• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Building: Pulitzer Hall
• Salary Range: $75,000 - $85,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Financial Aid and Admissions, the incumbent manages all matters of the office, including the day-to-day communication with students, parents, faculty, administrators, alumni, and outside agencies about admissions, financial aid, and the CJS loan repayment assistance program (LRAP). Responsibilities include the administering of the financial aid programs of the Journalism School and has primary responsibility for the management of email communications and providing financial aid counseling to students, as well as coordinating and overseeing the CJS LRAP and financial aid application process for prospective students. The incumbent is also expected to cultivate positive working relationships with deans, faculty, administrators, staff, students, alumni/ae, central administrators at Columbia and other academic institutions, lending institutions, and with members of peer institutions. 

Responsibilities

• Interprets and explains admissions, financial aid, and CJS LRAP policies to prospective students, applicants, current students, alumni, and others. Participates in outreach activities. Adheres to complex and changing regulations, policies, and procedures pertaining to financial aid and CJS LRAP, while ensuring compliance with federal, state, CJS, and University regulations and policies. 
• Manages the administration of CJS LRAP through communication management (phone, email, and in-person/virtual counseling), application review, award processing, presentations, and various other duties. 
• Manages email exchanges through accurate, effective, and knowledgeable communications to both individual students and larger groups regarding admissions, financial aid, and CJS LRAP process and requirements. 
• Review application materials for institutional grants and loans according to Journalism School policy and standard methodology. Assists with generating financial aid award letters and all other communication. 
• Oversees the administration of federal and various other loan programs for Journalism students. Responsible for maintaining computer systems required to support electronic loan processing with the central University's SFS Operations and Loan teams. 
• Responsible for the generation of reports for the financial aid systems, including Slate, College Board, PowerFAIDS, SIS, and Desktop reporting; stipend requests from within the Journalism School, as well as from other University divisions and external sources; maintaining the external sources of funding data for Journalism students; processing of institutional grant and loan awards; stewardship assignments of restricted scholarship and other financial aid funds. 
• Establish and coordinate specialized recruitment programs. Conduct admissions information sessions and orientations. Travel for admissions recruitment.
• Evaluate admissions applications and international transcripts
• Performs various other duties and projects as assigned, including staffing the reception desk, as necessary. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent related experience required.
• Three to five years of related experience.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and analytical skills, with a proven ability to handle multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced, high-volume environment required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, math aptitude.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of an administrative team.  
  

Preferred Qualification

• Experience preferably financial aid experience in a university setting, or a background in related counseling and office experience) required. Knowledge of PowerFAIDS and Slate is preferred.
• Understanding of financial aid needs analysis and federal regulations that govern the management and delivery of financial aid funds preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.