NAU aims to be the nation’s preeminent engine of opportunity, vehicle of economic mobility, and driver of social impact by delivering equitable postsecondary value in Arizona and beyond.

• Hiring for two Financial Aid Advisor Intermediate positions.
• This position is a hybrid position which allows the incumbent to complete their work at both an NAU site, campus, or facility and at a non-centralized site with or without accommodation.
• Position may required some travel, weekend hours and overtime work.

The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA), within the division of Enrollment Management (EM), seeks two individuals to serve as the Financial Aid Advisors within the Operations and Compliance team. The Financial Aid Advisors work closely with the Assistant Managers of Financial Aid to assist in the oversight of multiple functions within the office, which includes, but is not limited to: compliance, maintaining the Policy and Procedure manual, Pell Grant and Direct Loan management, document imaging, Verification, ISIR processing, and daily file transmission with the Department of Education.

The Financial Aid Advisors work closely with the Scholarships and Client Services teams to maintain consistency of service to students, equitable working conditions for staff, and aligned policies and procedures to ensure department compliance at all times. The Financial Aid Advisors maintain strong, positive relationships with division and campus partners for recruitment and retention efforts and demonstrates a full understanding and active participation in fulfilling the mission of the organization. Campus partners include, but are not limited to: University Admissions, the Office of the Registrar, Student and Departmental Account Services, Student Affairs, academic departments, the Center for International Education, and Disability Resources.

Program Management - 40%

• Serve as a subject matter expert and responsible primary contact for a financial aid program. Individually responsible for either the Private and Direct Loans program or the Pell Grant program.
• Evaluate information and documentation in order to make changes to student awards, budgets, and other data elements in PeopleSoft.
• Research student account issues as they pertain to federal, state, and institutional aid, and provide/communicate timely resolutions.
• Process reports in a timely manner in accordance with federal, state, and institutional guidelines to ensure compliance and student eligibility.
• Maintain a high-level working knowledge of regulations and policies that affect the program of responsibility.
• Assist with Verifications to ensure accurate federal financial aid eligibility.

General Responsibilities - 25%

• Evaluate program effectiveness to identify potential issues and trends that could impact efficient and accurate processing of financial aid and notify managers so that procedures can be corrected in a timely manner.
• Participate in special projects and cross-training within the office as directed.
• Develop and nurture an impactful level of internal and external service, and work with the Assistant Manager to coordinate the advising of students and their families.
• Perform document imaging database tasks and ensure the scanning and indexing of documents is done accurately and efficiently.
• Maintain and apply knowledge of:
  • Institution and government guidelines to determine eligibility for various types of financial aid.
  • Internal and external databases such as PeopleSoft, COD, NSLDS, ELM, etc. to ensure student eligibility for financial aid.
  • Title IV, ABOR, state policies, and other higher education regulations.

• Serve as the intermediate level contact for students, parents, staff, and others to provide problem-solving assistance and to answer questions regarding the position’s program of responsibility.
• Support the Assistant Manager with day-to-day management of their team, such as coordinating activities, determining workflow, maintaining proper procedures, and preparing reports.
• Serve as designee in absence of the team’s Assistant Manager.
• Assist with individual and group trainings as necessary.
• Communicate clearly and in a timely manner across all modalities: phone, email, IM, and Salesforce cases.

Support Department & Division Priorities - 10%

• Support the missions of the department, division and institution.
• Demonstrate the ability to lead and follow.
• Voice feedback or concerns appropriately.
• Engage in discussions to improve processes.

Other - 5%

• Serve on University committees as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Associates or Bachelor's degree.
• 2 to 4 years of relevant experience. A combination of related education, experience and training may be used as an equivalent to the above educational Minimum Requirements.

• Experience working in a financial aid office and administering federal, state, and institutional aid.
• Demonstrated ability to efficiently and effectively solve problems and initiate and implement projects independently.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and ability to work with a diverse student, staff, and faculty population.
• Demonstrated capacity to adapt to change.

• Knowledge of government rules, regulations, guidelines, and procedures related to financial aid.
• Knowledge of higher education law, including FERPA, Title IX, HIPPA, etc.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Works with confidential and/or sensitive information.
• Communicates the benefits of change to team members.
• Involves others in team decisions and maximizes individual differences and talents.

This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements. Additionally, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States. Finally, each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Salary range begins at $38,628. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

This position is non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The incumbent is eligible for overtime pay or compensatory time according to University policy. Further, the employee must submit timesheets that accurately reflect all hours worked.

This is a Classified Staff (CLS) position. NAU offers an excellent benefit package including generous health, dental and vision insurance; participation in the Arizona State Retirement System; paid vacation and 10 holidays per year; and tuition reduction for employees and qualified dependents. More information on benefits at NAU is available on the Human Resources benefits website. Classified Staff employees are in a probationary status for their first six months at NAU. NAU is a tobacco and smoke-free campus. Employees offered a position will be eligible for state health plans (including NAU's BCBS Plan). New employees are eligible for benefits on the first day of the pay period following their enrollment, after their employment date. Employees will have 31 days from their start date to enroll in benefits. Additionally, new employees will begin participating in the Arizona State Retirement System, and the long-term disability coverage that accompanies it, on the first of the pay period following 6 months after the new employee's start date.

Your career at Northern Arizona University includes the opportunity for professional development. New employee on-boarding training includes courses to be completed within the first 30 days.

NAU will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

November 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by clicking on the "Submit" button by midnight of the application deadline. If you need assistance completing your application there are instructions available on the Human Resources website or in person in the Human Resources Department located in Building 91 on the NAU Campus - on the corner of Beaver and DuPont Streets.

If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.

Northern Arizona University is a committed Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. NAU is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

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NAU is an Employer of National Service. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other National Service alumni are encouraged to apply.