Financial Aid Technical Specialist - Santa Maria, United States - Allan Hancock College

Allan Hancock College

Verified Company

Santa Maria, United States

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Mark Lane

beBee recruiter

Description

Position Summary:

DEFINITION:

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS:

The incumbent is required to have an operational knowledge of federal and state regulations and guidelines to ensure program compliance.

The incumbent requires in-depth knowledge of financial aid programs.

Assists the dean of financial aid in decision-making regarding best practices, policies and procedures related to financial aid and student systems.

The incumbent develops and maintains expertise in integrated systems troubleshooting and researching problems related to financial aid and student information systems.

There is some contact with students, staff, and the general public requiring tact and good communication skills.

Essential Functions and Qualifications:

Transmits electronic file information between the district, U.S. Department of Education and state agency computer systems for the purpose of obtaining and reporting student and program information in support of the financial aid department.
Works closely with ITS staff in configuring and testing the annual new year roll setup, system upgrades, and current and forthcoming software from the Department of Education and California Student Aid Commission for monitoring, processing and reporting of grants, scholarships, loans, and other sources of financial assistance;
Performs firstlevel trouble shooting to users in diagnosing and resolving problems associated with financial aid hardware and software.
Prepares and transmits electronic and written correspondence, verifying student status and other information; responds to requests from the district and other educational institutions and agencies involving verification of student status and records.
Works with Financial Aid staff, functional leads, Information Systems, consultants and other departments to conduct needs analysis and ensure that proposed processes and related system changes are properly implemented, taking into account possible impacts in various areas.
Creates queries to assist users with data needs and reporting requirements and develops test data and conducts program tests to verify processing accuracy and completeness and corrects errors in programming logic.
Coordinates with financial aid analysts for database entries, inputting student information into local database systems and federal systems; receives student information and verifies forms are filled out completely.
Provides information regarding general district policies and procedures and student services to staff, students, and the general public; receives complaints and calls regarding student financial aid.
May provide support/backup for the financial aid assistant.
Identifies and reports anomalies or other information that may identify potential fraud or misuse of state or federal funds.
Reviews regulation releases and updates to identify possible impact in existing business processes.
Works with other functional leads on developing processes and procedures to test and validate updates, patches and fixes to ensure accuracy in computation of student's accounts.
Works closely with management and attends college financial aid meetings as needed.
Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

Regulations, rules, and institutional policies and processes relating to financial aid and the connections to admissions, registration, and accounting.
Federal and institutional satisfactory academic progress policies.
Federal and State regulations, policies and procedures relating to awarding and administering financial aid.

Demonstrated Ability to:

Access various databases and manipulate the date contained therein;
Understand and carry out oral and written instructions;
Operate a computer with accuracy and speed;
Establish and maintain office records and files;
Must be able to operate a variety of computer terminals, printers, and peripheral equipment;
Requires the ability to analyze technical and complex information and documents and make assessments according to policies, procedures, and mandated regulations;
Perform complex systems and data analysis related to financial aid systems;
Research, analyze and evaluate new service systems, develop projects and support services;
Participate in technical discussions with technical and nontechnical groups;

Working Conditions:

Duties are primarily performed in an office environment, at a desk or at a computer.
The incumbent will experience frequent interruptions while performing normal duties during regular workday.

Physical Demands:

Typically may sit for extended periods of time.
Operates a computer and software programs.
Regularly lifts, carries, and/or moves objects weighing up to 10 pounds.

Special Qualification:

Evidence of sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of staff and students and to staff and students with disabilities.

**Minimum Qualificat