Financial Aid Officer - Enrollment and Retention | Financial Aid Office

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Financial Aid Officer – Enrollment and Retention, Financial Aid Office, University of Wisconsin‑Whitewater

Provides excellent customer service and guidance to financial aid applicants and their families throughout the application process; completes review and verification of financial aid applications; determines eligibility within federal, state, and institutional policy parameters; and oversees one or more financial aid programs.

• Counsel students and their families regarding the availability, eligibility for, and application process for financial aid funds.
• Advises in person, by phone, and via email for an assigned subset of students, approximately 25% of applicants.
• Serves as the walk‑in counselor for half‑day shifts each week.
• Develops and conducts financial aid presentations for various prospective and current student groups.

• Complete review and verification of financial aid applications and award federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
• Reviews verification worksheets, tax documents, and other forms for federally‑regulated verification.
• Examines documents for student eligibility (e.g., marriage certificates, birth certificates, citizenship documentation).
• Reviews reports on student eligibility factors such as federal loan limits, single‑semester status, residency changes, and other relevant criteria.
• Exerts professional judgment within federal guidelines when processing extenuating circumstance requests, dependency overrides, and other professional judgment requests.
• Revises financial aid when students receive outside funding.
• Processes reports to monitor eligibility and make appropriate adjustments to financial aid.

• Manage the Fund for Wisconsin Scholars (FFWS) program.
• Determines student eligibility and awards FFWS grants in People Soft and the FFWS data system.
• Reports grades, credits, and credentials in the FFWS database for fall and spring terms.
• Assists UW‑Whitewater FFWS Office with student mentorship whenever possible.
• Processes fund requests and reconciles all FFWS funds received and disbursed.
• Reports financial aid pre‑award and post‑award data and academic information in the FFWS database system.

• Develop and maintain Policies and Procedures Manual.
• Assists with the development of policies and procedures to ensure compliance of all federal, state, and institutional programs using the NASFAA Compliance Engine.
• Researches federal regulations using U.S. Department of Education websites, handbooks, NASFAA, WASFAA, FSA Knowledge Center, and other Department of Education publications.

• Miscellaneous duties as assigned.
• Prepares for and actively participates in staff meetings.
• Participates in professional development opportunities to maintain knowledge and share with office staff.
• Maintains operational knowledge of financial aid systems (e.g., NSLDS, COD, FAFSA Partner Portal).

University of Wisconsin‑Whitewater does not offer H‑1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain authorization throughout the employment term. UW‑Whitewater is not an e‑verify employer; therefore STEM extensions are not options.

Starting salary ranges from $45,000 to $48,925, commensurate with education, experience, and qualifications. UW System employees receive an excellent benefits package.

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Previous professional work experience in higher education student services.
• Knowledge of or ability to learn and understand Title IV federal financial aid regulations and related resources.

• Minimum of two years of programmatic experience in student financial aid administration, encompassing federal and state regulation knowledge, file review/verification, and federal aid system experience.
• Experience with integrated student information systems, preferably People Soft Campus Solutions and Image Now document…