Financia Aid Officer

Purpose of the Job/Principal Responsibilities:
Financial Aid Officers assist Kaplan University students in all aspects of the financial aid process and help ensure that the school receives financial aid funds in a timely fashion.Typical activities for a Financial Aid Officer include:
oMaintain telephone coverage during assigned hours, including answering inbound calls from students and internal customers and making outbound calls for various purposes
oAssist students in all aspects of the financial aid process by delivering accurate, up-to-date information in a calm, polite, professional demeanor
oFollow up with Prospective and Continuing Students via e-mail, message board, i-mail, telephone, chat, and various other communication methods
oPerform complex financial aid processes, such as creating estimated award letters, clearing C-Codes, performing verifications, and dealing with overlapping loans period, transfer credits, repackage aid for a new award year, determine student eligibility, etc.
oAcquire, enter, edit, and update Student Data in various internal and external systems
oAttend required training sessions
oFollow all Standard Operating Procedures
oMeet assigned productivity goals
oVarious other duties as assigned by Senior Financial Aid Officers, Assistant Directors, the Director, or the Vice President in charge of Financial AidA Financial Aid Officer's breakdown of activities varies depending on the team to which he/she is assigned, the current needs of the Department, and the discretion of the Assistant Director.Key Job Elements
 Assist Prospective Students with completing the FAFSA and other financial aid forms
 Enter Prospective Student Data into the CLASS system
 Create Estimated Financial Award Letters for all Prospective Students
 Review via telephone and/or email Award Letters with students and obtain approval
 Follow-up with Prospective Students on missing documents and not yet approved award letters
 Package Enrolled Students in the CLASS system
 Follow-up on missing documents for Enrolled Students
 Perform verification on selected students; clear C-codes for selected students
 Electronic processing: FAFSA import/export, ISAR corrections, Direct Loan approval/origination's/manifests as necessary
 Continually maintain spreadsheets of different data items
 Voucher Pell/SEOG, disbursements of all/other aid to students as necessary
 Conduct Entrances and Exits as necessary
 Work closely with Admissions to ensure smooth class startsRequirements
Excellent communication skills using telephone and email as main point of contact
General Knowledge of Title IV Federal Regulations
Computer knowledge of Email program such as Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, and Wwindows - helpful
Knowledge of the CLASS computer system - helpful
Flexible work schedule - must be able to work some late evenings
Must work closely with Admissions Department, Registrar Department, Student Accounts, Education Department, and the Home Office
REQUIREMENTS
Experience Required:
oAssociates degree or equivalency and 3+ years exp. in customer service/financial call center environment; OR Bachelor's degree and one 1+ year in a Customer Service/Financial Call Center environment, OR 2+ yrs working in a Financial Aid department.
oStrong Analytical and Critical Thinking SkillsPosition Requirements /Scope of the Job/ Skills Required:
oMust be able to work some evening and weekend shifts
oAbility to answer complicated student financial aid questions accurately and in detail
oAbility to deliver outstanding customer service by telephone, e-mail, and other media
oAbility to follow processes, work effectively on a team, and maintain a positive attitude
oExcellent Communication skills, both written and oral.
Measurement of Success:
Financial Aid Officers will be evaluated based on (a) ability to meet accuracy and productivity goals; (b) ability to deliver outstanding customer service; (c) ability to work effectively on a team, both within and across Kaplan University departments; and (d) attitude and enthusiasmFull time employees enjoy these outstanding benefits:
401(k) plan
Comprehensive health, dental and short term disability & long term disability plans
Business casual dress code
Sick days, personal days, holidays, and vacation days
A friendly, team oriented environmentKaplan University is an institution of higher learning dedicated to providing innovative undergraduate, graduate, and continuing professional education. Our programs foster student learning with opportunities to launch, enhance, or change careers in a diverse global society. Kaplan University is committed to general education, a student-centered service and support approach, and applied scholarship in a practical environment.Kaplan University is a unit of Kaplan, Inc., a worldwide education services provider and a wholly owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO). kaplan.com