Financial Aid Counselor: Graduate/Professional Financial Aid

Reports To Kristin Basballe, Associate Director

This position serves as the primary financial aid coordinator for designated professional schools, colleges, and graduate students from across the University. This position serves as the principal contact for questions related to the financial aid records of graduate and/or professional students that come from students, departmental staff, and One Stop Student Services. This position provides expertise in aid awarding, aid adjustments, and borrower-based loan awarding. This position involves considerable student counseling and support via email, phone calls, one-on-one appointments, orientations, and outreach.

Academic Support Resources supports hybrid and flexible working arrangements. Work arrangements are determined in coordination with supervisors depending on the nature of the unit and position. The arrangement for this position will be determined upon hire between employee and supervisor.

Essential Job Functions
Financial Aid Counselor for Professional and Graduate Students (80%)

• Provide financial aid counseling to current and prospective graduate and professional students in all careers. This includes: in-person appointments, orientations, emails (SalesForce and personal), phone calls, and outreach for designated professional program(s).
• Review financial aid records for students in graduate and professional programs and adjust budgets and aid for federal, state, University, and private aid programs.
• Advise graduate and professional program staff on current federal, state, and University financial aid policies.
• Work with various administrative staff for the graduate and professional programs to coordinate the awarding of scholarships, grants, Health Professions Loans, tuition waivers, and other awards.
• Serve as a principal contact for One Stop Student Services and Office of Student Finance staff for questions related to professional and graduate programs and financial aid.
• Serve as the principal contact for students in designated degree programs in relation to financial aid.
• Provide research and respond to elevated and complicated student situations.
• Respond to financial aid inquiries related to students in these programs via phone, email, in-person appointments, and outreach.
• Provide orientation sessions for new students in graduate and professional programs as needed.
• Provide assistance to evaluate and process institutional emergency grants for all professional and graduate students.
• Responsible for staying informed of changing program requirements from designated professional and graduate programs and facilitating appropriate changes in aid processing.
• Coordinate one term only financial aid award processes for graduate and professional students.
• Process private loan applications from students in graduate/professional careers.
• Apply professional judgment and process financial aid appeals, which include: Cost of Attendance appeals, Professional Educational Development appeals, Satisfactory Academic Progress appeals.
• Process study abroad cost estimate forms for graduate and professional students.

Graduate and Professional Report Processing: (10%)

• Process daily financial aid queries for the Graduate and Professional Unit within the Office of Student Finance.
• Understand and apply all guidelines, policies, and regulations in making appropriate adjustments to student records. Queries may include: budget queries, manual packaging queries, Satisfactory Academic Progress queries, tuition benefits, non-resident tuition waivers, Regents Scholarships, Student Financial Transactions, and payroll fellowships.
• Collaborate with Financial Aid-IT to develop new queries or tweak existing queries, as necessary.

Other Duties: (10%)

• Other ongoing responsibilities within the Graduate/Professional Unit include:
  • Managing special aid programs.
  • Award graduate work-study funds.
  • Other projects or committee work as assigned.

Hybrid Explain the work environment

• While this position has a hybrid work schedule, the chosen candidate will be expected to live within commutable distance of the Twin Cities campus.

This position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

*The employer reserves the right to change or add duties to this position as long as the changes and/or additions are consistent with the job classification.

Required

• BA/BS degree and four years of progressively responsible full-time work experience in counseling, financial aid, and/or student services, or a Master's degree with two years of full-time relevant work experience.

Preferred (Core Competencies)

• Proven effective communication skills with a variety of audiences (individual and large group), strong customer service focus, time management skills, and ability to meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of University, state, and federal financial aid regulations and procedures.
• Technology experience with PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, Google/Microsoft suite (specifically spreadsheets), and CRM platforms.
• Ability to analyze situations and adopt an effective course of action.
  

The mission of Academic Support Resources (ASR) is to make a positive difference in students' lives. ASR is committed to cultivating and sustaining an environment that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. We are better equipped to serve and represent our University community by ensuring our culture values differences and individuality.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities of all ASR employees include job knowledge, communication, problem-solving/analysis, development, leadership, teamwork, and customer service.

The Office of Student Finance (OSF) manages the initial components of the student finance lifecycle for all University of Minnesota students. OSF calculates financial aid eligibility and manages the awarding, origination, disbursement, recalculation, and return of financial aid. This compliance-forward unit also manages the student finance portion of internal and external audits and partners closely with other Academic Support Resources (ASR) units with billing, accounts receivable, and loan/account collections work.

Pay Range: $57,000 - $61,500 annually; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

• To be considered for this postiion, applicants must include a resume and cover letter with their applicantion materials.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).