Financial Aid and Awards Officer
at Georgian College

Job Description

Department: Office of the Registrar
Campus: Barrie
Classification: Support Staff
Posting Date: November 11, 2022
Salary Range: $30.87 (start rate) - $35.77 (4 year rate)
Hours Per Week: 40 hours per week
Status: Contract (Appendix D)
Effective: ASAP to April 30, 2023

THIS IS A TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT POSITION FOR A BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEE. Terms and conditions of employment are as outlined in the Support Staff Collective Agreement.

Reporting to the Manager, Financial Aid and Awards, the incumbent is responsible for administering financial assistance programs, which includes bursary and work study programs, advising students on financial aid options and promoting financial literacy among students, while providing exceptional client service to support student success. The incumbent is responsible for the administration, communication, and recipient selection process of the scholarships and awards program. This includes presenting information to staff and students regarding scholarship and award opportunities, and supporting students through the application process. Specific duties include, but are not limited to:

• Processing all documents and aspects of financial assistance programs, under the strict guidelines of the federal and provincial policy regulations, to ensure compliance during internal and external audits
• Ensuring all required data and information is provided by the student; verifying eligibility, accuracy, and completeness
• Utilizing available systems to determine if a student has met all eligibility requirements to have funding released, and communicate this information to the ministry through one of the available methodologies - via automated file transfer process or on-line MTCU portal
• Planning and coordinating the administration, and recipient selection, and disbursement of all donor scholarships and awards
• Managing award application database; evaluating and ranking applications within awards management system to shortlist eligible students; coordinate external selection processes (i.e. with faculty, external selection committees, etc.)
• Approving/rejecting student OSAP appeals and reviews in compliance with established policies, procedures and Ministry guidelines
• As an Appointed Commissioner, the Financial Aid Officer is responsible for taking affidavits to administer oaths, declarations and affirmations for OSAP purposes
• Acting as liaison between the student and the various financial aid programs to solve outstanding financial aid issues/queries. (OSAP, Out-of-Province Student Loans Departments, National Student Loan Service Centre - NSLSC, Ontario Collection Service department)
• Knowledgeable and fully conversant with frequently changing government policies and processes in order to ensure effectiveness on behalf of the federal and provincial governments and to assist students to fully access funds available
• Working in multiple database systems simultaneously, that are required for the administrative of the OSAP program, including the OneKey administrative portal, AS400, SIS Banner system, Blackbaud Awards Management System, Image data records management system, as well as multiple other software systems
• Providing subject matter expertise and guidance on all aspects of student financial assistance to student service, frontline, recruitment and other college staff
• Preparing institutional cost tables for the Ministry for Georgian College post-secondary programs (tuition, books, program dates)
• Produce reports from the MTCU system and Banner to support business processes and provide recommendations regarding operations and long-term planning
• Analyzing, administering and interpreting policies on Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Legislation to all clients
• Review expenditures for Tuition Set Aside, and ensure accurate and compliant tracking of all funding disbursed to students
• Maintaining and administering funding programs including the Georgian Work Study Program, Part-time Canada Student Loan Program, Georgian Bursary Program, Georgian Emergency Bursary Programs, Deposit Bursary, Indigenous Student Bursary and the Ontario First Generation Bursary
• Working closely with internal stakeholders to administer the Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD), by reviewing and assessing applications, work with accounting to transfer and disburse funding, record all funding in the Bursary Recording System (BRS), track receipts and payments, and monitor and track outstanding overpayments
• Creating and maintaining information regarding all Georgian College student financial assistance programs for distribution to students/parents/secondary schools etc. (webpage, Email auto-response, social media, OSAP/Financial information sessions and workshops, etc.)
• Developing and providing tools, resources and advising sessions to prospective and current students to promote engagement and retention while prioritizing student needs. Provide advice to students through discussion of budget strategies and the importance of financial literacy as it applies to student success
• Providing information and communicate with prospective students, applicants, guidance counsellors, parents, faculty and college administrators regarding a broad range of financial related questions/topics

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Successfully completed a two-year postsecondary diploma in a relevant field of study that may include, but is not limited to business
• Three years' experience working with government funding and/or financial assistance programs where duties included assessing applications and reviewing criteria (i.e. eligibility), etc.
• Must have a thorough understanding of OSAP and OSAP-related programs, as well as postsecondary education, generally, and those registrarial functions that intersect with financial aid and awards
• Experience administering Ministry systems and working with data in enterprise applications
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of academic delivery
• Frontline customer service experience, working with diverse populations and highly sensitive or confidential information
• Working in a time-sensitive deadline driven environment with an elevated attention to detail
• Must have experience working with Excel

Georgian College supports diversity, equity and a workplace free from harassment and discrimination and is committed to an inclusive, barrier-free environment. We invite applications from all qualified candidates and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to persons of Indigenous ancestry, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and members of the 2SLGBTQ community. If you are contacted to participate in the interview, please advise the coordinator of any accommodations needed with respect to any materials or processes used to ensure you have access to a fair and equitable process.

Alternate formats will be provided upon request throughout the recruitment and selection process.

Georgian College has introduced FLEX Work for many of our positions. This position is currently eligible for Hybrid Work. FLEX Work agreements will be determined between the employee and manager when employment commences and may change in accordance with the FLEX Work guidelines. All employees are required to permanently reside in the province of Ontario.

Applications for this position must be received by 11:59 p.m. on November 20, 2022. While we thank all applicants, only those contacted for an interview will be acknowledged.

This job has expired.