Financial Aid Specialist

Salary: $32,686.00 - $60,471.00 Annually
Location : Beaufort County, SC
Job Type: FTE - Full-Time
Job Number: 169179
Agency: Technical College of the Lowcountry
Opening Date: 09/17/2024
Closing Date: Continuous
Class Code:: AD80
Position Number:: 61130340
Normal Work Schedule:: Other
Normal Work Schedule (Other):: Monday- Thursday 8:00am-5:30amFriday 8:00am-11:30am
Pay Band: Band 4
Opening Date: 09/17/2024
EEO Statement: Equal Opportunity Employer
Agency Specific Application Procedures:: Any request for reasonable accommodations to apply for this position should be directed to Human Resources by calling 843-525-8253. A resume and official college transcript for all degrees earned ARE REQUIRED for this position and may be attached to the online application or faxed to 843-525-8262. A resume cannot be substituted for completing work history and education sections of the application. Incomplete submissions will not be considered. We regret that due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to candidates individually regarding the status of their application or the status of the interview process.
Veteran Preference Statement: South Carolina is making our Veterans a priority for employment in state agencies and institutions.
Job Responsibilities
Job Purpose: Entry level professional, and/or paraprofessional duties related to assisting and advising students, parents, faculty and staff within all areas of financial aid processes. Scope of work requires application of policies, procedures and federal standards pertaining to financial aid.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Provides exceptional service and financial aid advising through accurate and clear delivery of information related to Federal Title IV student financial aid, state aid, and other forms of private student financial aid. Assists with completion of the FAFSA; gathers, interprets, reviews and analyzes documentation for eligibility and requests additional documentation for incomplete or inconsistent applications to perform accurate needs analysis and verification of files. Performs packaging and awarding functions. Ensures compliance with all federal and state regulations applicable to the delivery of financial aid.
2. Responsible for handling the primary means of communication between students and the TCL Financial Aid Office by answering email communication through the Financial Aid mailbox in a timely manner. Serves as the initial point of contact by answering the phone and seeing in-person appointments and walk-ins. Reply to voicemail and email messages in a timely manner. Process routine outgoing communications including but not limited to award notices, loan notifications and exit counseling. Oversees all communication campaigns regarding financial aid events, important financial aid updates, and other pertinent financial aid information to be communicated to various stakeholders in mass.
3. Assists with various aspects of reconciliation of the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Loan programs. Assist with monitoring Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) and Federal Aggregate Limits (SULA). Assist with review and resolution of Transfer Monitoring Reporting. Serves as the backup for import and export of financial aid data processes. Responsible for processing R2T4 in compliance with Federal regulations.
4. Responsible for production activities that support logging, imaging and filing paper and electronic documents. Ensure documents needing review are available for processing by appropriate staff members in a timely manner. Stay abreast of document imaging policies and procedures.
5. Processes federal and private loan applications. Deliver effective and efficient communication via one-on-one and group financial aid counseling, including educational financing, debt management, and default management. Ensure all Federal Student Loan Requests have a complete and valid MPN and entrance counseling. Guides parents in navigating the Federal PLUS Loan program ensuring timely responses to parents and students. Oversees exit counseling processes and communication.
6. Assists with monitoring and evaluation of student financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Assist with adjudication of student appeals relating to academic progress including but not limited to tracking student appeals, tracking of documents and updates to SAP eligibility and communication. Processes end of term functions, checking academic plan completion and cancellation of aid as needed.
7. Reviews requests from students/parents who have unusual circumstances that are not reflected in their initial application for aid. Ensures appropriate documentation is obtained and cases are presented to the Financial Aid Director, for review as needed.
8. Ensures all student/parent information is safe guarded according to general FERPA regulations, institutional policies, and with extended restrictions of Financial Aid & Veterans Affairs Policies and Procedures. Ensures scanning is completed in a timely manner and meets the state and federal electronic records storage requirements.
9. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum and Additional Requirements
Bachelor's degree or equivalent education, training and experience.
Additional Comments
The Technical College of the Lowcountry seeks to be the first choice for higher education in South Carolina's Low Country Region. The college is a public, open door, two-year comprehensive College of higher education. The College is dedicated to serving the diverse educational, workforce development, and personal enrichment needs of the rural counties of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper. In an atmosphere of shared values, the College encourages creativity, innovation, and resourcefulness among its students, faculty, staff, and administrators. South Carolina is making our Veterans a priority for employment in state agencies and institutions.
The Technical College of the Lowcountry is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all qualified applicants for admissions or employment without regard to sex, race/color, religion, national origin, age, disability, service in the uniformed services (as defined by state and federal law), veteran status, political affiliation or belief, marital or family status, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including but not limited to, lactation, genetic information, genetic identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.
Benefits for State Employees
The state of South Carolina offers eligible employees generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Plus, work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.
Insurance Benefits
Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits. Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.
Retirement Benefits
State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.
Workplace Benefits
State employees may also be eligible for other benefits, including tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.
Note: The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.