About the Department

The Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment (FASE) is a central administrative student services department within the Division of Enrollment.  Our overarching purpose is opportunity and affordability - we provide/coordinate financial resources which create access and opportunity in alignment with Cornell University?s motto and founding principle - any person, any study.

The Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment is dedicated to helping students navigate the complex financial aid and higher-education funding landscape - we work closely with the Office of the University Registrar, Undergraduate Admissions Office, the Office of the Bursar, academic Schools and Colleges, and many other University stakeholders to support Cornell?s diverse, world-class students and their success.

The Opportunity

The Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment has a Financial Aid Counselor II position open on its Counseling and Outreach team.

Reporting to the Assistant Director, Counseling and Outreach and collaborating closely with other members of the FASE team, FASE leadership, and colleagues across the Enrollment Division, Financial Aid Counselor II responsibilities include:

• utilizing specialized knowledge of core student service lifecycle concepts such as admissions, financial aid, registration and records, and student accounts to support students applying for and receiving financial aid.

• providing clear, accurate, and personalized support to help students and families navigate complex aid application processes, policies, and timelines.

• engaging frequently with students and their families via in-person and virtual appointments, phone, email, and other electronic communication channels.

• providing focused and timely support as well as proactive outreach to ensure excellent student experiences.

• discussing personalized aid offers, eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, adjustments, special or unusual circumstances, long-term financial success and student debt, Cornell payment options, how external resources (such as outside scholarships) are incorporated into aid offers, and address complex questions and concerns.

• maintaining up-to-date knowledge/skills/training, including independently researching applicable policies, rules, and regulations, utilizing appropriate professional judgement, and supporting team-oriented goals.

• evaluating aid application materials, assigning estimated cost of attendance budgets, performing accurate need analysis calculations, making aid eligibility determinations, packaging aid in compliance with all applicable rules and policies, and effectively managing an annual caseload of student files, including complex cases requiring additional expertise and experience.

This position is a hybrid role based in Ithaca, NY.

What We Need

For full consideration, applicants must include both a resume and cover letter with their application. 

We seek a dynamic, collaborative professional who enjoys thinking innovatively, enjoys the challenges and rewards of team-oriented remote-friendly work, and who can function exceptionally well within a large complex, world-class University. Creative thinking, self-motivation, accuracy, organization, and attention to detail are all critical in this position along with the ability to work under pressure and challenge the status quo.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor?s degree and at least 2 years relevant experience working in a student financial aid/scholarships role.

• Knowledge of financial aid software systems, federal aid regulations, or institutional need analysis concepts.

• Experience in a customer service or similar professional setting serving individuals with socio-economically diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

• Experience working effectively with moderately complex systems and business processes.

• Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to manage multiple assignments in a proactive manner.

• Be self-motivated, well-organized, and attentive to details.

• Proven ability to analyze requirements and meet deadlines.

• Demonstrated ability to continuously expand knowledge of technology/tools supporting effective business processes.

• Experience working directly with people from various socioeconomic backgrounds.

If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it?s ok if you don?t.

• Familiarity with the CSS Profile Application and Institutional Methodology (IM) need analysis.

• Experience using PeopleSoft, ImageNow, IDOC, or Workday.

• Fluency in English and a second language.

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely 3 days per week and on-campus 2 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.

• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.

• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell.

• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell

• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell

• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell

• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance are not available for this position.

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Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell?s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell?s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email mycareer@cornell.edu.

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Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing mycareer@cornell.edu.

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EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of "... any person ... any study." No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual?s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans? Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.