at University of Maine at Farmington in Farmington, Maine, United States
Job Description
Position Title:
Financial Aid Counselor- SEARCH DEADLINE EXTENDED Campus: Farmington Department: Financial Aid – FFIAI Bargaining Unit: UMPSA Salary Band/Wage Band: Maximum salary of $42,000 Location: Farmington ME Statement of Job: Statement of the Job: Do you enjoy working with a team of professionals who have a passion for higher education? Do you have experience building connections with students as they explore their educational goals? The University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) is seeking applicants for a Financial Aid Counselor. The Financial Aid Counselor will serve as a key member of the Financial Aid staff and fulfill an important role in supporting students regarding their financial needs and campus employment. This person will have knowledge of financial aid processes that are informed by federal, state, and UMS laws and policies, as well as UMF’s policies and practices, and employ financial aid software and systems in the course of their work. This is a full-time, 12-month position. Essential Duties, including but not limited to:+ Serving as the first walk-in Financial Aid Advisor
+ Overseeing the UMF student employment program, including:
+ Supervision of CareerLink
+ Liaising with, supporting, and guiding campus employers
+ Develop relationships with off campus employers
+ Reconciling Federal Work Study
+ Developing new opportunities to expand student employment opportunities and relationships on and off campus
+ Participating in financial aid processes, including (but not limited to): management of summer aid, managing checklists, the application of outside aid, credit checks, and enrollment / employment verification
+ Representing Financial Aid at Admissions events
+ Assisting with assessment, evaluation, and reports
+ Using technology in the position includes, but is not limited to: PeopleSoft, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Zoom, COD, EPIC, NSLDS, and social media platforms.
+ Additional duties as assigned.
Competencies: Planning and organizing: Plan and organize work to manage time effectively and accomplish job duties. Innovative thinking: The ability to use existing and emerging technology and tools to create new and innovative solutions to problems and needs. This includes working with campus stakeholders to continually update, upgrade and develop new opportunities based on their area of focus (enrollment, advancement, advising, student affairs, etc.) Adaptability: The ability to react positively and effectively to change. To be able to quickly learn and work effectively with new technology as well as the changing landscape of campus focus, administrators/leadership, and strategy. Problem Solving and Decision Making: Observe and evaluate the outcomes of implementing the solution to assess the need for alternative approaches and to identify lessons learned Customer support: Demonstrate ability to communicate with campus stakeholders for the purpose of assessing their needs and helping them solve problems related to information technology. Technology Utilization: Included, but not limited to: PeopleSoft, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Zoom, COD, EPIC, NSLDS, and social media platforms. About University of Maine at Farmington: The University of Maine at Farmington has earned a national reputation for excellence, gaining stature as one of the finest state-supported liberal arts colleges in the northeastern U.S. Additionally, UMF is rated 5th in U.S. News & World Report Top Regional Public College North for 2023 and has been rated one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News 25 times since 1998. The campus is in historic downtown Farmington, just a short walk away from coffee shops, funky stores, restaurants, banks, bookstores, a multi-screen movie theater and a whole lot more. Our perfect location combines the active outdoor lifestyle with the arts & smarts of a small college town. With enrollment at around 1,600 full-time students, UMF is about the same size as many of New England’s most selective private colleges and offers many of the same advantages, yet at a very affordable price – providing a tremendous college value in a spectacular natural setting. Established in 1864 as Maine’s first public institution of higher education, the University of Maine at Farmington is a founding member of The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) an exclusive national group of public colleges and universities committed to providing superior liberal arts and sciences education. Who is the University of Maine at Farmington?+ A Nationally Ranked (https://www.umf.maine.edu/about/umf-facts/national-reputation/) public university, recognized for its academic excellence, educational value and inclusion.
+ An Outdoorsy College (https://www.umf.maine.edu/campus-life/outdoor-recreation/) located in the heart of world class skiing and snowboarding, hiking and mountain biking, kayaking and rafting.
+ An Affordable, high-quality, residential, liberal arts college (https://www.umf.maine.edu/admissions-aid/annual-expenses/) .
+ A school that offers challenging and innovative Academic Programs (https://www.umf.maine.edu/academics/) in the arts and sciences, teacher preparation, and other pre-professional fields.
+ A small, friendly campus where Students (https://www.umf.maine.edu/about/about-our-students/) are the center of the universe.
+ A place where caring Professors (https://www.umf.maine.edu/about/faculty/) work side by side with students – in research, creative endeavors (https://www.umf.maine.edu/campus-life/arts-culture/) , in the classroom and outside.
+ An institution that offers unparalleled research opportunities – often at the level and depth found at graduate school.
+ A campus of 1,600 bright, creative, independent-minded students (https://www.umf.maine.edu/about/about-our-students/) who thrive on challenges.
+ A college where students work hard but also enjoy kicking back and having Fun – lots of fun (https://www.umf.maine.edu/campus-life/) .
+ A quirky yet warm-hearted, accepting community where it’s OK to be you .
We may not be for everyone, but we just might be the perfect place for you. Qualifications: Required:+ A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
+ Appreciation for the mission of a regional public institution
+ Outstanding interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills with a variety of constituencies
+ Ability to work with students from marginalized and oppressed groups and life experiences, including first generation and low-income students
+ Collaborative work style
+ Ability to respect confidentiality with sensitive information
+ Ability to make ethical decisions and to exercise principled judgment and initiative when necessary, and to do so with a high level of attention to detail
Preferred:+ Experience working in a financial aid office
+ Experience working in higher education
Employees in the University of Maine System are required to comply with the UMS COVID protocols which currently include but are not limited to, being vaccinated, obtaining a qualified vaccination exemption, and/or participating in regular COVID testing. Further information can be found on our Together for Maine site. Other Information: Materials must be submitted electronically via “Apply for Position.” Please create an applicant profile, complete a brief application, and upload: 1) A cover letter, which describes your qualifications, interests and suitability for the position 2) A resume/curriculum vitae 3) Contact information for three (3) professional references You will also need to submit the affirmative action survey, the self-identification of disability form, and the