Financial Aid Specialist

Financial Aid Specialist

Salary: $66,818.00 – $82,179.00 Annually

Location: Districtwide, CA

Job Type: Permanent

Division: DO District Office

Job Number: 2025050

Closing Date: 1/21/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Under general supervision, performs technical duties related to the evaluation of student financial aid information; screens student financial aid applications and provides specialized program information, assistance and advice to students; performs student financial needs analyses, determines eligibility and packages awards in accordance with District policies and federal, state and local requirements; assists students, parents and the public in applying for financial aid services and programs;

monitors student status and determines status of financial aid funds including over payments; and performs related duties as assigned.

• Explains and assists students with understanding and completing financial aid applications and forms; interviews students regarding completeness and consistency of information and accuracy of a wide variety of financial aid forms and documentation including applications, transcripts, tax forms, and fee waivers; verifies student status and academic progress; explains deadlines and disbursement dates; refers students to other agencies as necessary to obtain required documentation.
• Receives, analyzes and validates financial aid applications for eligibility; evaluates financial aid needs analyses using standard federal formulas for all available programs to determine Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in each case; determines eligibility and packages financial aid and scholarships, including Pell Grants, direct student loans, work study and supplemental educational opportunity grants.
• Serves on committees to evaluate student financial aid appeals on a case‑by‑case basis; reviews and evaluates special circumstances and makes professional judgment adjustments to the data elements on the FAFSA, overrides a student's dependency status and determines and processes any changes in EFC necessary.
• Coordinates or participates in assigned major financial aid programs, including scholarships, Dream Act, Federal Work Study, Direct Student Loans, Cal Grants, Chafee grants and other grant programs; masters the detailed technical knowledge and procedural requirements of each assigned program to serve as the program's in‑house expert; assists with reconciliation of funds from various programs and identifies potential over payments and adjustments.
• Runs reports, analyzes data and monitors student enrollment status, enrollment changes, courses taken/repeated and progress toward degree; identifies and assists in resolving academic progress issues that may affect aid; places administrative holds on financial aid due to failure to meet academic requirements; determines and processes financial aid over payments, Return to Title IV funds (R2T4), post‑withdrawal disbursements and adjustments to payments.
• Conducts comprehensive audits of student financial aid files to verify completeness, accuracy and timeliness of all information and documentation supporting a student's financial aid status; identifies and assists in resolving compliance issues for required procedural or regulatory reporting, filing or submission.
• Demonstrates sensitivity to and understanding of historically minoritized groups and participates in professional development activities to increase cultural competency to enhance equity‑minded practices within the District.

• Interacts with other departments and with state and federal programs on behalf of a student.
• Presents and participates in financial aid educational workshops and outreach events.
• Processes documentation and hiring paperwork for District and Federal work study students.
• Provides work guidance to student aides; monitors work for completeness, accuracy and conformance with District, department and legal/regulatory requirements and standards; provides information, instruction and training on work procedures and technical, legal and regulatory requirements.
• Performs related duties as assigned.