[Hiring] Financial Solutions Advisor @University of Maryland Global Campus

Role Description

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) seeks a Financial Solutions Advisor (FSA) within the Office of Financial Solutions. The FSA actively partners with learners to develop long-term funding plans for their education, helping to remove financial obstacles to academic success.

• Leverages in-depth knowledge of federal student aid, military benefits, employer benefits, and self-pay options.
• Consultatively reviews all funding options based on a learner’s unique circumstances.
• Surfaces financial literacy resources and approaches solutions to provide learners with an educational investment aligned with their goals.
• Engages with learners through various communication channels including email, SMS, live chat, inbound calls, and outbound calls.
• Partners with colleagues in Admissions, Success Coach, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts departments.
• Employs a curiosity-based mindset to build rapport with learners and explores solutions to move learners forward in their educational journey.

When partnering with financial aid applicants and users, accountabilities include:

• A thorough understanding of eligibility requirements and available grant and loan types through the Title IV program.
• An in-depth navigational understanding of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Partnership with learners through each step of the application process, including documentation needed for verification and C-flag requirements.
• Awareness of scholarship opportunities that require FAFSA completion.
• Access and use information within FAA Access to CPS and NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System).
• Conveyance of important dates and deadlines related to disbursement of aid, balance due dates, and UMGC’s disenrollment policy.
• Actively partners with learners through decisions related to changes in enrollment that may impact financial aid eligibility.
• Guides learner understanding of the R2T4 process and implications to balances owed.
• Partners with Success Coaches on future course scheduling related to program applicability of courses and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
• Maintains competency and professional currency of Title IV regulations and UMGC scholarship opportunities.

When partnering with learners using military benefits, accountabilities include:

• Provides comprehensive counseling regarding the full range of active duty and veterans education benefits.
• Guides learners through the process of receiving military tuition benefits.
• Maintains knowledge of UMGC services, including hybrid classes and testing services at military and civilian sites.

When partnering with learners leveraging self-pay and employer benefits options, accountabilities include:

• Providing guidance through monthly payment plan enrollment and maintenance.
• Consulting with learners on ability to pay “out of pocket” along with balancing other life costs.
• Administers payments over the phone while adhering to PCI compliance standards.
• Offers advice to consult with employers about potential availability of tuition reimbursement.
• Determines if learners are employed with official partners of UMGC that may offer tuition benefits.
• Maintains understanding of partnership program and specific policies related to learners affiliated with various employer partnerships.
• Communicates directly with learners to resolve overdue balances before escalation to collections processes.
• Maintains knowledge of state and institutional policies and regulations pertaining to payment due dates, disenrollment, and the UMGC billing system.

The FSA engages with learners in a call center environment through a variety of communication channels including:

• High volume of inbound calls.
• Outbound calls.
• Case management, email, SMS (text messaging), and live chat.

General Responsibilities Include:

• Accurately document, maintain, and track all learner interactions through the Customer Relations Management system.
• Meet departmentally set metrics standards monthly.
• Employees living within 50 miles of UMGC are required to work university commencement.
• Employees are required to work some evening and weekend hours.
• Employees may be required to work certain holiday hours based on business needs.
• Participate in recruitment and retention activities including attending virtual open house events, information sessions, and webinars.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirement for 100% remote role:

• Home worksite furniture and equipment shall be provided by the successful hire.
• UMGC will provide necessary office supplies, a laptop, monitor, and headset.
• Network communication to non-public UMGC online information technology services shall be made only using the UMGC Virtual Private Network (VPN).
• All computing equipment must be connected to broadband internet through an Ethernet connection.
• All computing equipment must have upload and download speeds of at least 25MBPS.
• Candidates may not perform personal business during scheduled work hours except for non-work time.

Qualifications

• An earned bachelor’s degree.
• Two to three (2-3) years of relevant work experience in an applicable role.
• Excellent customer service, time management, creative problem-solving, interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

Requirements

• Previous experience in financial aid, student accounts, student finance, higher education admissions or enrollment management, recruiting, educational or training-industry sales, consultative inside sales, call center, or high-volume customer service environment.
• Experience leveraging CRM or call center applications and tools, such as a dialer.
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish.
• Must meet and maintain access requirements for secure federal and/or state websites, such as the NSLDS.

Benefits

• Generous Time Off: 22 days of paid vacation, 15 days of sick leave, 3 personal days, and 16 paid holidays.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access to health care, medical with vision, dental, and prescription plans for individuals and families.
• Insurance Options: Term Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, and Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance.
• Retirement Stipend: 7.25 percent of base salary and eligibility to contribute to a supplemental retirement account.
• Tuition Remission: Eligible immediately for Tuition Remission at UMGC or University of Maryland College Park.