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Middlesex College · 2 weeks ago

Financial Aid Administrator - Verification

Edison Main Campus, Edison, NJ, US

Full-time

Onsite

Mid Level

$73K/yr - $73K/yr

4+ years exp

Middlesex College is seeking a Financial Aid Administrator for Verification to ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial aid awards. The role involves managing the verification process, providing guidance to students and families, and ensuring compliance with regulations.

Higher Education

Responsibilities

Oversees the end-to-end verification process for students selected for Federal, State, and/or Institutional verification. This includes, but is not limited to, collecting, reviewing, and meticulously analyzing financial aid applications and all required supporting documentation (e.g., tax transcripts, W-2s, untaxed income statements, household information)

Proactively identifies and resolves all conflicting information discovered during the verification process, adhering strictly to federal and state regulations. Documents all actions and resolutions thoroughly

Accurately processes required federal corrections through the FSA Partner Portal and state corrections through the NJ Higher Education Student Assistance Authority's (HESAA) NJFAMS portal, ensuring timely and compliant updates. Processes ISIR alert reports; compares and update ISIR transactions as needed

Processes student files and prepare accurate financial aid award packages in strict accordance with Federal, State, and Institutional policies and regulations, after successful completion of verification

Provides expert and empathetic counseling and advising to current and prospective students and their families (on and off-campus) regarding financial aid eligibility, application procedures, the intricacies of the verification process, and award packaging

Develops and delivers training to internal staff regarding federal and state verification requirements, institutional procedures, and best practices for managing and resolving verification issues, including conflicting information. Serves as an internal expert resource for verification-related inquiries

Assist with the thorough processing and determination of Professional Judgment requests, including but not limited to Unusual Circumstances, Income Adjustments, and Homeless Determinations, ensuring all decisions are well-documented and compliant

Maintains up-to-date knowledge of all federal and state financial aid regulations, policies, and procedures through regular professional development and review of official announcement and news

Performs continuous quality assurance on verification processes using various resources such as running reports, daily monitoring of the verification queue, responding promptly to student inquiries related to verification, and sending out timely missing information correspondence

Manages all confidential student financial and personal information in strict adherence to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other relevant data security protocols

Conducts engaging on-campus and off-campus presentations, workshops, and other forms of outreach to educate prospective and current students and families about financial aid and the verification process

Performs other duties as assigned

Qualification

Financial Aid ExperienceVerification Process ManagementFinancial Aid PoliciesMicrosoft OfficeColleague (Ellucian)FAFSA Partner PortalCommunication SkillsProblem-Solving SkillsTeamwork

Required

Bachelor's Degree

Four (4) years of financial aid experience

Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced work environment, with demonstrated multitasking and problem-solving skills

Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills

Ability to work independently and within a team-oriented setting, use discretion, and apply judgment

Preferred

Experience in a higher education setting

Strong computer skills with knowledge of Microsoft Office, enterprise resource planning tools, and the FAFSA Partner Portal, COD, and NSLDS

Thorough knowledge of Federal and New Jersey State financial aid policies

Knowledge of Colleague (Ellucian) computer system or a similar platform, experience in the use of technology, query software, and financial aid databases and tools