Financial Aid State Program Specialist

Overview

Financial Aid is seeking an experienced individual to join our counseling team to manage Massachusetts state aid programs, including MASSGrant and other state-funded scholarship initiatives, ensuring accurate awarding and compliance with MAHEAA and OSFA regulations. Day to day, you will review student eligibility, process awards, and resolve complex aid packaging issues within the student information system. You will also serve as a knowledgeable resource for students, families, and campus colleagues navigating state aid processes and appeals, while contributing to the reporting, reconciliation, and audit-readiness activities that keep the office accountable to state and institutional requirements.

This position will also be responsible for aid counseling and processing for Salem State's Study Abroad students as well as National Student Exchange.

• Associate degree
• Minimum three years of experience in a financial aid office, or five years within higher education administrative offices
• Knowledge of both Massachusetts and Federal Aid regulations
• Experience and proficiency with MS office software

• Bachelors degree
• Strong organizational and time management skills and a high level of attention to detail
• Experience using People Soft
• Experience with Massachusetts State Aid Programs, the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) systems, and their reporting requirements
• Experience working within Federal Student Aid (FSA) systems such as COD, NSLDS, and FAA Access
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply complex federal and state financial aid regulations in a higher education setting

This is a hybrid position in Salem, MA with on-campus, in-person responsibilities, which may require occasional work on evenings and weekends.

The university considers all qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability status, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition or any other characteristic protected by law.

Salem State University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. For accommodation information or requests please email eo-hr.