Coordinator of Financial Aid, Berkshire Community College

Essential Job Functions

Position Summary

The One Stop Enrollment Center is seeking a Coordinator of Financial Aid to work in a fast-paced, high-energy, and service-oriented environment. Reporting to Director of Student Financial Services, this position will serve as a member of the enrollment services team and focus on federal financial aid processing.

This position will oversee the implementation and management of all administrative functions within the Financial Aid Office. The Coordinator is responsible for the delivery of financial aid services to students, interpretation of, and compliance with, federal and state programs. These specific functions include coordinating all financial aid programs, requesting and awarding federal, state, and institutional aid to all potential recipients, and making professional judgment decisions. Identifying and monitoring all aid recipients for continued eligibility, being fiscally responsible by developing equitable aid packages that reflect the needs of the student body within regulatory guidelines, and ensure regulatory compliance through self evaluation and ongoing training. Facilitate dialogue with campus community as to institutional compliance, especially as it pertains to as it pertains to Title IV participation and serve as liaison between the institution and the community regarding all matters of financial aid availability.

This position will provide leadership and direction to a team of financial aid assistants by assessing work flow issues, reviewing work for quality and accuracy, including training and daily supervision to ensure program integrity and performance evaluation for professional and clerical staff. Develop and implement policies and procedures for the delivery of financial aid, monitor regulatory changes to ensure all policies are current, prepare and update all financial aid publications including consumer information, instructional materials and training manuals, all designs and revisions of financial aid forms, applications, and brochures. The Coordinator is also responsible for administering the Financial Aid module of an integrated informational system and maintaining a comprehensive financial aid database, monitoring all electronic data exchange, and troubleshooting programming issues.

Responsibilities

• Provide excellent customer service to students and families seeking information about billing and payment plans and/or financial aid resources, and help with applying for financial aid; respond to phone inquiries and communicate with students, staff, and community agencies.
• Counsel/advise students and parents relating to available resources, eligibility guidelines, regulations, loans, and special circumstances; assist with the development and implementation of programs, policies, and procedures to support financial aid activities and enrollment objectives, monitor regulatory changes to ensure all policies are current; conduct on- and off-campus workshops on financial aid and attend admissions events and student information sessions.
• Provide excellent administrative support to the Student Financial Services office by performing duties such as compiling data and reviewing and analyzing data related to assigned activities; provide other administrative tasks associated with department activities as requested.
• Coordinate all aspects of Direct Loan processing and certification operation to include counseling prospective borrowers/applicants, coordinate and oversee yearly application functions, train office staff on new processes and changes to regulations, oversee the loan reconciliation process with Accounts Receivable Office, serve as liaison between College and all internal/external stakeholders, ensure loan entrance/exit counseling is complete, identify, and monitor borrowers for continued eligibility, monitor and report on average indebtedness of graduates and student loan default rates/trends, approve and certify alternative loans.
• Coordinate all facets of Exit Loan Counseling.
• Calculate disbursement and reconciliation of the Federal Pell grant program including monitoring eligibility and preparing summary reports on program maintenance and expenditures; assist with the Pell grant reconciliation process with billing office.
• Maintaining best practices of Financial Aid Processing COD management provided by Ellucian.
• Coordinate electronic transmission of all loan and grant data through the Department of Education Common origination and disbursement system; monitor electronic data exchange; troubleshoot programming and work flow issues; and perform reconciliation with Accounts Receivable Office and Department of Education.
• Maintaining best practices of Financial Aid.
• Processing COD management provided by Ellucian.
• Assist Director with weekly pre-transmittal disbursement process, semester bookstore authorizations; processing third-party payments and reviewing refund checks.
• Work with the College’s default management servicer to inform all loan borrowers of information pertaining early intervention and/or repayment (how to view loan indebtedness, understanding interest rates and origination fees, etc.).
• Adhere and stay current with federal requirements and guidelines for NSLDS Transfer Monitoring. Director will provide list of students during awarding/packaging.
• Evaluate and perform Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation for all students needing a calculation. Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and consumer education materials to meet federal/state financial aid refund requirements, facilitate planning meetings with key stakeholders (Accounts Receivable Office, Registrar, etc.) to keep them informed, and to coordinate action calendar/academic calendar/colleague setups. Ensure funds are returned/disbursed within regulatory timeframe; maintain records and audit preparedness.
• Perform need analysis; determine students’ eligibility for aid, including evaluating c-flags and conflicting information specific to loan issues (default, discharge, bankruptcy, etc.). Assist in developing annual award packaging rationale and develop/program/test award packaging formulas to implement and automate award packaging; develop annual Cost of Attendance figures and student budgets using national/regional cost of living data; assist with batch and manual packaging or awards/assigning budgets to students eligible for awarding. Review over-award packages, per Ellucian reports.
• Maintain professional knowledge in applicable areas (i.e. maintain a working knowledge of assigned area; review/research legislative and financial aid news, publications, and resources to remain current on financial aid issues and regulations; attend meetings, workshops/webinars, and training sessions and maintain current knowledge of technical use of Colleague).
• Provide back-up support to Program Coordinator/Director for State Aid, in determining award eligibility, assist with student eligibility certifications, and monitoring continued eligibility, as well as awarding and reconciling fund accounts, reporting, records maintenance, and audit preparedness. Additionally, able to assist with tuition waivers and third-party postings.
• Perform other similar duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education, business, accounting, human services, sociology, or closely related field; with two (2) years experience and/or training involving financial aid operations, loan processing, and computer operations; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data.
• Knowledge of admissions, enrollment, and student financial aid processes.
• Must possess strong interpersonal and communication (both oral and written) skills, public speaking experience.
• Must be self-starter, highly organized, and detail-oriented.
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to maintain effective, collaborative working relationships with internal and external colleagues and consultants.
• Ability to work independently or as a team player and be able to work under pressure.
• Experience with reconciliation of federal, state, and institutional aid and/or managing a budget/grant program(s).
• Working knowledge of financial need analysis, calculating financial aid awards, creating annual award rationale, resolving conflicting information, and maintaining records for audit preparedness.
• Ability to oversee the implementation and management of all administrative functions within the Financial Aid Office.
• Demonstrated leadership and ability to provide direction to a team of financial aid assistants.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

• Prior community college or other higher education experiences.
• Experience working with Ellucian Student Information System Colleague, COD, NSLDS, Partner Portal, and/or Mass-Aid.
• Bi- or Multi-lingual.
• Prior experience with Mass aid programs and OSFA MASSAID system.
• Three or more years experience within financial aid processing or counseling.

2025-0097

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