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Awards Specialist

Position Summary

BASIC FUNCTION: Responsible for awarding, adjusting, and canceling financial aid, federal and institutional verification, certification of loan applications, processing refunds, counseling students and parents, and promoting financial literacy.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Manages all aspects of financial aid award processing through disbursement, including packaging, completing verification, adjusting, and canceling of student awards.
  • Closes files and manages Authorization Failure reports to ensure disbursement of all aid according to federal, state and institutional regulations.
  • Outreach to students and/or borrowers to ensure accurate documents, and/or actions are taken to ensure accurate and timely disbursement of funds to student’s accounts. Outreach includes but is not limited to email, postal mail, and telephone.
  • Reviews award packages for accuracy, prepares award letters for mailing, and manages any correspondence related to the award and verification processes.
  • Certifies student and parent loan eligibility for loan processing.
  • Processes advance and refund requests for all students.
  • Manages assigned weekly reports and submits them to team members.
  • Submits Professional Judgment information in accordance with appeal findings and updates award packages as needed.
  • Counsels students, parents, and other staff on federal financial aid regulations, awarding practices, student loans, basic budgeting and financial literacy information and SAIC policies.
  • Assists other staff as needed.
  • Assists in training of new staff.
  • Attends workshops and conferences within the field.
  • Attends meetings, webinars, and other training sessions as assigned.
  • Stays up to date with federal, state and institutional policies and regulations through sources informed and provided to staff such as webinars, websites, newsletters, email, policy/procedure manuals and a variety of provided documents.
  • Assists at mandatory SAIC Admissions events, new student orientations, graduations and other school events as needed. Some evening and weekends required
  • Makes recommendations on policies and procedures, content and design of forms, office operations and customer service matters.
  • Other duties as assigned.


Qualifications

  • Associate’s degree and 3-5 years of related student account and/or financial aid required.
  • Experience in federal, state and institutional financial aid awarding, loan certification and federal verification preferred.
  • Excellent communication skills and attention to detail required.
  • PeopleSoft Experience preferred.