Bilingual Financial Aid Advisor

Who We Are 

With three campuses along Colorado’s Front Range, FRCC is the state’s largest community college. We enroll close to 28,000 students annually from our diverse service area, which offers a variety of cultural and recreational activities. 

Each year approximately 5,000 FRCC students transfer to four-year universities and FRCC offers more than 36 career training programs that prepare students for immediate employment and rewarding careers. Last year, more than 5,000 high school students took concurrent enrollment classes with us, earning college credit without having to pay college tuition. And we were recently ranked as one of the “Top Online Colleges” in the country by Newsweek. 

One of FRCC’s main goals is to offer educational excellence for everyone. The college’s strong commitment to student success means we start by creating an inclusive and equitable environment—one where both students and employees feel they belong and are supported. FRCC’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion is woven into the fabric of our college conversations and decision-making processes. We are actively seeking to hire a workforce that reflects the diversity of our student body.   

The college is also an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution. For us, becoming an HSI is an intentional commitment to being a college where our Latinx (and other historically marginalized) students thrive. 

FRCC employees and leaders work hard to create a culture of collaboration, innovation and pride. We’re looking to hire people who share these values—along with our commitment to student success, equity and excellence.

Who You Are

As a Bilingual Financial Aid Advisor, you will help students achieve their educational goals by advising them on financial aid options and resources. You will support the mission of Front Range Community College (FRCC) by creating a superior student experience; reducing barriers to success, ensuring all students experience a strong start at FRCC as well as supporting the College’s strategic priorities around Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity.  

You will be responsible for providing the highest quality of customer service through the dissemination of accurate and timely information. This includes counseling students, families, faculty and staff about financial aid related services in person, over the phone and via email.

You will have the opportunity to work remotely occasionally, but this position does require a strong on-campus presence and will need to travel to all three FRCC campuses.
 
Please note: You need to be a Colorado resident on your first day of employment.  

SALARY: $52,605 - $55,235/annually
 
BENEFITS: Please click here to find more information about APT & Faculty Benefits 
 
SELECTION PROCESS: Position will remain open until filled. This posting may be used to fill multiple or similar positions.

Preliminary screening will be made on the basis of completed application package submitted by candidate. In your application please include a resume and cover letter that specifically addresses how your background and experience align with requirements, qualification and responsibilities of the Bilingual Financial Aid Service Advisor. 

Primary Duties

Communication
 

• Communicate with students and their families in both Spanish and English, to ensure a clear understanding of the financial aid process, including disseminating general and specific information regarding financial aid application procedures, financial aid programs, eligibility and other items pertaining to financial aid for students and their families.
• Interactions may be in person, by phone, or via written correspondence, including email.

Customer Service and Assistance
 

• Assist students with resolution of financial aid issues and disputes with an equity lens by listening, questioning, ascertaining, consulting, evaluating and analyzing data from available systems and document imaging.
• Consult with subject matter experts or supervisor to acquire additional knowledge in resolution of student issues, when appropriate.

Outreach Efforts
 

• Actively participate in and assist with college-wide outreach campaigns and activities.
• Call and email large groups of students for action items that include but are not limited to financial aid requirements, FAFSA completion, unpaid balances, and special circumstances.
• Provide equitable financial aid presentations in both Spanish and English for large and small groups supporting FAFSA workshops and/or completion events, both on campus and in the communities where applicable.
• Be able to travel and work outside of normal working hours, such as evenings and weekends, for campaigns and outreach activities.

Analytical Processing
 

• Collect, analyze and review financial aid documents to ensure accuracy, completeness and compliance with federal, state and institutional regulations, policies and procedures.
• Assist in document tracking and imaging processes to ensure accuracy and timeliness of document receipt and storage.
• Explain options available to student and families with unique circumstances. Assist in the review of students’ financial aid appeals.

Collaboration and Professional Development
 

• Collaborate in the formulation, review and implementation of college-wide Financial Aid Department guidelines and procedures.
• Keep current on federal, state and institutional regulations, policies and procedures.
• Actively participate in trainings, meetings, professional organizations and campus events.
• Service with any additional duties as needed or assigned.

Required Competencies

• Mission, Vision & Values: Embrace the mission, vision and values of FRCC. Understand the importance of the work that you do to support institutional goals.
• Student Centeredness: Place the student at the center of your work. Adopt a philosophy that makes the ability to serve the student the cornerstone of the work that you do.
• Data Usage: Look at the data within the department, paying particular attention to what the data shows about the department's performance and student impact. Work with the next level supervisor to brainstorm changes that can be implemented to improve a program or service that the department provides.
• Cultural Self-Awareness: Willing to examine own beliefs and acknowledge own biases and how they have impacted or may impact the ability to serve students.
• Cultural Competence: Recognize the need to become knowledgeable about the ways to communicate and support students of other backgrounds. Change approach to reflect the new learning.
• Equity Mindedness: Learn to view department operations through an equity lens. Be willing to call attention to processes that lead to inequity in serving students. Understand the College's equity goals and how your role supports FRCC's ability to achieve those goals.
• Operational Planning: Have an understanding and knowledge of the college's various strategic plans and understand how your work supports each of them. Understand the department's expectations to find proactive ways to support the goals of the department.
• Leading from the Middle: Lead from your position by not only closely examining your responsibilities for the department, but in bringing forward ideas to your supervisor that the college should consider to be more student centered.
• Team Building: Participate in team-building exercises and strive to build positive and collaborative relationships with colleagues both within the department and in other departments within the college.
• Collaboration: Willingness to work with colleagues across departments to further student engagement.
• Professional level proficiency to read, write, and speak English and Spanish: Serve as a positive cultural broker with the Spanish speaking community. Assist with the translation of materials and provide effective interpretation.

Qualifications

Required Education/Training & Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree from regionally accredited institution
• Experience engaging students, clients and/or customers in a helping role.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills, with ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Experience working effectively on a team.
• Experience working with a diverse population.
• Professional working proficiency to read, write, and speak bilingual English and Spanish.
   

Welcoming. Respectful. Inclusive. Together, we are FRCC.