Graduate Financial Aid Counselor (66602)

Job Details

Job Location: New Rochelle - New Rochelle, NY

Position Type: Full Time

Education Level: 2 Year Degree

Salary Range: $53,000.00 - $55,000.00 Salary/year

Job Shift: Day

Description

Under the direction of the Director of Financial Aid, the Graduate Financial Aid Counselor will be the lead counselor for prospective and current graduate students for the LaPenta School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts & Science, and the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, working closely with the directors of graduate admissions.

The Graduate Financial Aid Counselor must provide quality customer service to prospective and continuing students regarding financial aid eligibility, analyze federal financial aid applications to determine a student's financial need, prepare and award financial aid offers, and perform all duties related to the financial aid process. Counselors must interact in a professional manner with students and parents, especially in challenging situations to help them resolve financial issues relating to financial aid eligibility and monetary awards.

Financial Aid Counselors support Iona's diverse, world-class students and their families with specialized knowledge, insights, and guidance regarding financial aid application processes, aid offers, college financing options, and other student financial services. Financial Aid Counselors also have an in-depth understanding of core student service lifecycle concepts such as admissions, registration and records, and student accounts.

The successful candidate will have excellent customer service and interpersonal skills, exercising strong organizational and time-management skills with an exceptional attention to detail. Essential for this role is the adeptness to work independently as well as part of a team with a collaborative approach to problem solving.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Advise students and parents regarding financing an education at the University, including financial aid eligibility, application procedures, available financial aid programs, costs and financial management strategies including loans, financing options, and other financial-aid related matters. Manage heavy contact with students and families via email, phone and in-person. Provide outstanding customer service, while demonstrating patience and understanding to families and students who are seeking and receiving financial aid. Work effectively in a diverse work environment with people from different socio-economic backgrounds and cultures. Must be able to maintain confidentiality of private, personal and federal tax information

• Responsible for processing financial aid application materials, Verifications, and Corrections. Verifies accuracy of documents and consistency of financial aid data, federal tax return data, financial aid verification documents, and student information. Performs analysis to identify discrepancies in data and determines action for resolution, completing the verification process, and generating award notifications or denying aid if ineligible. Exercises professional judgment, assists with processing financial aid appeals, special circumstances and dependency overrides. Counsels and advises students concerning Satisfactory Academic Progress policies and appeal procedures, monitors the probation/suspension status and the 150% program completion time frame for students. Maintain compliance with all federal and state regulations and the internal policies and procedures of the University

• Utilize databases to gather student information and create and modify awards. Enter and maintain accurate data within computerized systems for tracking and awarding. Prepare and maintain a variety of narrative and statistical reports, records, and files related to assigned activities

• Serves as subject matter expert and responsible for the administration of the University's Graduate student aid programs

• Serves as back-up for the Federal Work-Study Program

• Familiarity with Veteran, and Yellow Ribbon financial assistance programs

• Participate in recruitment and retention functions, including evening and weekend hours (Information Sessions, Group Chats, New student orientations, high school financial aid presentations, Admitted Student Days, Open Houses, Move-In Day/Welcome Weekend, etc)

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Ability to interact effectively with diverse groups of people with various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and interests. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultures and communities

• Commitment to diversity, equal opportunity, and the academic, intellectual, and social development of all students and employees

• Perform complex calculations

• Analyze situations accurately, be able to solve problems and offer solutions in order to adopt an effective course of action interpret, apply and explain regulations and policies and procedure

• Attention to detail with accuracy and ability to retain complex information

• Excellent communication skills

• 2 years of experience

• Associate's degree required

• Effective oral presentation skills

About Iona University/EEO language

Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science, nursing, and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review's 2024 national list of "The Best 389 Colleges" and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse's "2024 Best Colleges in America," which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona's LaPenta School of Business is also accredited AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide.

Iona offers a comprehensive benefits package to all full-time employees that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program (EAP); tuition remission; and generous time off. For more information on our benefits and working at Iona visit the Human Resources section of our website.

Iona University values and celebrates diversity and is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our employees and does not tolerate discrimination based on any legally protected characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local laws. As an equal opportunity employer, Iona University encourages applications from qualified candidates who reflect the wider world in which we live, and in particular from historically underrepresented groups.