Financial Aid Officer (4528U) 49536 About Berkeley
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Departmental Overview
The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO) directly awards or coordinates the awarding of over $850 million from over 700 funding sources to over 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
The mission of the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office is to provide students access to an excellent education. Through strategic partnerships and rigorous planning, FASO offers innovative aid programs to make higher education affordable, helps students and parents navigate financial aid processes, counsels students so they understand their options and feel empowered to make the best choices to manage their financial lives,advocates on behalf of students, teaches students about financial literacy, collaborates to help build upon a comprehensive, holistic culture of care that transforms the student experience and helps us recruit, retain, and graduate students and prepare them for success in life, and fosters a sense of community by encouraging alumni and donors to connect with the university and give the gift of access to the next generation of students.
This position manages one or a combination of federal and/or state aid programs administered by FASO. Involves analyzing students' level of need and eligibility for financial aid to allocate financial aid awards and advise students on obtaining aid. Interprets financial aid regulations, analyzes student data, and implements procedures to ensure regulatory compliance and timely delivery of financial aid. As a member of the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team, this position will be making a tremendous difference in the lives of many students.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: March 7, 2023
Responsibilities
Administer the entire Federal Direct Loan program processing flow. Analyze and resolve Direct Loan and Pell Grant data inconsistencies between Campus Solutions and COD, including but not limited to the daily processing of edit and reject reports. Reconciles complex student data, such as those that show up on monthly reconciliation information provided by the Fiscal Management unit.
Respond in a timely manner to loan-related inquiries from staff, students, and parents. Verify that loans are awarded and processed according to federal eligibility requirements and FASO packaging policy. Performs needs analysis, assesses eligibility, and exercises professional judgement to determine the allocation of aid awards under complex, specialized regulations or for escalated cases.
Reconciles complex student data from multiple sources. Identifies difficult-to-resolve mismatches and errors from external and internal sources. Identifies programming or procedural changes needed to prevent errors. Analyzes exception reports to determine necessary changes in programming or procedures to allow automated packaging of aid. Serves as a resource to internal/external partners.
Remain current with regulatory changes and packaging policy. Provides advanced expertise to plan and coordinate policy and procedure changes; serves as a functional expert resource on non-standard programs including but not limited to self-supporting programs. Recommends packaging policies and strategies for allocation of awards to groups of students. Recommend policy/procedural changes based on this thorough knowledge. Write and maintain UCB's Federal Direct Loan procedures and processing schedule. Coordinates, implements, evaluates, and reports on very complex, specialized government programs.
Serve as functional expert on software systems as relates to Federal Direct Loan and Pell Grant processing. Includes but is not limited to importing and linking of Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) applications, Campus Solutions Federal Loan Origination screen generation (pre-origination), loan origination and disbursement functions, and treatment of aggregate loan limit data from NSLDS. Works in a collaboration with Business System Analysts to maintain the integrity of Federal & State Programs and processes. Designs and establishes processes as control mechanisms to test the integrity of data, output, and reports. Identifies, develops and implements database elements, queries, and aid reports needed to monitor complex programs. Through analysis and interpretation, makes recommendations for best practices and use of systems for specialized programs or to resolve issues manually when more efficient.
Test software to support efficient, accurate processing and recording of loans. Work closely with business system analysts/IT to make sure that all systems issues that impact loan processing are resolved in a timely manner and new procedures/processes and/or reports are put into production to assure smooth, accurate, and timely delivery of loan funds and data reporting. Analyzes exception reports to determine necessary changes in programming or procedures to allow automated packaging of aid. Compose clear, concise, data-supported communications for systems, monitor open issues, provide regular issue status reports to supervisor, and notify supervisor of delays in issue resolution.
Communicate effectively and collegially with other individual contributors in FASO, such as counselors managing special programs, Fiscal Management staff, Senior Staff, and the Communications Manager, as well as SAIT staff and other campus partners (BPS, BFS, etc.). Effective communication skills are critical to assure that the Federal Direct Loan program is administered efficiently and seamlessly in all cases including, but not limited to summer, travel studies, and freshmen extension program. Keep both FASO's public and staff websites current and accurate regarding the Federal Direct Loan program. Assess the need for and compose courteous and informative communications about the Federal Direct Loan process to subpopulations of students and familities. Communicate with students on individual issues, primarily through Salesforce case management system.
Keep FASO management and staff informed by periodically providing updates via email or other common communication venues (such as Staff Website Bulletins) about upcoming deadlines, procedural changes, or periodic changes or issues. Design and conduct group training/updates as needed on Direct Loan program processing details. Serves as a resource to internal/external partners. Works with internal and external organizations to develop program policies and coordinate procedures. Includes creating appropritate business process workflows, forms, and schedules. Interprets regulations, and develops or recommends procedures to ensure compliance and accurate aid delivery. Develops new or makes changes to exisitng financial aid forms and workflow routing, including creating an annual program specific processing calendar. Provides training on programs to internal/external staff. Provides backup coverage as needed for other Federal and State Programs unit staff members. Other projects as assigned.
Manage the Default Management Program including review of annual draft Cohort Default Rates (CDR) for errors, submissions of CDR appeals as needed, collection of demographic data on defaulters, coordination of default prevention outreach and procedure development. Maintian historical data and use to inform/refine procedures to support the mitigation of student default and to keep Berkeley's CDR low. Coordinate with appropriate FASO staff on student outreach/education and use counseling skills to educate current borrowers about borrowing wisely and successful loan repayment in various venues including, but not limited to workshops, webpages, videos, in-person counseling sessions.
Required Qualifications
Advanced knowledge of policies, regulations, and practices for awarding financial aid; specialized knowledge of particular programs. 3 years experience working directly with Federal Title IV student aid regulations, including specialized knowledge of the Federal Direct Loan program.
Advanced knowledge of Federal database applications, including Common Origination and Disbursement (COD), National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), EDConnect.
Experience using complex databases including testing software for same; ability to review systems issues and write clear communications for systems staff; ability to define specifications for database programming. Proficiency in manipulating and analyzing large volumes of data. Advanced knowledge of common University-specific computer application programs.
Ability to interpret complex policies and develop procedures to ensure compliance.
Advanced knowledge of, and successful experience with financial aid advising and counseling techniques.
Project management skills - demonstrated by the implementation of new processes/procedures. Advanced ability to assess processes and implement improvements. Excellent written and verbal communication skills - demonstrated by effective, concise, courteous, accurate, grammatically correct, professional, diplomatic, and complete verbal and written interactions. Customer service orientation.
Advanced problem identification, critical thinking, and problem solving skills; judgment and decision-making ability.
Organizational skills and ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines. Demonstrated ability to manage a heavy workload, which may at times require additional work hours or very selective work prioritization.
Interpersonal skills. Strong social perceptiveness abilities. Includes active listening, diplomacy, social perceptiveness, and the ability to recognize and diffuse charged interactions with customers and colleagues, and to develop effective working relationships with all colleagues. Ability to relate to diverse student and parent populations.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access as well as internet and email applications.
Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced knowledge of, or ability to learn to use quickly, information management systems related to registration, financial aid, and student accounts.
Advanced knowledge of University of California policies, processes, and procedures.
Salary & Benefits
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.
Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.
The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $96,000 - $106,000.