Financial Aid Counselor for Loans and Verification / Education Support Specialist II (00122)

Financial Aid Counselor for Loans and Verification / Education Support Specialist II

Longwood University invites qualified applicants to apply for the position of Financial Aid Counselor for Loans and Verification / Education Support Specialist II. The successful candidate will play a vital role in administering federal, state, and institutional student aid programs while ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations. This position is responsible for processing grants and loans, assisting with verification and appeals, and providing high-quality guidance and support to students, families, and external partners. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical and organizational skills with a student-focused mindset and a proactive, collaborative approach. This role is well-suited for someone eager to grow in financial aid administration, compliance, or student services. While prior financial aid experience is helpful, attention to detail, a commitment to excellent customer service, and a willingness to learn are the most essential traits. This position is located in Farmville, Virginia, and is required to work in person on Longwood University's campus.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties :

• Process Federal TEACH Grants, including transmitting files to and from the Department of Education via COD (Common Origination and Disbursement).
• Assist with federal and institutional verification by reviewing IRS tax data, verification worksheets, and other required documentation against federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information.
• Assist in the research to resolve discrepancies in student records, including conflicting information.
• Assist with the administration of the Federal Direct Loans Program for all eligible students, including loan counseling and summer session offers.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations in all federal processes.
• Identify and resolve FAFSA comment codes related to the Federal Pell Grant and Unusual Enrollment History (UEH).
• Process Federal Transfer Monitoring in the student information system, including reviewing, taking corrective actions, and transmitting files (Alerts and History) to / from the Department of Education.
• Process Exit Counseling information upon withdrawal, graduation, or dropping below half-time, and perform default prevention, and provide loan counseling, repayment guidance, and default prevention education.
• Administer Federal Student Aid for students enrolled in preparatory coursework.
• Administer the private loan program from application through disbursement of funds.
• Serve on the office appeals committee and assist in collecting all documents needed to exercise professional judgment in evaluating student appeals related to changes in income, marital status, or family situations.
• Act as liaison with students, parents, lenders, guarantee agencies, and loan servicers, exercising independent judgment in correspondence and communications.
• Provide high-quality customer service by responding promptly to telephone, written, electronic, and in-person requests; act as backup to the front-end customer service team.
• Foster a welcoming and supportive environment for students and families, demonstrating consideration for individual needs.
• Some responsibilities may be shared with other positions.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements :

Preferred Qualifications :

Additional Information :

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Longwood University will provide, if requested, reasonable accommodations to applicants in order to provide access to the application and / or interview process. You are not required to note the presence of a disability on your application. If, however, you require accommodations in the application and / or interview process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 434-395-2074 or humres@longwood.edu.

Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer