Financial Aid Counselor

The Financial Aid Counselor provides direct financial aid counseling and support to students enrolled at Rocky Vista University. This role is responsible for guiding students through the entire financial aid lifecycle—from initial application and loan packaging to enrollment adjustments, ongoing financial literacy, and repayment preparation—ensuring compliance with federal and private loan regulations.

As part of the student journey, the Counselor acts as a trusted advisor to students and families, helping them understand eligibility requirements, borrowing responsibilities, creditworthiness, and long-term financial planning. The Counselor plays a pivotal role in debt management, credit counseling, and private loan counseling, equipping students with the tools to make informed borrowing decisions, budget effectively, and prepare for successful repayment after graduation

.This position reports to the Associate Director, Financial Aid

.
Essential Functio

nsStudent Counseling & Adviseme

• ntCounsel prospective, current, and graduating students on all aspects of federal and private loan programs, including eligibility, application processes, disbursements, and renewal requirement
• s.Provide individualized credit counseling to help students understand credit scores, creditworthiness, and their impact on loan approval and repaymen
• t.Deliver private loan counseling, ensuring students fully understand loan terms, lender requirements, and repayment responsibilitie
• s.Provide debt management counseling, helping students and graduates understand responsible borrowing, repayment options, and long-term financial impac
• t.Guide students through entrance and exit loan counseling, ensuring compliance with federal requirement
• s.Counsel students on budgeting, credit management, and meeting financial obligations to the University and their lender
• s.Act as a primary point of contact for assigned caseload of active and prospective students, providing proactive outreach and timely response
• s.Respond to all student inquiries within 24–48 hours, escalating complex cases to leadership or appropriate departments as neede

d.Application Processing & Aid Packagi

• ngReview and evaluate financial aid applications, including ISIRs, to determine eligibility and resolve conflicting informatio
• n.Package federal and private loans in accordance with DOE regulations and lender requirement
• s.Process budget adjustments, cost of attendance recalculations, and aid revisions for students with curriculum or enrollment change
• s.Certify private loan eligibility and ensure compliance with lender and federal requirement

s.Financial Literacy & Student Journey Integrati

• onDevelop and deliver financial literacy education for students through one-on-one sessions, group workshops, and presentation
• s.Present at orientations, webinars, and class meetings to support student awareness of financial aid processes and responsibilitie
• s.Provide ongoing outreach throughout the student journey, ensuring students understand financial aid at pre-matriculation, enrollment, mid-program, and graduation milestone
• s.Monitor and track loan counseling completion, ensuring timely compliance with federal and lender requirement

s.Collaboration & Complian

• cePartner with Admissions, Registrar, Bursar, and Student Affairs to ensure seamless integration of aid with enrollment, billing, and student service
• s.Maintain strict compliance with federal regulations, FERPA, Title IV, and lender policie
• s.Evaluate unusual or extenuating circumstances submitted by students for professional judgment consideration and prepare recommendations for leadershi
• p.Attend training seminars and stay up to date on changes in financial aid regulations, loan servicing, and best practice

s.Operational Support & Reporti

• ngMonitor daily, weekly, and monthly financial aid reports to ensure accuracy of disbursements, enrollment status, and loan eligibilit
• y.Assist in audit preparation by ensuring files and student communications are accurate, documented, and accessibl
• e.Provide administrative support for office-wide initiatives, including communication campaigns and compliance reportin
• g.Serve as a liaison to loan servicers and lenders to support students’ aid and repayment experienc
• e.Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Associate Director of Financial A

idOther Duti

• esProvide coverage for core functions as needed to ensure uninterrupted service to student
• s.Perform other duties and special projects assigned by leadershi

p.This description is not intended to be all-inclusive. This position may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the department/institutio

n.

Qualificat

ionsEduca

• tionBachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree prefer
• red.Equivalent combination of education and related work experience may be conside

red.Experi

• enceTwo (2) or more years of experience in financial aid, higher education, banking, or loan counseling requi
• red.Experience with federal and private loan processing, packaging, and regulatory compliance prefer
• red.Familiarity with financial aid systems such as PowerFAIDS, Jenzabar, Banner, or similar platforms prefer

red.Knowledge, Skills, and Abili

• tiesThorough knowledge of federal and private financial aid regulations, programs, and proces
• ses.Ability to explain complex financial aid information clearly and effectively to diverse audien
• ces.Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving ski
• lls.Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environm
• ent.Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to present to groups of students and facu
• lty.High attention to detail and accuracy in data managem
• ent.Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlo
• ok).Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environm
• ent.Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and supporting students from all backgrou
• nds.Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgm

ent.Physical Demands and Working Condit

• ionsWork is primarily performed in an office environment with standard office equipm
• ent.Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods, occasionally lift up to 20 pounds, and perform repetitive moti
• ons.Occasional travel between campuses may be requi

red.The anticipated salary range for the Financial Aid Counselor is $50,000 to $60,000 per year. The final salary offered may vary and will be determined based on factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, location, and education of the successful candidate. This information is provided per local