Sr. Financial Aid Counselor
Apply NowCompany: Mount Wachusett Community College
Location: Gardner, MA 01440
Description:
Job Description:
General Statement of Duties:
Join our vibrant and inclusive educational community! We seek a candidate passionate about working with diverse student populations. As Senior Financial Aid Counselor, you'll play a key role in administering federal, state, and institutional aid programs (grants, scholarships, loans), collaborating closely with Admissions and Advising.
A significant focus will be supporting our incarcerated student population through FAFSA completion events and follow-up sessions at affiliated correctional facilities. You will also directly support the Coordinator of State Aid and Scholarships. This role involves counseling students and families on financial aid eligibility, policies, applications, programs, and student loan debt. Participation in events like Open Houses, Orientation, and Financial Aid Workshops, including some evenings and weekends, is expected. This position is primarily based at the Leominster Campus, with the exciting opportunity to collaborate and work at the Gardner Campus.
Responsibilities:
This list is not to be considered all-inclusive. A supervisor may assign other duties as required to meet the needs and foster the mission of the College.
All employees of MWCC are expected to work collegially and collaboratively within a community that values and celebrates diversity.
For Complete Union Specifications please click HERE
Requirements:
Minimum Qualifications:
Willing to work some evenings and weekends, as needed.
Desired Qualifications:
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.
Additional Information:
Salary: $63,159.00-$107,654.00
**** 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: 4
Employee Status: Full TIme
Benefits: Yes
Hours per Week: 37.5
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.
Application Instructions:
Candidates for employment should be aware that although the COVID 19 Vaccination Requirement Policy is no longer in effect, all Community College students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to be up to date with vaccination against COVID-19. For additional information related to the status of the COVID19 Vaccination Requirement Policy, please visit: https://mwcc.edu/covid/
The following documents are required:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
Anticipated Effective Date: March 2025
Priority will be given to applications received prior to March 27, 2025
Applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.
Candidates may be subject to employment screening to include both a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) request and a Sexual Offender Registry Information (SORI).
General Statement of Duties:
Join our vibrant and inclusive educational community! We seek a candidate passionate about working with diverse student populations. As Senior Financial Aid Counselor, you'll play a key role in administering federal, state, and institutional aid programs (grants, scholarships, loans), collaborating closely with Admissions and Advising.
A significant focus will be supporting our incarcerated student population through FAFSA completion events and follow-up sessions at affiliated correctional facilities. You will also directly support the Coordinator of State Aid and Scholarships. This role involves counseling students and families on financial aid eligibility, policies, applications, programs, and student loan debt. Participation in events like Open Houses, Orientation, and Financial Aid Workshops, including some evenings and weekends, is expected. This position is primarily based at the Leominster Campus, with the exciting opportunity to collaborate and work at the Gardner Campus.
Responsibilities:
- Counsel prospective and current students and their families on all aspects of the aid process.
- Collect, review and evaluate student financial aid applications and financial aid forms and documentation.
- Review financial aid files, perform needs analysis, verification, make corrections when necessary, and determine eligibility for Federal and State financial aid funds.
- Collaborating with Admissions and Advising on areas of student support.
- Contribute to the development of policies and procedures.
- Assisting incarcerated students at FAFSA sessions located in the correctional facilities.
- Assist Coordinator in reviewing incarcerated student FAFSA summaries and sending them back for processing.
- Assist Coordinator in awarding the incarcerated student population.
- Run report to identify students who need their award adjusted for outside scholarships.
- Work with student accounts to adjust any outside scholarship discrepancies.
- Responsible for maintaining current knowledge in all aspects of financial aid including changes to federal and state regulations, participating in annual training, professional organizations, and conferences to keep abreast of new information and program changes to be implemented.
- Oversee and/or complete special projects assigned or directed by the Director of Financial Aid.
- Meet with students virtually.
- Participate in events requiring a Financial Aid presence such as Open Houses, Orientations, Financial Aid Workshops, etc., and will occasionally require weekend and/or evening work.
- Other related duties as required.
This list is not to be considered all-inclusive. A supervisor may assign other duties as required to meet the needs and foster the mission of the College.
All employees of MWCC are expected to work collegially and collaboratively within a community that values and celebrates diversity.
For Complete Union Specifications please click HERE
Requirements:
Minimum Qualifications:
- Master's degree in Education, Business Administration, Accounting, Human Services, 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.
Willing to work some evenings and weekends, as needed.
Desired Qualifications:
- At least one year at the professional level in a Financial Aid Office.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Title IV Regulations.
- Bilingual
- Experience working in a Community College.
- Experience with an integrated Student Information System (SIS).
- Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office.
- Strong written and oral communication skills. Ability to do public speaking.
- Strong customer service and interpersonal skills working in a very diverse environment.
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced, high volume environment.
- Master's Degree
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.
Additional Information:
Salary: $63,159.00-$107,654.00
**** 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: 4
Employee Status: Full TIme
Benefits: Yes
Hours per Week: 37.5
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.
Application Instructions:
Candidates for employment should be aware that although the COVID 19 Vaccination Requirement Policy is no longer in effect, all Community College students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to be up to date with vaccination against COVID-19. For additional information related to the status of the COVID19 Vaccination Requirement Policy, please visit: https://mwcc.edu/covid/
The following documents are required:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
Anticipated Effective Date: March 2025
Priority will be given to applications received prior to March 27, 2025
Applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.
Candidates may be subject to employment screening to include both a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) request and a Sexual Offender Registry Information (SORI).