Financial Aid Counselor

About McDaniel College:

McDaniel College is a four-year, independent college of the liberal arts and sciences offering over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. One of the original "Colleges That Change Lives," McDaniel emphasizes experiential learning and student-faculty collaboration to develop the unique potential in every student. Represented by the Green Terror, over 20 athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference. A student-centered community of 1,600 undergraduates and 1,400 graduate students offers access to both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., plus a European campus in Budapest, Hungary.

At McDaniel College we value our employees by offering our full-time employees tuition remission, 403B retirement accounts, paid time off, medical insurance, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and paid maternity and parental leave. For more information about the college's benefits, please click here to review the 2026 benefits guidebook and click here to view 2026 premium rates.

This position has a budgeted hiring rate of $21.50/hr. The position is classified as C3. The C3 salary band for all full-time, 12-month positions at the college with this classification have a minimum rate of $16.75/hr and a maximum rate of $24.12/hr. This is a full-time, 35-hour a week position.

Job Description:

The Enrollment Management Division is a dynamic, high-performance division that plays an essential role in the mission of McDaniel College. Reporting to the Director of Financial Aid, the Financial Aid Counselor provides student-focus financial aid services to determine student eligibility while also counseling and advising students and families on the various financial aid programs. The Financial Aid Counselor must demonstrate a strong understanding of the value of a liberal arts education, McDaniel College's Strategic Plan, and how financial aid strategies and processes align with broader institutional priorities.

An appreciation for diversity, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects, and institutional priorities simultaneously are essential for success in this role. Foster trust and transparency through clear, compassionate communication, leading challenging conversations with students, parents, faculty, and external agencies regarding financial aid eligibility, verification, and appeals.

The position may include the option of one remote workday per week when possible, pending successful performance metrics, based on office coverage and staffing needs. During peak and yield seasons, flexibility is essential, and evening/weekend hours or full in-office presence will be required.

Specific Responsibilities

• Assists with the smooth operation of the Financial Aid department by assisting in the administration of one or more financial aid programs.
• Serve in a caseload advising model, providing comprehensive financial aid counseling to assigned students and families through all stages of the financial aid process, from application to disbursement and resolution of issues.
• Serve as the counselor on duty and conduct individual virtual advising sessions on a weekly rotating basis.
• Assess students' files in order to determine missing information and be able to accurately communicate missing documentation and non-eligibility to students.
• Answer and respond to the Financial Aid Office phone calls and emails in the absence of the front office manager.
• Assist with mailing outbound correspondence such as offer notifications and other documentation.
• Collect and analyze documentation required to complete a student's financial aid file in accordance with federal regulations.
• Process student financial aid applications to address issues and concerns as they arise.
• Evaluates accuracy of documents and consistency of data from need analysis processor, federal tax returns, financial aid transcripts verification document, and student information; perform data analysis to identify discrepancies in data and determine action for resolution.
• Assist the financial aid specialists with conducting financial aid informational presentations to special groups, when needed, serving as the primary counselor for these presentations when needed.
• Communicate to convey or exchange general work-related information to guide or assist internal or external customers.
• Follow technical instructions, procedure manuals, and charts to solve practical problems; and/or compose routine or specialized reports or forms and business letters; and/or ensure compliance with clear guidelines and standards.
• Run and assist with managing various processes within College ERM, Colleague, to ensure efficient and effective processing of awards
• Computer data entry and other related duties as assigned.
• Maintain proper records of retention policy and documentation of Financial Aid records of storage.
• Assist in updating financial aid forms when needed.
• Attend training workshops and conferences to learn and stay current on financial aid regulations and processing.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Financial Aid Director and Assistant Director.

Information Security Role: Data User

• Follow the policies and procedures established by the appropriate Data Stewards.
• Comply with federal and state laws and regulations as well as College policies, procedures, and standards associated with the College computing resources and institutional data used.
• Use institutional data only as required for the conduct of college business within the scope of employment.
• Implement safeguards prescribed by appropriate Data Stewards for Limited Access and Restricted Data.
• Ensure the appropriateness, accuracy, and timeliness of institutional data used for the conduct of college business.
• Report any unauthorized access, data misuse, or data quality issues to the appropriate Data Steward for remediation.
• Accept and complete the confidentiality statement yearly if access includes Restricted data.
• Report any suspected data breach to the CIO and the IT Help Desk as soon as possible.

Requirements:

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with one year of professional experience
• Excellent organizational skills
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, enterprise data management systems and other cloud-based products
• Knowledge of basic mathematical and accounting principles.
• Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives, and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities.
• Must be able to anticipate and plan cyclical activities.
• Ability to deliver effective customer service through accurately assessing and handling phone calls, visitor requests, etc., with discretion and a positive attitude
• Ability to communicate effectively in English orally, by phone, in person, and in writing
• Discretion and reliability in sensitive and confidential matters are vital
• Ability to respond to emergency situations in a timely manner
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to convey complex financial aid processes, ideas, facts, and information effectively and accurately to students, staff, faculty, and the public.
• Demonstrated polished public speaking and presentation skills.
• Ability to handle confidential matters judiciously.
• Apply principles of logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Detail-oriented skills in proofreading materials and data entry to ensure accuracy.

Physical Abilities

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• Sitting for long periods of time.
• Some bending and stooping when working with files.
• Limited lifting involved but not more than 10 pounds at a time.
• Finger and hand dexterity for typing and handling paperwork

Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely working in a normal office environment with minimal exposure to adverse conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal to moderate.

Additional Information:

McDaniel College, in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, and employment of students, faculty, and staff in the operation of any of its educational programs and activities. McDaniel College will not tolerate any discrimination or harassment on basis of any protected status including protective hairstyle, race, religion, color, ancestry or national origin, disability, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military status, genetic information, marital status, veteran's status, or any other actual or perceived legally protected characteristics.

Application Instructions:

Completed applications must include a cover letter addressing position qualifications and related experience, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references. Review of applications begins January 29, 2026.

Please click the Apply Now button below to begin your application.