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Job Category:
Academic Staff
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Financial Aid Officer
Job Summary:
The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) is recruiting two Financial Aid Officers in our Financial Aid Applications, Awarding, and Compliance Team (FAACT). The Financial Aid Administrator and the Financial Aid Coordinator in OSFA support the full lifecycle of awarding federal, institutional, and state aid, from application review to award packaging and disbursement. These roles ensure compliance with all relevant regulations while providing accurate guidance and support to students and campus partners.
Applicants will be considered for the Financial Aid Administrator and Financial Aid Coordinator positions. The position an applicant is selected for will be determined by the experience and qualifications of the finalists.
Specific Tasks for the Financial Aid Administrator:
Award and assist in the reconciliation of federal programs, including the Federal Pell Grant, TEACH Grants, Direct Loans, and Campus-based funds.
Assist in process reviews and take action as appropriate, including failed authorization, overawards, mass package review, and post-package review
Troubleshoot and determine proper action related to Direct Loan error reports, including manual corrections within SIS
Test and review student budget creations and packaging of aid offers
Monitor emails, chats, and phone calls to the Federal Awards team and respond to student and staff financial aid requests and concerns
Assist with creation of procedures and best practices, implementation, and provide regular feedback for the internally created document collection process
Inbound/outbound, process, reconcile, and troubleshoot private loan applications
Work with private loan lenders and agencies and build and maintain positive relationships with the University
Assist with annual setup in SIS, such as testing loan origination and aid year rollover
Specific Tasks for the Financial Aid Coordinator:
Review federal student aid applications selected for verification or assigned a C-code by FPS
Review institutional student aid applications for accuracy and conflicting information
Review and make professional judgment decisions of student aid applications and appeals, including dependency overrides, special and unique circumstances
Complete budget adjustment requests
Review subsequent ISIR applications per OSFA policy
Assist team responsible for packaging functions, including review, failed authorization, overawards, reconciliation etc.
Monitor emails, chats, and phone calls to the Federal Awards team and respond to student and staff financial aid requests and concerns
Assist with creation of procedures and best practices, implementation, and provide regular feedback for the internally created document collection process
Troubleshoot, award, and process private and Direct PLUS loan applications
Assists with the testing and reviewing of student budgets and award packaging
Assist with the completion of Return of Fund (R2T4) calculations per university policy and Department of Education guidance
Key Job Responsibilities:
- Remains current on all federal and regulatory requirements and program changes relative to all forms of aid for which a student may qualify
- Assists in collecting, preparing, and analyzing financial aid data for stakeholders
- Serves as a point of contact to third party stakeholders about financial aid information and processes
- May hire, train, and supervise student employees
- Demonstrates commitment to the University's mission statement, particularly to be sensitive and responsive to those groups which have been underserved by higher education. Participation in related learning activities is expected
- Audits financial aid applications for awarding financial aid to qualifying students according to established policies and in compliance with federal and state regulations
- Awards financial aid to qualifying students
- Coordinates communication and education to students, families, OSFA staff, and campus partners
- Triages processes or applications if issues arise
Department:
The Division of Enrollment Management (DEM) believes in our ability to contribute towards an ecosystem of innovation. Through this relentless desire for bold ideas, DEM leads a comprehensive strategic enrollment approach to attract, enroll, support, and graduate the most talented students. We foster equitable and seamless experiences, value research in practice, engage in responsible stewardship, provide inclusive support, collaborate, and increase access to higher education to accomplish our goals. With students firmly at the center of our actions, decisions, processes, and services, our work helps to deliver the impact of UW-Madison as a world-class institution that enriches communities across the globe.
The Division is comprised of a dedicated team of over 400 team members and includes the Office of Admissions and Recruitment, the Office of Student Financial Aid, the Student Success Through Applied Research (SSTAR) Lab, the Office of the Registrar, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management. DEM invests in the professional growth of our team members and is committed to the highest standard of service for students, colleagues, visitors, and other partners.
Compensation:
The minimum salary is $60,000. The title and salary are determined by the experience and qualifications of the finalists.
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund.
Required Qualifications:
* Demonstrated knowledge of federal financial aid or a background with regulatory compliance
* Works effectively both as a member of a team as well as independently
* Ability to quickly adjust to new situations, learn new skills, and embrace change
Preferred Qualifications:
* Demonstrated knowledge in various financial aid systems and software (Peoplesoft’s student information system, FSA Partner Portal, NSLDS, COD, and FAFSA Processing Portal)
* Familiarity with aid applications (including FAFSA and CSS Profile), verification and review processes, and compliance requirements
* Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, collaboration, and frontline service skills
Education:
Bachelor's Degree preferred
How to Apply:
To apply for these positions, select either “I am a current employee” or “I am not a current employee” under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.
Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area.
• Cover letter
• Resume
Your cover letter and resume should highlight how your skills and experience align with the qualifications listed above. The hiring committee will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process. References will be requested from final candidates.
A criminal background check and a misconduct reference check will be conducted on all finalists.
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment and must be able to sustain eligibility, without sponsorship, throughout the duration of their employment.
Contact Information:
Ann Bradshaw, HR Associate Director
ann.bradshaw@wisc.edu
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.