‑train with, Financial Aid Compliance Specialist to support processes such as origination, disbursements, billing of state and federal aid, and return‑to‑title IV calculations.
• Cross‑train with Veterans Affairs.
• Assist with annual setup of FA module in Colleague, including setup in both Test and Production environments and necessary testing.
• Maintain high level of customer service for a diverse population.
• Assist with presentations of financial aid workshops and FAFSA Help Days for agencies and high schools in the service area.
• Be available as needed to assist in all other activities necessary to facilitate the operation of the Student Services office.
• Maintain productive relationships with area guidance personnel, secondary schools, colleges and universities.
• Relate financial aid availability in the programs and curricula of Surry Community College for prospective and current students.
• Assist in other areas of activity with Financial Aid Office, Veterans Office and Student Services as needed.
• Stay up‑to‑date on all federal and state financial aid regulations with required training (online and some travel).
• Maintain a clean and safe work area.
• Accurately file and scan information into e‑retrieve.

• Language
  
  Skills:
  
  
  • Read, analyze, and interpret common correspondence and reports.
  • Articulate professional responses to common inquiries and/or complaints from students, faculty, staff or the public at large.
  • Write using proper grammar and punctuation.
  • Effectively present information to management, students, faculty, staff or the public at large.
• Mathematical
  
  Skills:
  
  Apply and understand standard mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Reasoning Ability: Define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Other
  
  Skills and Abilities:
  
  Understanding of and commitment to the unique nature and role of the College and to the philosophy of the community college system.

Associate Degree in Office Systems, Business Administration, or related field; experience/proficiency in the use of integrated software (Microsoft Word, Power Point, and Excel); effective oral and written communication skills; ability to…