Job Description / Duties

Responsibilities:
ADVISORY SERVICE:
Provides policy and procedure information about various government financial aid programs, institutional programs, and other funding opportunities; these include OSAP, scholarships, bursaries, work/study jobs, external awards, student bank loans, out-of-province government programs, U.S. government loans, social services. Conducts in-depth advising with students to discuss and/or resolve financial aid issues. Discussions may include exceptional circumstances regarding OSAP appeals, outstanding debts, payment arrangements, and o other financial options (short term loans, work study programs, bursaries, other government agencies such as Social Services and ODSP). Elicits additional relevant information, suggests documentation/forms/processes that will best support the student’s situation. Liaises with Student Financial Services colleagues for speedy resolution of issues. Advisors rotate on a weekly basis through the Registrarial Services area to support Financial Aid enquiries. Liaises with the Scholarships and Awards department to facilitate the issuance of university emergency loans to students in financial difficulty, when warranted. Recommends adjustments to the Student Accounts department with respect to a student’s account balance (e.g. cancellation/charging of fines and penalties, such as late charges, withdrawal penalties, etc.). Analyzes and assesses financial aid applications that do not conform to regular processing by discussing complex, sensitive, and confidential information with the student, determines the type of documentation that will best support the appeal, and makes a decision within the scope of established guidelines (requires some degree of judgment if all the outlined documentation is not available). Assists students through the Income Verification process, over payment situations, and restriction cases by explaining the process, results, or appeal avenues. Acts as liaison between the student and Ministry personnel in cases where further documentation or clarification in necessary or conflicts/delays have occurred (e.g. problem of eligibility, etc.). Based on department policies, determines student’s level of financial difficulty and projected ability to repay debt (i.e. level of debt, expected income, academic standing, etc.) reviews student’s budget to determine if student will have financial resources to continue for current session and recommends to the Student Accounts team whether a student may enroll for the current term. Refers the student to the Student Accounts team so the student may complete an application for a payment arrangement, which includes a description of student’s liabilities and assets, income and expenses; reviews application for completeness, prior to approval from the Student Accounts team. Refers complex situations regarding policy changes and interpretations to the appropriate Manager/Ministry Liaison as necessary. Percentage of time: 20%

REASSESSMENT, APPEALS/EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES:
Reviews and reassesses various types of changes and appeal requests which may require numerous interrelated changes, extensive supporting documentation, and checking for consistencies with previous records (e.g. exceptional expenses, lack of expected financial resources/support, residency, etc.) Reviews the academic history, transcripts, and letter of explanation from students who have been identified as not meeting the government’s academic progress requirement, or have been placed in restriction, in order to determine whether the student can continue receiving OSAP funding according to established guidelines. Reviews and determines eligibility for additional funding for all appeals under the authority of the financial aid office (eg. Family breakdown appeals, hardship appeals, travel appeals etc.). When applicable , prepares a brief summary of the appeal outlining the available supporting documentation and which factors affected the decision. Reviews the documentation submitted for appeals and reviews under the authority of the Ministry (eg. Income Verification appeals, bankruptcy reviews, etc.) that require an independent decision. When applicable, submits a written summary outlining the situation, and factors that should be considered by the Ministry. Reassesses applications by posting all relevant extensions and/oradjustments where the student’s status has changed. Percentage of time: 30%

FINANCIAL AID DOCUMENT PROCESSING:
Processes financial aid applications by reviewing the forms and supporting documentation to ensure compliance with federal and provincial guidelines as outlined in standard operating manuals. Ensures accurate system-generated assessments by reviewing numerous sections of online and booklet applications (eg. personal, academic and income information, residency, etc.), enters appropriate coding, and posts the required documentation (eg. signature forms, income, awards, landed immigrant papers, divorce/separation agreements, etc.); keys active application fields from booklets into the government’s database to create a record and generate an assessment. Identifies inconsistent information or incomplete documentation and performs the necessary follow-up with the student, previous files, or the student record. Updates students’ financial aid applications with reported changes (e.g. course load, program costs, income, bursary exemption codes, academic progress warning, confirmation of enrolment, tuition waivers, etc.); cancels Canada Student Loans part-time funding certificates and stale-dated grant cheques due to ineligibility, declined assistance, non-registration, or withdrawal from the university.E. Processes summer applications for first time applicants and summer extensions. Provides support in processing the BSWD (Bursary for Students With Disabilities) and ISBP (Institutional Special Bursary Program ) applications by responding to enquiries, checking status, sending YDM approval/reminder letters to students, posting the relevant bursary award on the student’s OSAP record, reviewing incoming receipts & do follow-up as required. Provides support in processing the U.S. student loan applications (eg. requesting and reviewing the Student Aid Report to ensure completeness, posting information on the spreadsheet and on an electronic tracking system, preparing US deferment forms, etc.). Processes Continuation of Interest-Free status (CIFS) forms and updates status on government system. Conducts a preliminary investigation of problem cases and if required refers to the Ministry for final resolution. Completes online and hardcopy out-of-province financial aid forms (eg. program costs, enrolment forms, interest-free status) by providing registration and cost information to accurately process applications by the student’s home province; returns loan authorization forms and grant cheques to provincial authorities as required. Completes electronic confirmations of enrolment for full-time students; and prepares and releases student loan documents and grant/bursary cheques for part-time studnets. Prior to the release of financial aid, the Student Financial Advisor determines the student’s eligibility (eg. registration status, program, course load, restrictions, etc.), enters remit amount, and ensures that release dates are adhered to as established by government guidelines and policies. Regularly communicates with students to provide information, clarification, and request additional documentation by telephone, online FAA memo request, e-mail, action history, faxes, or in person. Percentage of time: 40%

REGISTRARIAL BACK UP & SUPPORT:
Provides back-up support to related areas in the Office of the Registrar e.g, Registrarial Services team as necessary as it relates to financial aid(e.g.during peak periods, etc.)Participates in information sessions by providing general information on financial aid policies and procedures, as required (i.e. workshops, Fall/Spring Campus Days, Ontario Universities Fair,etc.). On occasion will provide status updates on processing status. Percentage of time: 5%

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED. Percentage of time: 5%

Qualifications / Required Skills

Education:
Community college diploma in a related field (e.g. business, or financial related studies) or equivalent, such as completion of some post-secondary courses in finance/financial management and one year of related experience in addition to the minimum years listed below.
Experience:
2 years of recent related experience in a financial aid office ( working with students in a front-line capacity, assessing financial aid applications, explaining complex policies/procedures, conducting in- depth student advising, checking and clarifying client and account information on large online computer database, etc.) in a fast-paced office environment, preferably in high volume student services area. Familiarity with the University’s SIS applications would be an asset.

Salary: Annual Salary of $59,565

Contact Information

http://webapps.yorku.ca/nonacademicpostings/complete.jsp?postingnumber=10547

Employer Profile

The University welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including individuals within the University's employment equity categories of women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and aboriginal persons, individuals of diverse gender and sexual orientation and all groups protected by the Human Rights Code. York University is committed to employment equity and diversity and a positive and supportive environment.

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