Job Details

Financial Aid and Veteran Services Coordinator
Go to our website »

Position Number: 5903113
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Position Type: Financial Aid

Financial Aid and Veteran Services Coordinator

Cuesta College

Salary: $70,308.00 - $77,508.00 Annually
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: FY2425-00099
Location: San Luis Obispo & North County Campus, CA
Department: Student Success & Support Programs
Closing: 2/3/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Job Description Summary

This position will primarily be assigned to the San Luis Obispo campus with occasional support needed at the North County Campus in Paso Robles. Evening, weekend and holiday work is expected during busy seasons.

The selected applicant will be assigned the following schedule:

Monday, Thursday and Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Tuesday and Wednesday: 9:00am - 6:00pm

DEFINITION

Under general direction of the area administrator or designee, coordinate, organize, and direct a variety of complex technical tasks involved in the implementation of student financial aid and veteran services programs and procedures in accordance with federal and state regulations.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Financial Aid and Veteran Services Coordinator position is distinguished by the requirement to serve as a lead in the Financial Aid and Veteran Services Office. Incumbents in the position must have the ability to work with minimal supervision and are expected to use a high degree of individual judgment in the performance of duties.

Incumbents in this position utilize the Guided Pathways framework and support student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness by ensuring that Financial Aid services are provided to students and that the District complies with all laws and regulations pertaining to state and federal financial aid.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Where You Will Work
Serving all of San Luis Obispo County, Cuesta College has provided comprehensive associate degree offerings, certificates, and community programs to the region since 1964. The main campus is located along scenic Highway 1, west of San Luis Obispo and east of the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Cuesta College has a North County Campus in Paso Robles, and South County Center, in Arroyo Grande.

Who We Are
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to our culture and the work we do. Cuesta College is proud to be a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) committed to racial and socio-economic diversity as it reflects our communities and student populations. We actively seek to attract candidates who share this commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. As part of the Cuesta College team, you can expect to be part of a collaborative community of faculty, classified professionals, administrators, students, and community partners advancing educational excellence with intentional support services leading to student success and completion.

Additional information about the college can be found at https://www.cuesta.edu/about/index.html
The college planning documents can be found athttps://www.cuesta.edu/about/collegeplans/index.html
Our Student Equity Action Plan can be found athttps://www.cuesta.edu/about/info/student-equity-initiatives/equity/index.html
We offer comprehensive benefit options. Information about benefits can be found at
https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/benefits-insurance/index.html

Essential Functions & Qualifications

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Coordinate the application process and administration of a variety of financial aid and veterans' educational assistance programs in accordance with established procedures and state and federal regulations;
Serve as a financial aid liaison for a variety of student groups; coordinate and provide financial aid and veteran services outreach to diverse communities; conduct presentations regarding financial aid and veteran educational assistance programs and opportunities to increase financial aid awareness; incorporate educational trends and community needs into workshops and presentations;
Provide guidance to students on all aspects of financial aid, such as financial aid applications and educational assistance programs, satisfactory academic progress, eligibility, appeals, and rules and regulations;
Assist with certifying Veterans' Educational Benefits; receive, review, and process applications for veterans and eligible dependents; coordinate and ensure the college's Veteran's Education Benefits certification process is efficient, timely, and accurate;
Collaborate with Veterans Administration (VA) to ensure accuracy and timely processing of applications and compliance with VA regulations;
Review and monitor student enrollment and educational plans; analyze and evaluate records and other documentation to determine eligibility for veterans' educational benefits; monitor student progress and update records for reporting;
Remain current with federal and state regulations and guidelines pertaining to financial aid and veterans' educational assistance programs;
Assist in the import of financial aid applications; request transcripts, records, and other data needed to determine status of financial aid applications, and adhere to the requirement of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as it applies to student records;
Assist in overseeing program budgets and expenditures; including financial analysis. Prepares and processes requisitions and invoices for payment;
Assist with federal reporting requirements for financial aid and veterans' educational benefits programs;
Assist in compiling data for various reports and audits;
Coordinate communications and information regarding deadlines, procedures with the campus community and serve as the central point of contact;
Plan, monitor and ensure specific projects are carried out on time and in compliance with federal, state and local audit and reporting requirements;
Coordinate the processing of financial aid and veterans' eligibility in compliance with federal, state audit and reporting requirements and resolve issues as required;
Coordinate the research and implementation of new technologies for financial aid and veteran services delivery;
Evaluate operations and activities of assigned responsibilities; recommend improvements, modifications and provide technical guidance; participate in the development and implementation of the departments plans, goals, objectives, projects, calendars and schedules; prepare various reports on operations and activities; recommend improvements in workflow and procedures;
Create and maintain training documentation and coordinate staff training;
Learn, interpret and apply legal mandates, policies, and regulations. Communicate with the appropriate administrator changes in regulations regarding financial aid and veterans' programs;
Assist with the management of electronic data exchange processes among the College, the U.S. Department of Education, the California Student Aid Commission, Veterans Administration and various data contractors;
Represent the college in regional and statewide professional organizations and activities;
Attend a variety of meetings, workshops and conferences related to the financial aid program;
Serve on District Standing Committees as assigned;
Use integrated software system to ensure all student data is collected, reviewed and accurately reported to the District's Management Information System (MIS); and
Perform other related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Required

Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, social sciences, human services, or related field

Experience:

Required

Two years of increasingly responsible lead experience in a Financial Aid Office

Preferred

Three years of increasing responsibility in a Financial Aid Office or veteran services in a higher education setting

Any combination of education and experience will sufficiently meet minimum qualifications.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

State and federal guidelines and regulations for financial aid and educational assistance programs;
Community college educational programs;
Financial aid packaging and awarding policy;
Accounting and auditing principles, practices, and procedures;
Financial and statistical record-keeping techniques;
Preparation, maintenance, verification and processing of financial aid and veterans' records;
Interpret and apply District policies and procedures;
Utilize the District's integrated software in performing the required duties of the position;
Application and use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote) and Adobe software;
Correct usage of English, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary;
Skills in excellent customer service practices, including effective interpersonal communication skills using tact, patience, and courtesy;
Strong organizational skills and ability to develop and maintain processes for efficient and effective delivery of services;
Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the performance of duties; and
Demonstrate sensitivity to, understanding of, and respect for the diverse socio-economic, ethnic, religious, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, cultural backgrounds, and learning abilities of community colleges students, faculty and staff

Physical ability to:

Read and comprehend printed matter and text and data on computer monitors;
Communicate intelligibly and effectively via speech, telephone, written correspondence, and/or email;
Sit or stand for extended periods of time;
Lift and/or carry 25 pounds; and
Exert manual dexterity sufficient for keyboard and other office equipment operation.

Additional Information

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO APPLY
Candidates will be required to submit ALL of the required documents below when applying for this position. When uploading documents, PDF uploads are preferred.

Resume;
Reference List (see further instructions below);
Diversity statement (see further instructions below).

Diversity Statement Instructions: Cuesta College is committed to building and maintaining a workforce that reflects and honors the diversity of our students. It is important to us that our faculty, staff, and administrators demonstrate an understanding of, sensitivity to, and respect for the diverse academic, socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds as well as sexual orientation and abilities of all constituents in the Cuesta College community.

In 500 words or less, with consideration to our Mission Statement and our values expressed above, please explain how you will demonstrate your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in this position.

Reference List Instructions: Your reference list must include three professional references, their contact information, and their relationship to you.

Completed online applications and all supporting documents must be submitted by the closing date for this position. LATE, INCOMPLETE, FAXED, MAILED OR EMAILED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

SALARY SCHEDULE
Below is the full salary schedule range for this position, steps A through E. Per Cuesta College's policies, new employees are placed at Steps A through C, which is the anticipated hiring range also listed below. The bargaining agreement also includes step and longevity increases. For a full salary schedule, please see our website: https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/humanresources/salary_schedules.html

Salary Schedule Range: $5,859 - $7,121 per month.
Anticipated Hiring Range: $5,859 - $6,459 per month.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Cuesta College will not sponsor any visa applications.

San Luis Obispo County Community College District ("Cuesta College") is an equal opportunity employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), age, disability (physical and mental), genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal and state law in admission and access to, or treatment in employment, educational programs or activities at any of its campuses. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Cuesta College also prohibits harassment on any of these bases, including sexual harassment, as well as sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

In compliance with California law, all prospective staff and students are entitled to read the Annual Security Report, published each October by the Cuesta College Department of Public Safety. This report contains information about our emergency and crime reporting procedures, as well as crime statistics for the past 3 years. You may request a copy of this report at one of our two Public Safety Offices: on SLO campus at Building 6600A or on North County Campus at building N1021, during campus business hours. You may also access the complete text of this report at the following website address: https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/publicsafety/clery_act

Cuesta College uses E-Verify as part of the I-9 process to verify the work eligibility of all new hires. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 to data from U.S Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records. For further information, visit: https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/humanresources/Job_Opportunities.html

Interview Process Information

Selected applicants will be invited to attend a Zoom interview on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

To be considered for this position please visit our web site and apply on line at the following link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cuesta

The San Luis Obispo County Community College District promotes inclusiveness, prohibits discrimination, and encourages all qualified persons to apply. As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, Cuesta College actively seeks candidates with diverse backgrounds to assist students, staff, and faculty. For ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) assistance with the application and/or interview process, please contact the Human Resources Office: (805) 546-3129.