Financial Aid Specialist, Municipal Initiatives

Reporting into the Manager of Scholarship Aid & Eligibility, the Financial Aid Specialist, Municipal Initiatives is primarily responsible for packaging the financial aid awards of students participating in the municipal partnership initiatives within the Division of Strategic Initiatives & Community Engagement ( SICE ) at Community College of Philadelphia, namely: the Octavius Catto Scholarship and the City College for Municipal Employment ( CCME ). In addition, the Financial Aid Specialist is responsible for supporting all verification processing procedures, including reviewing, verifying and awarding financial aid. The position will collaborate with staff across the Catto Scholarship, CCME , and Financial Aid to ensure students receive the highest level of customer service. Additional responsibilities include researching and resolving any other matters affecting student aid.

*Please note that the position description and requirements have been updated as of 12/17/24 to include the duties related to the new CCME program in addition to support Catto.

College Intro
Success starts at Community College of Philadelphia. Innovators and difference makers work at Community College of Philadelphia. Diversity thrives at Community College of Philadelphia. We are a college that is committed to promoting a work environment that attracts and retains talented and diverse faculty and staff. We challenge each other and ourselves to achieve at the highest level while contributing to the mission of the College and the betterment of Philadelphia. We value and support an intellectually dynamic community to prepare our students for global citizenship. Join us and become a part of a community that has long been and will continue to be generators of generational chance in this city and beyond.

Community College of Philadelphia is an open-admission, associate-degree-granting institution which provides access to higher education for all who may benefit. Its programs of study in the liberal arts and sciences, career technologies, and basic academic skills provide a coherent foundation for college transfer, employment and lifelong learning. The College serves Philadelphia by preparing its students to be informed and concerned citizens, active participants in the cultural life of the city, and enabled to meet the changing needs of business, industry and the professions. To help address broad economic, cultural and political concerns in the city and beyond, the College draws together students from a wide range of ages and backgrounds and seeks to provide the programs and support they need to achieve their goals.

Specific Responsibilities

• Administer the financial aid aspects of the Octavius Catto Scholarship and the City College of Municipal Employment ( CCME ).
• Work closely, participate, and coordinate with Catto Scholarship and CCME leadership in student cohort selection and eligibility screening.
• Monitor and reconcile scholarship awards and ensure compliance with scholarship provisions.
• Counsel prospective students, continuing students, parents and families regarding the financial aid application process and eligibility for Federal and State aid, and assist them with the on-line process of completing a FAFSA application.
• Establish and manage an effective communication process for the dissemination of information regarding scholarships and state programs; coordinate the acknowledgement and application process.
• Coordinate Banner setups for scholarships and state programs, resource and exemption processing.
• Ensure eligibility requirements are met and post awards accurately to the system; adjust other aid as required and return excess funds to funding source as required.
• Provide follow-up communications to all applicants and sponsoring agencies and institutions.
• Assist students in applying for Federal and private loans and scholarships, understanding and completing the institutional payment plan, and resolve rejected aid applications.
• Communicate with students and families via written, voice, and electronic media in order to relay information about student's eligibility or to request further documentation to determine eligibility.
• Track documentation received by students utilizing the document management process; create files for new students and continuing students; appropriately file, at Main Campus, documents received at Regional Centers and merge documents for students that possess duplicate files.
• Update student's aid in Banner, add student loans to student's aid package; correspond with Coordinator, Student Loan Program to ensure student is receiving appropriate amount requested.
• Verify information on the Institutional Student Information Report ( ISIR ) and compare with the information on the student's or parent's Federal tax return.
• Collaborate with outside offices, research and resolve financial aid payment problems, including those identified by Bursar's office and Office of Student Records and Registration.
• Resolve Bursar's office holds and explain resolution to students.
• Work with coaches, advisors, and counselors to make recommendations to students who were dropped for poor scholarship; correspond with Records and Registration to resolve enrollment status issues and to ensure that student has completed required testing.
• Conduct workshops and presentations for new and continuing students.
• Generate and reconcile reports.
• Conduct workshops and presentations for new and continuing students.
• Generate and reconcile reports.
• Represent the College at on-campus and off-campus events.
• Conduct online filing workshops, as required.
• Adhere to FERPA regulations as they pertain to maintaining the security and confidentiality of all student records, as well as maintain the confidentiality of other documents on behalf of the work area and the College.
• Perform assigned duties in a manner consistent with the mission, goals and core values of the College.
• Maintain sensitivity, understanding, and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of varying social, economic, cultural, ideological, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Deliver quality customer services to both internal and external constituents in a professional helpful and courteous manner.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Associate degree or higher is required. Any and all degrees must be from a recognized institutional accreditor.

• One (1) year of related experience in higher education required.

• Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills in all media (phone, face to face, and email).

• Demonstrated understanding of financial aid regulations required.

• Experience working with people from culturally diverse and economic backgrounds.

• Ability to use independent judgment in making administrative/procedural decisions with minimal supervision.

• •Must be able to foster a positive and productive work environment, with ability to help lead and motivate staff, and model exceptional service to internal and external customers.

• Ability to work evenings and weekends, as needed, is required.

• Ability to demonstrate a positive attitude towards daily challenges and ability to process high volumes of work with accuracy required.

• Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous priorities and meet deadlines required.

• Demonstrated proficiency using MS Word and Excel required.

• Experience with an enterprise-wide system required.

• Access to reliable transportation and ability to travel within the local area is required.

• Ability to maintain sensitivity, understanding and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of varying social, economic, cultural, ideological, and ethnic backgrounds required.

• Bachelor's degree is preferred.

• Work experience in financial aid preferred.

• Experience with Ellucian Banner preferred.

• Experience in, and appreciation for, a collective bargaining environment is preferred.