Career Paths in Financial Aid
MONDAY, JANUARY 25
PRESENTED BY:
OASFAA MENTOR GROUP
PROTÉGÉS: HELEN FAITH, RUSSELL
SEIDELMAN, CARLOS VILLARROEL, &
KRISTIN WELSCH
MENTORS: VALERIE KARNES & ROBERT
RODGERS
OASFAA Mentor/Protégé Program
 Pilot project; pilot year
 Applications submitted to OASFAA and individuals
were chosen to participate
 All groups met in Salem June 2009 for orientation
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Presentation by mentoring consultant; group activities
Protégés met their mentors and decided on a project to work
on together as a group
 Our group met twice in person, in addition to email,
to work on our OASFAA conference presentation
Who are you and where did you come from?
 How long have you been in Financial Aid?
 How did you get your start?
 …if you’ve been here more than 6 months, you are
here for life!
Career Paths in Financial Aid
 Financial Aid Specialist/Administrative Assistant
 Financial Aid Advisor/Counselor
 Senior Financial Aid Officer
 Assistant/Associate Director of Financial Aid
 Director of Financial Aid
 Lender/Guarantor Representative
 Organizational Charts
Financial Aid Specialist/
Administrative Assistant
Previous Related Fields
Résumé/Work Experience
 Call centers
 Prior customer service
 Customer service
experience
 1 year experience in the
Financial Aid
department
 HS Diploma;
Associates and/or
Bachelor’s preferred
 Billing
 Recent college graduate
 Former work study
student
 Transfer from another
department at college
Financial Aid Specialist/
Administrative Assistant
Job Description
Skill Set
 Computer proficiency (MS
Office, specialized database
systems, or comparable
software/systems)
 Organized, detail-oriented and
able to multitask
 Effectively communicates with
diverse populations
 Influences staff to be excited,
enthused, and committed to
furthering the college's
objectives.
 Primary contact for answering
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Financial Aid emails and phone
messages
Ensures front counter phone
coverage during office hours
Delegates or performs office
duties as appropriate which
include filing, emails, updating
student files, etc…
Offers quality customer service to
our students, their families and
other offices on and off campus
Supervises and helps train new
student employees
Financial Aid Advisor/Counselor
Previous Related Fields
Résumé/Work Experience
 Admissions, Registrars,
 Working knowledge of Title
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Student Accounts,
and/or other offices on
campus
Higher Education
Alternative Loans
Accounting
Banking
Scholarships
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IV Federal Student
Financial Aid
Supervisory experience
Experience speaking in
front of large and small
groups
Program management
Experience working with
large databases
Bachelor’s preferred
Financial Aid Advisor/Counselor
Job Description
Skill Set
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Customer service
Problem solving
Dispute resolution
Microsoft Office; general
computer literacy
Strong analytical skills
Organizational and time
management skills
Written and oral communication
skills
Adaptability/Flexibility
Interpersonal skills
Self-Directed
 All activities related to
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processing financial aid files
Counseling/outreach
Supervisory duties
Maintain working
relationships with co-workers,
other departments on campus
and in the community
Professional development
Evenings and weekends, as
needed
Senior Financial Aid Officer
Previous Related Fields
 Financial Aid
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Advisor/Counselor
Admissions, Registrars,
Student Accounts, and/or
other offices on campus
Higher Education
Alternative Loans
Accounting
Banking
Scholarships
Résumé/Work Experience
 Two or more years of solid
experience in financial aid
or student accounts
preferably in a postsecondary institution
 Advanced knowledge of
Federal, State, or
commercial loan packages
 Bachelor's degree preferred
Senior Financial Aid Officer
Job Description
Skill Set
 Strong interpersonal skills
 Organizational and problem
resolution skills
 Ability to interact effectively
as a member of a team and
work collaboratively with
other departments
 Ability to listen to customers
(e.g. students, staff, etc.) and
to understand and respond
positively to their requests
 Ability to work without close
supervision
 Meets all the Key Job
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Elements within the Financial
Aid Officer job description
Act as a resource for training
new Financial Aid Officers
Be available for school
committee work and to help
out in all functions of
financial aid office
Assist with operations
management of payment
process
Available for special projects
Assistant/Associate Director of Financial Aid
Previous Related Fields
 Mortgage; Finance
 Business office;
Accounting;
Bookkeeping
 Student Affairs;
Student Services
 Public Administration
 Financial Aid
Advisor/Counselor
Résumé/Work Experience
 3-5 years in the Financial
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Aid field
Supervisory experience
Demonstrated progressive
leadership role and
responsibilities
Program management, i.e.
Pell grants, Co-enrollment,
R2T4
Bachelor’s degree required;
Master’s preferred
Assistant/Associate Director of Financial Aid
Skill Set
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Detailed oriented, ability to
effectively manage shifting
priorities
Excellent oral and written
communication skills; strong
interpersonal skills, conflict
resolution
Strong knowledge of Title IV and
state regulations, policy
interpretation, implementation
and compliance
Ability to exercise judgment and
independent action within
prescribed limits
High integrity level
Job Description
 Reports to the Director of Financial
Aid and has primary responsibility to
assist the Director in the overall
management, operation, and
supervision of the Office
 Serves as direct supervisor to all
subordinate members of the Office in
the absence of the Director and
assumes the Director's duties in
his/her absence
 Is the first point of contact for
students with complex issues
regarding their financial aid package,
verification, satisfactory progress, or
other concerns
Director of Financial Aid
Previous Related Fields
 Associate/Assistant
Director
 Student Loan
representative
 Guarantor of servicing
agent
 Other enrollment
management offices on
campus
Résumé/Work Experience
 Five or more years in a
supervisory role within a
Financial Aid office
 Significant experience in
Financial Aid including
progressive responsibility and
demonstrated ability to
develop and implement
financial aid programs
 Master’s degree (preferred at
most schools) or equivalent
combination of education and
experience
Director of Financial Aid
Skill Set
Knowledge of financial aid and
enrollment trends, reporting, modeling,
and best practices
 Knowledge of federal and state
financial aid regulations, student
employment programs, needs analysis
and packaging principles, and financial
aid programs
 Ability to focus on areas of concern to
assure corrective action
 Demonstrated ability to communicate
persuasively, orally and in writing, and
to effectively present financial aid
information to a variety of audiences

 Leadership experience at a
comprehensive university offering
undergraduate and graduate
degrees to undergraduate,
graduate and other adult students
 A management style that is
accessible, collaborative and
service oriented with the ability to
lead diverse groups
 Unquestionable integrity and a
strong sense of professional ethics
that demonstrate mutual trust and
respect
 Ability to assist the University with
the short-term and long-term
strategic planning
Director of Financial Aid
Job Description
 Responsible for managing all
 Maintaining student files per
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financial aid activities.
Managing financial aid
administrative staff
Fulfilling department goals and
objectives
Scheduling student payments, and
completing student’s financial aid
packaging
Ensuring school compliance,
regulations, and policies
Directing and participating in
financial aid planning as requested
Monitoring methods of evaluating
financial aid performance
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applicable laws and regulations
Primary responsibility within the
school for administering all Title IV,
and alternative funding programs in
cooperation with third-party
Financial Aid Servicers
Maintains close relationship with the
Director of Admissions and other
departments across campus to
ensure best practices are upheld
across all functions
Manage the departmental budget as
dictated by the University
Provide ongoing mentoring and
training to staff
Lender/Guarantor Representative
Previous Related Fields
 Financial Aid officer
Résumé/Work Experience
 Relationship management
 Other
lender/guarantor
functions
 Customer Service
 Outreach
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and/or relationship
development experience
Sales and/or marketing
experience
Financial aid experience
preferably with strong
knowledge of various loan
programs and processes
Outreach experience
Financial aid association
involvement
Lender/Guarantor Representative
Skill Set
 Excellent communication
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skills, both written and verbal
Presentations skills
Strong computer skills:
proficiency with word
processing, spreadsheets,
databases, email, etc.
Problem resolution skills
Self-motivated with ability to
work with minimal
supervision and remain
organized and effective
Job Description
 Presents an organization’s
products and services to keep the
organization visible with
financial aid administrators
 Builds relationships with schools’
key decision makers and staff
 Provide training to various
populations
 Knowledgeable of the features
and requirements of private and
government loan programs and
general knowledge of financial
aid
University of Western States
formerly Western States Chiropractic College
CFO
Director
Assistant
Director
University of Portland
Director of Financial
Aid
Associate Director
(Operations)
Counselor (x3)
Student Employment
Coordinator/Counselor
Assistant Director
(Systems)
Office Manager
Loan Coordinator
Office Assistant Lead
(part-time)
Student Worker (x6-10)
Art Institute of Portland
Director of
Administrative
and Financial
Services
Director of
Student Financial
Services
Accounting
Supervisor
General
Accountant
Sr. Accounting
Assistant
Student
Accountant
Admin. Assistant
Associate Dir. of
SFS
Asst. Dir. of SFS
Sr. Financial Aid
Officer
Financial Aid
Officer
Sr. Financial Aid
Officer
Financial Aid
Officer
SFS Loan
Coordinator
Oregon State University
Director
Academic
Wage x2
(temp)
Office
Manager
Student
Workers x5
Associate
Director
Office
Specialist(2)
x6
Assistant
Director
FA Advisors
x5
Associate
Director
Admin.
Program Asst.
Assistant
Director
Ambassadors
Portland State University
Director
Administrative Assistant
Associate Director
Assistant Director for
Quality and Fiscal
Assurance
Quality
Assurance/Verification
(x5)
Scholarship/Accountant
(x1)
Assistant Director for
Student Services and
Loans
Client Services (x4.5)
Loans (x2)
FAO Specialist (x2.5)
Information Systems
and Records
Student
Employment/Return of
Funds (x1)
Processing (x1)
THANK YOU
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?