Career Center

General Statement of Duties:

The Financial Aid Counselor will be responsible for supporting all aspects of financial aid processing. The FA counselor will manage a caseload of students and have a working knowledge of all financial aid policies and procedures relating to eligibility, awarding, and adjustments of student financial aid, both federal and state. The FA Counselor will also assist the front-line staff with client services and the Financial Aid Assistant with application processing.

Responsibilities:

• Counsel students and families on financial aid application requirements, eligibility, cost of attendance, award eligibility, loan process requirements, unusual circumstances, satisfactory academic progress, etc.;
• Manage budgets and awards (this includes monitoring overawards);
• Manage special circumstance requests and exercise professional judgment;
• Manage and monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and appeals;
• Manage special programs (i.e., outreach, financial literacy, student employment, nursing, clock hour programs, etc.);
• Manage consortium agreements;
• Support financial aid application (i.e., FAFSA/ISIR) review to determine SAI and manage conflicting information;
• Complete federal verification processing;
• Support determination of student eligibility (i.e., managing C-Flags, C-Codes, database matches, etc.);
• Provide financial aid counseling at college recruitment events;
• Support Coordinators with federal and state aid processing, reconciliation, and reporting;
• Performs other duties as assigned.

For complete Union Specifications please click HERE.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Human Services, Sociology, or closely related field;
• Two (2) years experience and/or training involving financial aid operations, or loan processing; or
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Data Utilization: Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data.  Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.
• Human Interaction: Requires the ability to apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others in coordinating activities of a project, program, or designated area of responsibility.
• Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of references, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.
• Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations involving basic algebraic principles and formulas, and basic geometric principles and calculations.
• Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership, and to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to resolve problems.
• Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a member of a team of highly motivated and experienced individuals,
• Strong communication, organizational, analytical and time management skills,
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment,
• Honesty, integrity and commitment to maintain high professional standards
• Previous experience in higher education preferably in a financial aid or student accounts setting.
• Experience with relevant software programs (Datatel/Banner, Microsoft Office) and knowledge of federal need analysis.

Equivalency Statement
Applicants who do not meet the qualifications as stated above are encouraged to put in writing precisely how their background and experience have prepared them with the equivalent combination of education, training and experience required for the responsibilities of this position.

Salary: $58,979.00 - $100,530.00

Actual Salary determined by education, experience, and any applicable grant limitations per the collective bargaining agreement. Applicants should be aware it is unlikely the salary will be at or near the top of the range.

Grade: 3
Employee Status: Full Time 
Benefits: Yes
Hours per Week: 37.5; 8 am - 4 pm, M, T, F; 10 am - 6 pm, W, TH
Number of Weeks: 52

Mount Wachusett Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy or related conditions, gender identity, sex characteristics, sex stereotypes or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and college policies. The College prohibits Sex-Based Harassment. Inquiries or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, or retaliation shall be referred to the College's Affirmative Action Officer and/or Title IX Coordinator, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission or the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.  

About Mount Wachusett Community College

We are an innovative institution for teaching and learning excellence. Students and faculty are at the center of everything we do. If you are looking for the opportunity to come to work every day and help students achieve their dreams, Mount Wachusett Community College is the place for you. Our faculty, staff, and administration forge the direction of the college together - from governance to defining our mission. We understand that for our institution to remain relevant we must continually examine and refine the ways we serve our students. We strive to create an environment where students, faculty and staff feel comfortable and where new ideas and perspectives are encouraged and rewarded. We respect and honor our differences and make them work toward the advantage of all. The college is committed to attracting the best faculty and staff for our students, regardless of race, color, religious creed, age, physical or mental disability, sex, national origin or ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information or veteran status. About the College Mount Wachusett Community College is an accredited, public two-year institution serving 29 cities and towns in North Central ...Massachusetts. The picturesque269-acre main campus is located in Gardner, Massachusetts; satellite sites are located in Leominster, Fitchburg, and Devens. The college offers over 45 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as adult basic education and high school equivalency programs, education and training for business and industry, and noncredit professional and personal enrichment programs. MWCC is on the forefront of state and national civic engagement and service learning initiatives and is nationally recognized as a veteran- friendly school. MWCC is in the process of constructing a $42 million science and technology building to support growing STEM programs. The college community enjoys many resources including the East Wing Art Gallery; the 555-seat Theatre at the Mount which hosts a variety of productions annually; the Fitness and Wellness Center, which offers a wide assortment of fitness classes, exercise equipment and an Olympic-size swimming pool; a complete library with access to thousands of on-line publications and data bases, as well as electronic classrooms. In addition, through its membership in the CWMARS regional library system, access is available to all other public and academic libraries in the region. Our Green Commitment In addition, if sustainability is important to you, Mount Wachusett Community College offers the chance to work at one of the greenest colleges in the nation. We are the largest greenhouse gas reducer of any Massachusetts state college, university, or agency, as recognized by the 2011 Leading By Example Award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We have also been nationally recognized with a Climate Leadership Award from Second Nature, the supporting organization of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, and several other organizations. Our Gardner campus features two 1.65 MW Vestas V82 wind turbines that are propelling us to near-carbon neutrality for campus operations. With the college's biomass and solar technologies incorporated into the mix, coupled with significant efficiency improvements, MWCC generates nearly all of its energy on-site to operate as a near-zero net energy campus. About our benefitsOur full-time faculty and staff enjoy a liberal benefits package, including generous retirement plans, eleven health insurance options, dental care, life insurance and long-term disability insurance. In addition, we offer a tuition remission program which provides education benefits at Massachusetts state colleges, community colleges, and University of Massachusetts Colleges for full-time employees, their spouses and dependent children. Education and lifelong learning are valued here. Additionally, sabbatical opportunities and other professional development opportunities are possible. About the regionMount Wachusett Community College is located a few hours from the stunning beaches of the Cape Cod National Seashore, an hour's drive from the cultural attractions and big city lights of Boston, and forty-minutes from the county seat of Worcester, with museums, a thriving restaurant scene, and excellent amenities. A wide variety of state and national parks, including the Appalachian Trail, the White Mountains, the Berkshires and the Green Mountains are all a day-trip away. The best that New England has to offer is here: quaint villages, bustling cities, and beautiful vistas. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Worcester Art Museum and the Fitchburg Art Museum offer incredible collections. There are opportunities for great shopping in area cities, towns, and nearby outlet malls. North Central Massachusetts is home to excellent public, charter and private schools as well as an affordable lifestyle. Hiking, biking, and walking trails are spread throughout the region as well, for those seeking to maintain an active outdoor lifestyle. We hope you will consider applying for one of our open positions, and discover all that Mount Wachusett Community College and the North Central Massachusetts region have to offer.

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