What are the responsibilities and job description for the STUDENT SERVICE SPECIALIST position at Edgewood University?
Description Of Job
Edgewood University is seeking a full-time Student Service Specialist. This dynamic position directly impacts student service and is the first point of contact for Financial Aid, Registration, and Student Accounts. This position requires analyzing student accounts, and providing counseling to resolve both simple and complex questions within Edgewood Central with only minimal supervisory guidance. This role is also responsible for managing voicemail, email correspondence, updating forms, and coordinating mass communication to students.
Responsibilities
Customer Service
Necessary Education or Work Experience:
Edgewood University, a Catholic university sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to academic excellence through diversity in its faculty, staff, and students. Candidates must demonstrate multicultural competence – the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to work with others who are culturally different from self in meaningful, relevant, and productive ways. Applicants from traditionally underrepresented populations including women and racial and ethnic minorities are especially encouraged to apply. The selected candidate must actively support the mission of the University by working with faculty, staff and students to share in our core values – truth, compassion, justice, partnership, and community.
Edgewood University is seeking a full-time Student Service Specialist. This dynamic position directly impacts student service and is the first point of contact for Financial Aid, Registration, and Student Accounts. This position requires analyzing student accounts, and providing counseling to resolve both simple and complex questions within Edgewood Central with only minimal supervisory guidance. This role is also responsible for managing voicemail, email correspondence, updating forms, and coordinating mass communication to students.
Responsibilities
Customer Service
- Counsel students one-on-one in order to identify financing options and assist with questions involving financial aid, registration, and student billing via phone, email, or in person. Partner with college colleagues to resolve student issues as needed.
- Monitor email accounts and voice mail boxes numerous times per day to address all inquiries in a timely manner.
- Implement, review changes, and make exceptions to students’ records including working in partnership with our Business Office in adjusting late fees and resolving problems on student account billing statements and financial transactions.
- Research and analyze current processes and continuously improve services to students in all areas represented by Edgewood Central.
- Assist in managing all State of Wisconsin financial aid programs including requesting funds and reconciling student accounts.
- Coordinate and facilitate the reporting of non-enrolled students on a semester basis and aid in providing appropriate exit materials.
- Manage outside scholarship processes including processing outside scholarship forms and reconciling outside scholarship information from the Business Office with other financial aid.
- Assist with the reconciliation and accuracy of data within the financial aid management software.
- Partner with Admissions in tracking specialty scholarship applications and award as directed
- Manage the distribution of financial aid awards both via paper and electronically including organizing and creating associated materials.
- Coordinate and facilitate mass communication and outreach via email and text to students with missing information/documents or for deadline reminders.
- Serve as the audience manager for the current students’ financial aid webpage and Edgewood Express sites.
- Use critical information obtained from students’ comments to make necessary changes and decisions.
- Track communications and provide metrics to drive future strategic communication plans.
- Process a variety of forms related to students’ registration, billing, and financial aid while being cognizant of all deadlines to ensure that transactions are processed correctly.
- Update Edgewood Central forms at least annually with close attention to detail.
- Verify enrollments and degrees for outside agencies and loan deferments.
- Manage document imaging process for Edgewood Central which includes developing systematic review to ensure accuracy.
- Create and update summer financial aid applications, including updating the financial aid webpage.
- Adhere to all FERPA (Family Education and Privacy Act) regulations in all job aspects.
- Perform independent special projects and aid with day-to-day processing in Edgewood Central when needed.
- Keep up to date with college, departmental and professional (federal and state) changes in the field.
Necessary Education or Work Experience:
- Associate Degree required, Bachelors Degree preferred.
- At least 2 years of experience in customer service with the ability to react to customers quickly, accurately, and compassionately.
- Student financial aid, registration, or student accounts receivable experience preferred.
- Preference for a bilingual candidate with the ability to write and speak in Spanish proficiently.
- Attention to detail and ability to multitask.
- Ability to adapt to and welcome interruptions in a positive and friendly manner.
- Proven ability to work effectively as a team member
- Ability to analyze and interpret data and make independent decisions
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Proficient skill-level in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, and basic computer concepts
- Knowledge of SharePoint is a plus
- Willingness and ability to learn new software
Edgewood University, a Catholic university sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to academic excellence through diversity in its faculty, staff, and students. Candidates must demonstrate multicultural competence – the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to work with others who are culturally different from self in meaningful, relevant, and productive ways. Applicants from traditionally underrepresented populations including women and racial and ethnic minorities are especially encouraged to apply. The selected candidate must actively support the mission of the University by working with faculty, staff and students to share in our core values – truth, compassion, justice, partnership, and community.