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SalaryStudent Financial Services (SFS) Advisor
For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman.
We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package:
- Generous paid time off
- Paid holidays (up to 14 days)
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Generous parental, caregiver, and medical leave benefits
- Competitive retirement plan (up to 9% matching contribution)
- Tuition remission and Tuition Exchange Program
- Great employee discounts
- Complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions
The Student Financial Services (SFS) Advisor counsels all students on matters related to their student account including financial aid they may be receiving and payment options according to established policies and procedures. Performs outreach calls and communications to assigned populations.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Counsels and assists students and families in all aspects of paying the student’s account balance. This includes assisting with the financial aid process, informing about billing procedures, payment plan options and the process for waiving/requesting health insurance. Accepts payments for credit card, check and cash for all programs as appropriate by telephone and in person.
- Counsels and assists with all aspects of financial aid processing through disbursement, including but not limited to providing award estimates, payment plans, adjusting/removing enrollment and service holds, satisfactory financial aid progress, processing bills. Assists in negation of payment of delinquent accounts.
- Counsels students with basic budgeting and financial literacy information.
- Responds to specific student inquiries about the status of their account and financial aid.
- Outreach by telephone, email and in office visits to new and continuing students related to all SFS services, including but not limited to retention, new student awarding, loan processing, satisfactory financial aid progress, aid disbursement and loan repayment.
- Assists other staff as needed during high volume times.
- Stays up to date with federal, state and institutional policies and regulations through sources informed and provided to staff such as webinars, websites, newsletters, email, policy/procedure manuals and a variety of provided documents.
- Attends workshops and conferences within the field.
- Assists at SAIC Admissions events, new student orientations, graduations and other school events as needed. Some evening and weekends required.
- Assists Associate Director of Counseling with processing FAFSA and other financial aid appeals including outreach to students.
- Makes recommendations on policies and procedures, content and design of forms, office operations and customer service matters.
- Assists with reviewing and mailing student statements/bills on a monthly basis as needed.
- Assists with the training of the new and current staff as directed.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Associate's degree and/or 3-5 of related student's accounts/financial aid preferred.
- Excellent communication and counseling skills required.
- Experience in federal, state and institutional financial aid awarding, loan certification and federal verification preferred.
- PeopleSoft Experience preferred.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
The Art Institute of Chicago is an equal opportunity, equal access employer fully committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe in a staff culture that benefits from a wide range of experience, backgrounds, and career paths, and we encourage nontraditional candidates to apply.
Salary Grade 6
Benefits
We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package:
- Generous paid time off
- Paid holidays (up to 14 days)
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Generous parental, caregiver, and medical leave benefits
- Competitive retirement plan (up to 9% matching contribution)
- Tuition remission and Tuition Exchange Program
- Great employee discounts
- Complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions
- Want to stay abreast of the latest job openings at the Art Institute and the School of the Art Institute? Sign up for our Employment Opportunities E-announcements.
