Financial Aid Award Coordinator

Position Summary

Responsible for packaging and awarding financial aid to incoming freshmen and transfer students, while supporting the Financial Aid Operations Manager in managing scholarships, grants, and funding sources. The role includes processing budget adjustments, reviewing high-volume aid changes, and assisting with scholarship reconciliation. The specialist analyzes key financial aid data, supports aid-year system setup, and ensures accurate reporting. They also serve as counselors to help students understand financial aid eligibility. In addition, the position maintains compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations, supports audit preparations, and performs additional duties as assigned.

Essential Responsibilities

• Financial Aid Packaging and Awarding - Packaging incoming freshmen and transfer students, assisting with recording external scholarships, university-controlled scholarships, VA funds, and federal and state grants, processing financial aid budget adjustments, reviewing queries and processing financial aid adjustments, and assisting with reconciling scholarship programs
• Statistical Analysis - Analyzing dollars awarded, paid out, and voided, and status of Financial Aid files
• Aid-Year Setup - Assisting with Aid Year setup, including updating all financial aid tables
• Financial Aid Counselor - Consulting with students and parents on non-routine challenges with aid eligibility and understanding financial aid
• Regulation Compliance & Audits - Regular training through webinars and in-office training to keep up to date on federal, state, and institutional regulations and policies, and assisting with pulling required information for auditors

Qualifications

• Education: Minimum BA/BS degree in Business or Computer Science preferred
• Experience: 2-3 years required, 3+ years preferred
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
• Experience with PeopleSoft and/or Student Information Systems preferred
• Strong attention to detail, quality and compliance focus, customer focus, clear communication, collegiality, initiative, efficiency, and coachability

Benefits

Medical, retirement, paid time off, and more. To learn more, visit: wallawalla.edu/benefits