Financial Aid Advisor/Reception Representative

Financial Aid Advisor/Reception Representative

Minimum Qualifications:

Graduation from high school and one year of related office experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Special Note: This is a generalized representation of positions in this class and is not intended to reflect essential functions per ADA. Examples of competencies are typical of the majority of positions, but may not be applicable to all positions. 
Diplomas or degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Preferred Qualifications:

•    Experience with database software such as Banner 
•    Experience working with students or in higher education 
•    Experience working with scanning software 

Essential Job Functions:

The Financial Aid Advisor/Reception Representative duties include creating a welcoming environment for students and families as they arrive in the office, managing front-line student workers, ensuring the front desk is staffed, fielding phone calls and emails from students and parents, diagnosing problems and concerns based on knowledge of financial aid application and eligibility processes, providing basic advising and resolution, discerning and appropriately routing complex and higher-level inquiries and situations, using an open-ticket system to track and route inquiries, and researching systems and resources as appropriate. Duties also include identifying unique concerns and trends, and advising management. Additional administrative support may be required in other functional areas within the office, including call center backup, digital imaging, and other processing tasks. 
The Financial Aid Advisor/Reception Representative is responsible for accurately and professionally answering first-line financial aid application and eligibility questions in a high-volume, fast-paced customer contact center. Responses must follow federal, state, and institutional rules and regulations and align with training and management guidelines. The position requires computer proficiency, strong keyboarding skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, strong analytical skills and attention to detail, use of good judgment and tact, and a positive, helpful customer orientation.

Knowledge, Skillls, & Abilities Required:

•    The position requires computer proficiency, strong keyboarding skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, strong analytical skills and attention to detail, use of good judgment and tact, and a positive, helpful customer orientation. 
•    Considerable knowledge of services, policies and procedures related to a program or area of specialization. 
•    Ability to demonstrate and apply this knowledge in performance of administrative tasks; ability to explain and interpret information to clients/customers and staff. 
•    Considerable knowledge of program policies, procedures and information systems in order to communicate and process information. 
•    Ability to compile, assimilate and organize both printed and electronic information; ability to apply knowledge of data collection, storage, organization, manipulation and/or analysis of data. 
•    Ability to utilize office equipment and other relevant technology (software and systems) to meet organizational needs. 
•    Ability to identify and understand issues, problems, and opportunities; use effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions. 
•    Ability to clearly convey information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups. 
•    Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral)