Under the direction of the Director of Financial Aid, the Graduate Financial Aid Counselor will be the lead counselor for prospective and current graduate students for the LaPenta School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts & Science, and the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, working closely with the directors of graduate admissions.
The Graduate Financial Aid Counselor must provide quality customer service to prospective and continuing students regarding financial aid eligibility, analyze federal financial aid applications to determine a student's financial need, prepare and award financial aid offers, and perform all duties related to the financial aid process. Counselors must interact in a professional manner with students and parents, especially in challenging situations to help them resolve financial issues relating to financial aid eligibility and monetary awards.
Financial Aid Counselors support Iona’s diverse, world-class students and their families with specialized knowledge, insights, and guidance regarding financial aid application processes, aid offers, college financing options, and other student financial services. Financial Aid Counselors also have an in-depth understanding of core student service lifecycle concepts such as admissions, registration and records, and student accounts.
The successful candidate will have excellent customer service and interpersonal skills, exercising strong organizational and time-management skills with an exceptional attention to detail. Essential for this role is the adeptness to work independently as well as part of a team with a collaborative approach to problem solving.
Duties and Responsibilities
Advise students and parents regarding financing an education at the University, including financial aid eligibility, application procedures, available financial aid programs, costs and financial management strategies including loans, financing options, and other financial-aid related matters. Manage heavy contact with students and families via email, phone and in-person. Provide outstanding customer service, while demonstrating patience and understanding to families and students who are seeking and receiving financial aid. Work effectively in a diverse work environment with people from different socio-economic backgrounds and cultures. Must be able to maintain confidentiality of private, personal and federal tax information Responsible for processing financial aid application materials, Verifications, and Corrections. Verifies accuracy of documents and consistency of financial aid data, federal tax return data, financial aid verification documents, and student information. Performs analysis to identify discrepancies in data and determines action for resolution, completing the verification process, and generating award notifications or denying aid if ineligible. Exercises professional judgment, assists with processing financial aid appeals, special circumstances and dependency overrides. Counsels and advises students concerning Satisfactory Academic Progress policies and appeal procedures, monitors the probation/suspension status and the 150% program completion time frame for students. Maintain compliance with all federal and state regulations and the internal policies and procedures of the University Utilize databases to gather student information and create and modify awards. Enter and maintain accurate data within computerized systems for tracking and awarding. Prepare and maintain a variety of narrative and statistical reports, records, and files related to assigned activities Serves as subject matter expert and responsible for the administration of the University’s Graduate student aid programs Serves as back-up for the Federal Work-Study Program Familiarity with Veteran, and Yellow Ribbon financial assistance programs Participate in recruitment and retention functions, including evening and weekend hours (Information Sessions, Group Chats, New student orientations, high school financial aid presentations, Admitted Student Days, Open Houses, Move-In Day/Welcome Weekend, etc)