Financial Aid Counselor

The Financial Aid Counselor is multifaceted, requiring a combination of technical expertise, interpersonal skills, and attention to detail to effectively support students in accessing the financial resources they need to pursue their education. They are responsible for ensuring federal, state and institutional funds are awarded and disbursed appropriately according to established guidelines and regulations. The counselor is expected to have in-depth knowledge of all financial aid programs and be the primary expert in one or more specific areas, such as Federal and Private Loan Programs, Pell Grant Program, Cal Grant Programs, Named and Endowed Awards, or Federal and Institutional Work-Study Programs.
The Financial Aid Counselor will provide guidance and counseling to all students and families regarding eligibility criteria, application processes, and the status of their financial aid applications or awards. In addition, they will assist with the training of Student Services support staff, student workers, and provide office support in tracking the status of workflows, which may involve maintaining records, updating databases, and ensuring that processes are efficient and compliant with regulations.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

Counseling – 50%

• Provides daily counseling via phone, email, virtual and in-person appointments to both prospective and continuing students/families on concepts and financial literacy throughout the financial aid process each year (application, awarding, disbursement, refund). 

• Communicates and explains complex concepts when counseling and guides families throughout the financial aid process, contributing to overall recruitment and retention of students to the college.

• Is self-sufficient in finding answers or solutions to assist students and families with their financial aid needs. 

• Works closely with the Student Accounts Office and Student Records Office to counsel on resolving student balances and registration issues.

• Partners with the Admissions Office to review student applicants’ financial need to assist with recruitment and enrollment. 

• Works closely with Departments across the College and serves as a Financial Aid expert to others, ensuring compliance with federal, state, local and institutional regulations.

• Presents financial aid workshops and financial aid literacy information to prospective students and their parents, both virtually and in-person. 

• Provides frontline support for the Student Services Office, providing drop-in financial aid counseling and general information or forms pertaining to Student Records, Student Accounts, Housing/Dining and Academic Advising.

Operational – 45%

• Participates in training seminars, conferences and committee meetings in order to maintain current on all federal Title IV, state and institutional financial aid rules and regulations.

• Works independently in the administration, awarding and reconciliation of one or more of the following programs: Federal and Private Loan Programs, Pell Grant Program, Cal Grant Programs, Named and Endowed Awards, or, Federal and Institutional Work-Study programs; including keeping up to date on requirements and regulations, training of staff and serving as a resource for others.

• Performs award packaging using federal and institutional need analysis. Reviews financial aid files performing verification of data; resolves discrepancies and items needing clarification. Submits data for reprocessing and performs any necessary documentation and follow-up.

• Responsible for running and working weekly reports, including system reaction reviews and quality control reviews for required documents submitted to a student file. 

• Under the direction of Financial Aid Management, works with HR and Payroll to maintain proper hiring and compensation practices for the federal work-study program.

• Exercises decision making authority to change or adjust financial aid awards to students/applicants with special or unusual circumstances.

Other – 5%

• Other duties as assigned by Leadership of Financial Aid.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required. 

• At least 1 year of experience in a financial aid office or a higher education setting; knowledge of Federal Title IV and state financial aid requirements; familiarity with needs analysis methodology, application, and verification process; knowledge of financial aid software and tools, including CSAC Web Grants, NSLDS; experience with integrated student information systems (Workday). Strong preference for Bilingual speakers.

• Computer proficiency a must, i.e. PC Windows applications: MS Excel, Word. Must demonstrate attention to detail, working with a high degree of accuracy, strong organizational skills, strong record keeping skills,  and the ability to articulate and disseminate complex information to multiple audiences. 

• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills are a must. 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills required. 

• The ability to multi-task with a high level of efficiency and adjust to varying assignments and workloads is a plus.  

• Demonstrate ability to work independently and self-initiate general responsibilities, but also work in a team environment.

Please note that in an effort to keep the CCA community safe, the College encourages all staff, faculty, and students who are on campus to be fully vaccinated, including to have received a booster shot (if eligible). Please note CCA on campus Covid-19 protocols. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS :

• The range for the position is $28 – $29.23/hour.

• CCA offers a comprehensive benefits package, including the choice of five medical plans, generous holiday, sick & vacation time, a retirement match and tuition remission. CCA covers an average of 91% of the medical plan cost for the employee only and an average of 82% for employees with dependents. More information can be found here: https://portal.cca.edu/working/office-human-resources/employee-benefits .

POSITION DETAILS :

• CCA considers a full-time work week to be 37.5 hours per week

• Work Mode: Campus Hybrid

• This position is covered under the staff union collective bargaining agreement and will be required to contribute to union dues/agency fees.

• Schedule: Mon – Fri 9am-5pm

Location

San Francisco

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Additional Locations

Application Instructions

Applicants are required to attach a cover letter and resume. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Recommended document file formats are Word or PDF.  If there are multiple attachments, we recommend compressing/zipping your files into a zip format file. There is also a place in the application for you to provide a link to large documents. Please submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions.

Application Deadline

For staff positions, screening begins immediately and continues until the position is filled.

EEO Statement

As an educational and cultural institution, California College of the Arts has a responsibility to provide access and opportunities for all people, with special attention to supporting groups historically underrepresented in higher education.

We believe that a culturally diverse campus is integral to academic excellence, and our student, faculty, staff, and trustee bodies should reflect the diverse world in which we live, with attention to race, ethnicity, religious creed, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and ability.

California College of the Arts is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals who will contribute to its diversity. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to [email protected]. In alignment with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment. If a background check is required for a position, it will be noted in the job posting.

Questions?

Please address any questions to [email protected] .