Financial Solutions Advisor

Financial Solutions Advisor

Office of Financial Solutions

Full-Time, Contingent II, Exempt, Pay Grade 1.1

Location: Stateside Remote

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) seeks a Financial Solutions Advisor. Within the Office of Financial Solutions, the Financial Solutions Advisor (FSA) actively partners with learners and develops long term funding plans for their education, helping to remove financial obstacles to academic success. Leveraging in-depth knowledge of federal student aid, military benefits, employer benefits and self-pay options, the FSA consultatively reviews all funding options available based on a learner’s unique circumstance.  With a goal of increasing access and affordability, the FSA also surfaces financial literacy resources and approaches solutions aimed at providing learners with an educational investment aligned with their goals.  The Financial Solutions department is a high energy, fast-paced environment that relies heavily on data and technology to provide a superior learner experience. While interacting with learners and taking steps to find solutions, the FSA will regularly partner with colleagues in the Admissions, Success Coach, Financial Aid and Student Accounts departments.  The FSA engages with learners in a variety of communication channels including email, SMS (text messaging), live chat, inbound calls, and outbound calls. A successful FSA is enthusiastic to financially guide learners from the earliest stages of admission through graduation. A skilled FSA 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 available 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 the provision of documentation needed to satisfy 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 partner with learners through decisions related to changes in enrollment that may impact financial aid eligibility

• Guide learner understanding of the R2T4 process and implications to balances owed as a result

• Partner with Success Coaches on future course scheduling as related to program applicability of courses and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

• Maintain competency and professional currency of Title IV regulations and UMGC scholarship opportunities

When partnering with learners using military benefits, accountabilities include:

• Provide comprehensive counseling to learners regarding the full range of active duty and veterans educations benefits

• Guide learners through the process of receiving military tuition benefits

• Maintain knowledge of UMGC services to include 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

• Offer advice to consult with employer about potential availability of tuition reimbursement

• Determine if learners are employed with official partner of UMGC that may offer tuition benefits

• Maintain understanding of partnership program and specific policies and attributes of learners affiliated with various employer partnerships

• Communicate directly with learners to resolve overdue balances before account is escalated to internal and State of Maryland Collections processes

• Maintain 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, email, SMS (text messaging) and live chat. A successful FSA is enthusiastic to financially guide learners from the earliest stages of admission through graduation.

General Responsibilities Include:

• Accurately document, maintain, and track all learner interactions, information, and progression through the Customer Relations Management system.

• Meet departmentally set metrics standards monthly.

• Employees that live 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 need.

• Participate in recruitment and retention activities including attending virtual open house events, information sessions and webinars to offer funding guidance to new and returning learners.

• 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 and data shall be made only using the UMGC Virtual Private Network (VPN) to ensure data is transmitted through encrypted channels and proper authentication.

• All computing equipment that is used, whether purchased by UMGC or the individual, must be connected to broadband internet through an Ethernet connection.

• All computing equipment that is used must be connected to broadband internet with upload and download speeds of at least 25MBPS. You must also hardwire your laptop to the router through an ethernet connection.

• Candidates may not perform personal business during scheduled work hours except for nonwork time, such as scheduled lunch and breaks.

Required Education and Experience:  

• An earned bachelor’s degree and two to three (2-3) years of relevant work experience in an applicable role.

• Candidates must possess excellent customer service, time management, creative problem solving, interpersonal, oral and written communications skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy. 

Preferred Education and Experience:   

• Previous experience in any of the following areas: financial aid, student accounts, student finance, higher education admissions or enrollment management, recruiting, educational or training-industry sales, consultative inside sales of a service offering, call center or high-volume, customer service environment. 

• Experience leveraging CRM or call center applications and tools, such as a dialer is also preferred.

• Bi-lingual English/Spanish

Must be able to meet and maintain access requirements for secure federal and/or state websites, such as the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).  This includes not being in default on any federal student loans.