Student Financial Services Counselor

Position Title: Student Financial Services Counselor
# of Openings: 1
Department/Program: Financial Aid 55000
Work Location: 100% Remote
Campus Location: Arapahoe Campus
Reports to: Assistant Director of Student Financial Services
FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt/Hourly
FTE: 63% (25 hrs/week)
Compensation: $22.50-$25.20 depending on experience

Application Deadline: 7/31/2026 or until filled

Job Summary

The primary function of the Student Financial Services Counselor is to assist students and families in applying for financial aid and financial planning. This role serves as a contact for current and prospective students requesting information or needing help with financial aid or veteran education benefits processes. This role is additionally responsible for administrative processing, such as reviewing documents, resolving student eligibility issues, the awarding of financial aid, and certification of VA benefits. This position offers a flexible part-time schedule.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

Key Accountability 1: Student Customer Service
• Act as a contact for students and families requesting financial aid and financial planning assistance via phone, email, Zoom, and online group information sessions.
• Counsel students and families regarding financial aid, scholarships, program costs, budgeting, and financial literacy.
• Help manage the inboxes for Financial Aid and VA Education benefits, answering questions and routing to appropriate staff members when necessary.
• Assist with student outreach regarding missing documents and other aid related issues.

Key Accountability 2: Financial Aid Awarding
• Review financial aid applications and documents and resolve conflicting information.
• Award incoming and returning students with various forms of financial aid: institutional, federal, state, and external.
• Assign COA budget parameters and student attendance patterns, reviewing for accuracy.
• Revise previously awarded financial aid upon request, when additional funding is received, or for enrollment changes, ensuring the student does not exceed COA and meets proration and schedule of reductions rules.

Key Accountability 3: Student Eligibility Review
• Help complete verification for selected students, carefully reviewing all submitted documents to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
• Ensure accurate and timely updating of FAFSA records when corrections are required.
• Review student eligibility issues such as Pell LEU, Unusual Enrollment History, Legacy Status/Limited Exception, Aggregate Loans limits, and C-Codes.
• Assist in the review and processing of professional judgements, dependency overrides, division of income, citizenship confirmation, etc.

Key Accountability 4: VA Education Benefits
• Counsel military-connected students on types of education benefits, general student and program eligibility, and how to apply for/transfer benefits.
• Collect and track required eligibility documents.
• Review degree plans and submit timely certifications of VA student enrollments.
• Complete annual VA SCO trainings and attend quarterly webinars to remain current on VA policy and procedure.

Miscellaneous:
• Maintain working knowledge of policies and procedures related to Student Financial Services.
• Maintain cross-functional working knowledge and proficiency of student information system (Ellucian Colleague) and student portals (Ellucian Self-Service and Microsoft Sharepoint).
• Cross-train with other student financial services positions, to serve as back-up when needed.
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning, four additional years of relevant experience my substitute for degree.
• One (1) year of financial aid experience and One (1) year working with Student Information Systems
• Proven exceptional customer service skills
• Excellent oral/written communication – ability to clearly communicate complex ideas and solutions
• Attention to detail - thorough and conscientious attention to detail when performing all work
• Leadership – strength in taking an objective and resources and bringing the idea to fruition
• Collaboration – able to work well independently as well as part of a team
• Critical Thinking – secure relevant information, identify issues, and generate proposed solutions
• Detailed knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite (particularly Excel)
• All job candidates must demonstrate an appropriate level of understanding of and appreciation for the values of Naropa University and the capacity to demonstrate an integration and embodiment of these values as evidenced in work, communication, collaboration styles, and other general workplace behaviors.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Three (3) years Financial Aid experience
• Experience working with Colleague/Banner Student Information System
• Demonstrated experience with awarding financial aid and/or eligibility review

Physical Requirements & Environmental Conditions

During regular daily activities, employee must be able to do the following with or without reasonable accommodation: lift up to 10 pounds, sit, handle/finger and interruptions/distractions.

Naropa recognizes the following holidays throughout the year: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Fall Break, 4th Thursday and Friday in November, and Winter Break, the last two weeks in December encompassing the Christmas holiday as well as New Year’s.

Naropa’s health and welfare benefits include the following: medical, dental, vision, FSA, HSA, employer-paid short-term and long-term disability, employer-paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment, an employer-sponsored pre-tax retirement savings plan, which includes up to 2.5% employer matching, and a variety of voluntary, employee-paid supplemental insurance plans.

A comprehensive benefits package is available to full-time employees who work a minimum of 30 hours each week. Employees who work 20 – 29 hours each week are eligible for only the employer-paid short-term & long-term disability, employer-paid life insurance & accidental death and dismemberment, and the retirement plan, which includes up to 2.5% employer matching.

Employees who work fewer than 20 hours per week are eligible to participate in Naropa’s retirement plan only, which includes up to 2.5% employer matching.

All regular full-time and part-time faculty and staff, including student workers, accrue sick leave benefits. Full-time and part-time staff positions accrue vacation and personal time. All leave accrual rates vary based on the position, hours worked, and years of service.

The University recognizes the importance of including its employees in its organizational mission and values and welcomes employees into the classroom to “touch the magic.” Specifically, regular employees are provided generous tuition remission opportunities for themselves and their family members.

Naropa University participates in the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP). CIC-TEP is a network of CIC colleges and universities willing to accept, tuition-free, students from families of full-time employees of other CIC participating institutions (full-time as designated by the employer/institution). Additional information can be found here: https://www.cic.edu/member-services/tuition-exchange-program. 

Naropa University is an equal opportunity, non-discriminatory employer and Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits gender discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual and relationship violence. This law applies to all students, faculty, and staff.

Salary : $23 - $25