Student Services Specialist, Financial Aid at College of the Siskiyous Share on X      Print Application Deadline

Continuous

Date Posted 8/26/2025 Contact Human Resources
530-938-5555 Number of Openings 1 Salary Pay Range
$52,785.00 - $75,130.00 Annually Add'l Salary Info Salary: $52,785.00 - $75,130.00 Annually Length of Work Year see in job descripton Employment Type Full Time About the Employer

Established in 1957, College of the Siskiyous is one of 113 publicly funded California community colleges. Classes began September 10, 1959 with 67 students and only three campus buildings. Since that humble beginning, College of the Siskiyous (COS) has greatly expanded its programs, services, and facilities. COS is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The Fire/Emergency Response Technology Program is approved as an accredited regional academy for the State Fire Marshal's Office. The Paramedic/Emergency Medical Technician, Licensed Vocational Nursing and Registered Nursing Programs are accredited by their respective state agencies. COS is located at the base of majestic Mount Shasta (elevation 14,162 feet) in far northern California. Its 250-acre primary campus is centered in the historic lumber town of Weed, named after its founder Abner Weed, and is easily accessible from Interstate 5 and Highway 97. The primary campus offers numerous associate degree and certificate programs in the arts, athletics, humanities, sciences, mathematics as well as career and technical programs in business/computer science, EMS-Paramedic, Fire, and Welding, to name but a few. Students have access to academic counseling, academic assessment, library services and resources, career counseling, personal counseling, financial aid assistance, Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Student Support Services (SSS), textbook sales and buy backs, and tutoring services. COS is also one of only eleven community colleges in California to offer students on-campus student housing. In addition to its primary campus, COS operates a smaller campus in Yreka, 30 miles north of Weed, which is the site of the Rural Health Sciences Institute (RHSI) and the Technology Training Center. In Yreka, a variety of transfer, general education, vocational, continuing education, distance education, and lifelong learning classes are available. Similar to the primary campus, the Yreka campus provides complete registration and advising services. Yreka Campus facilities also include a computer lab with full Internet access, general purpose classrooms, multiple classrooms with videoconferencing capabilities, the Law Enforcement Training Center with a firearms training simulator classroom, fully-equipped physical education room, and the Rural Health Scien

Job Description / Essential Elements:    Print   

College of the Siskiyous

 

Student Services Specialist, Financial Aid

Job# 202200138

Salary: $52,785.00 - $75,130.00 Annually

Deadline:  Continuous 

 

Complete job description and application available online at: https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/siskiyous/jobs/5052837/student-services-specialist-financial-aid

 

Under the direction of an administrator or manager, performs specialized and technical duties and responsibilities in support of Financial Aid programs and services available to new and returning students; receives, reviews, analyzes, verifies, and ensures financial aid applications are accurate, complete, and incompliance with established policies, procedures, rules, and regulations; performs a needs analysis, determines eligibility, and packages awards in accordance with District, federal, state, and local policies and procedures.

 

College of the Siskiyous seeks applicants who possess the skills and qualities necessary to provide exceptional support to our diverse student body. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment that reflects the richness of our community. If you share our commitment to social and racial justice and are passionate about creating a more equitable educational experience, we encourage you to apply.

 

Key Duties & Responsibilities

The Student Services Specialist, Financial Aid is distinguished from the Student Services Specialists who have disciplined focuses in various programs other than Financial Aid. The Student Services Specialist, Financial Aid serves as the subject matter expert (SME) for Financial Aid programs and services; the incumbent provides specialized and technical assistance to faculty, administration, managers, staff, and students with Financial Aid programs, services, and additional resources available.

 

The Student Services Specialist can fulfill all other Student Services Specialist, Financial Aid duties but will be assigned primarily to specialize on Federal Work Study, Scholarships, Inceptia In-House Verification, Emails, Appeals Review, and to serve on the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.  

 

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Essential responsibilities are designated by *.

• Accesses and utilizes sensitive government web-based systems, databases, informational resources, and National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAASFAA) resources to troubleshoot and resolve issues; consults and collaborates with external organizations and/or agencies, as needed. *

• Extracts, gathers, records, analyzes, and processes statistical data to deliver financial aid services to students. *

• Assists students, faculty, counselors, parents, and staff with questions and concerns through a variety of communication modalities such as email, telephone, and in person. *

• Advises, informs, and guides students and parents regarding Financial Aid program eligibility and responsibilities; interprets and explains Financial Aid application policies, procedures, and funding availability from various programs and resources. *

• Schedules and provides individual appointments with students to assist and advise students related to special requirements, needs, assessments, and eligibility verification. *

• Performs needs analyses for a variety of programs such as the California College Promise Grant (CCPG), Cal Grants, and federal student aid programs. *

• Receives, reviews, collects, and processes Financial Aid documents required for student financial aid application files; evaluates required documentation to determine award packages in accordance with established guidelines; interprets and applies federal, state, and institutional regulations to determine and certify student eligibility; facilitates the delivery of funds; ensures completeness and accuracy of application materials in accordance with federal regulations. *

• Utilizes third-party service interfaces and/or databases to track application verification statuses and download reports; updates and verifies data in the Student Information System (SIS). *

• Acts as a primary facilitator and point of contact for state and/or federal aid programs, including but not limited to GI Bill, Direct Loan, Pell, Work Study, and Cal Grant, etc.*

• Partners with district and college management and supervisors to facilitate and place approved students to participate in the Federal Work Study Program. *

• Assists the School Certifying Official in a backup capacity; reports enrollment to Veteran’s Affairs for GI Bill beneficiaries. *

• Participatesindevelopingandimplementationofproceduresfornewfinancialaidsources and assigned programs.

• Documents a variety of processes and procedures related to Financial Aid programs, including but not limited to final withdrawal date(s), financial aid return calculations, electronic SIS disbursements, credit freezes, and R2T4s; identifies and escalates issues and/or problems to management, as needed. *

• Prepares and generates standard, ad-hoc, and mandated reports related to the area of assignment,includingbutnotlimitedtogovernmentaudits,studentaccountreconciliation, and program compliance reports; creates, prepares, updates, and maintains documents, files, and filing systems related to the area of assignment. *

• Coordinates and conducts financial aid and/or student loan workshops on and off campus; provides support to outreach programs with college staff, community organizations, and local high schools. *

• Provides administrative support related to accounting functions for the department including but not limited to the preparation and submission of purchase orders, invoices for payment related to supplies and/or services, and other budgetary functions as needed.

• Attends and participates in meetings, conferences, and workshops to develop, update ,and maintain knowledge and competencies related to financial aid regulations and compliance related to the area of assignment.

• Assists with training and providing work direction to subordinate classified staff, student workers, student assistants, and short-term, temporary staff.

Performs related duties that support the overall objective of the position.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION EXPERIENCE:

• Associate Degree with coursework in administration, business administration or related discipline; AND

• Two (2) years of experience working with community college students in an educational environment;

OR

• Any combination of education and experience which would provide the required qualifications for the position.

 

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or related discipline.

• Experience with financial aid in a higher education setting.

 

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• May be required to possess or demonstrate an ability to obtain a valid driver license, if driving is required as an essential responsibility of the position.

• May be required to travel for various off-site meetings, trainings, conferences, workshops. and/or events in support of the overall objective of the position.

 

Other Details

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: 

Knowledge of: 

• District and college policies, procedures, rules, and regulations related to the area of assignment.

• Current federal and state financial aid regulations and guidelines.

• California Education Code as it related to the area of assignment.

• Organizational operations, policies, and objectives.

• General functions, policies, rules, and regulations of a community college.

• Applicable codes, regulations, policies, procedures, and laws.

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

• Record-keeping, record and file retrieval, filing, filesharing, and filing systems methods and techniques.

• Effective communication, both verbally and in writing.

• Operation and use of personal computers, computer software applications, programs, and databases; computer hardware and peripheral equipment.

• Modern office practices, procedures, and equipment.

• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.

• Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy.

• Mathematic calculations.

• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).

 

Ability to:

• Independently perform the essential responsibilities of the position.

• Interpret and apply federal and state regulations pertaining to the financial aid process and student eligibility.

• Interpret, apply, and explain rules, regulations, procedures, precedents, and policies related to the area of assignment.

• Review, research, and analyze problems, evaluate alternatives, and make recommendations.

• Work effectively with under represented students and students with disabilities.

• Plan, coordinate, organize, and prioritize workload to meet timelines.

• Update and maintain knowledge and competencies related to the area of assignment.

• Participate and complete training courses related to the area of assignment.

• Exercise professional judgement and discretion to adjust aid in government systems under prescribed and approved guidelines of the administrator or  manager.

• Update and maintain knowledge and competencies related to software applications and programs related to the area of assignment. Coordinate flow of communications and information as needed. Gather and extract data to generate and prepare comprehensive reports related to the area of assignment.

• Compose effective correspondence.

• Type or input data at an acceptable rate of speed.

• Answer telephones and greet the public courteously.

• Maintain a variety of records, logs, and files.

• Operate and utilize a computer to input and/or extract data, maintain automated records, and generate computerized reports.

• Computer software programs and applications, computer hardware, and peripheral equipment.

• Work independently with little direction.

• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

• Determine appropriate action within clearly defined guidelines.

• Perform mathematical calculations with speed and accuracy as required by the area of assignment.

• Demonstrate sensitivity and respect for the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of students, faculty, staff, and the public.

• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others during the course of work.

 

College of the Siskiyous is an equal opportunity employer. The policy of the District is to encourage applications from ethnic and racial minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and Vietnam-era veterans. No person shall be denied employment because of ethnicity or race, color, sex or gender, gender identity, age, religion, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, medical conditions, status as a Vietnam-era veteran, ancestry, or political or organizational affiliation.

 

College of the Siskiyous is accredited by the Accrediting commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

 

Requirements / Qualifications

For more information on Requirements/Qualifications, please contact the employer.

Comments and Other Information

For more information on Comments and Other Information, please contact the employer.

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