(Remote) Temporary Program Assistant - WVU Hub

The WVU Hub at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Temporary Program Assistant (multiple openings).

About the Opportunity

This position serves as the initial point of contact for West Virginia University students, prospective students, families and alumni by means of the WVU Hub, the connection to financial aid, scholarships, student employment, registrar, and student accounts and revenue services. This position serves by assisting, counseling and resolving customer complex questions and/or issues through listening, fact gathering, decision-making, and analytical skills in a helpful, courteous manner as member of cross-functional team. This position may also assist home offices with processing functions. This position is vital to the recruitment and retention of our students as we are the main contact to questions concerning the entire matriculation process. The individuals must operate in a fast paced, extremely stressful environment and relay accurate information both professionally and swiftly utilizing many tools including but not limited to NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System), COD (Common Origination & Disbursement), FAA (Financial Aid Administrator Access to Central Processing Services), WV FAMS (Financial Aid Management System), etc al). The position is intended for an employee that will be working remotely (from home).

What You'll Do

• Assist and serve students via the WVU Hub with matters related to financial aid, loans, scholarships, student employment, billing and accounts, housing and rent, registration, and student health insurance. Primary contact mode is via telephone and will also include email service.
  Handle all questions as well as specific student's issues by providing information and counsel in order to resolve majority of inquiries and refer when needed to other staff or internal departments across campus.
• Process inquiries and disseminate information obtained from student information systems related to financial aid, student accounts receivable including room and board, registration, student withdrawal, refunds, and third party sponsors. This may include posting payments (via BANNER), collecting and analyzing student account and financial aid awards, loan verifications, scholarship applications, and assisting with processing all related documentation.
• Responsible for understanding and interpreting WVU policies and procedures and ensuring that corresponding guidance is properly communicated to students, parents, and other constituencies. Thus a thorough knowledge of policy, procedures and systems for Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Housing and University Apartments, Extended Learning and other student operations is required.
• Assist WVU students and other constituencies in understanding financial aid/account records, providing advice on payment options and arrangements.
• Receive and review confidential documents regarding financial aid, student records, employment, and accounts. Verifies proper completion and accuracy of forms.
• View and analyze Federal, State and Institutional websites to assure student eligibility for all aid.
• Receive incoming correspondence and correctly logs for response. Prepare outgoing correspondence and communications which may include letters, forms, email, brochures, and web-content.
• Properly verify identity of student or FERPA documentation prior to sharing secured information.
• Respond to telephone inquiries regarding financial aid, registration, payment arrangements, etc. and log each communication within designated tracking system to record reason for inquiry and response provided.
• Make targeted outgoing calls to students and parents as part of outreach on outstanding requirements for completion of financial aid applications, or notifications on payments due and collections.
• Uses professional judgement at all times, ensuring that professional demeanor at all times in an at-time emotional and high volume environment.
• Bring to management's attention critical problems requiring immediate attention.
• Provide processing support to the home offices of Student Financial Services and Office of the Registrar. The processes may include but are not limited to: verification for financial aid, appeals, scanning and indexing of incoming documents, departmental scholarship requests, PLUS processing, completion of voc rehab, DHHS and other forms, adding/dropping of courses in Banner, enrollment verifications, transcripts and other duties as assigned. Processes require analysis, review for accuracy, some decision making and corrections/adjustments to various systems
• Knowledge of Federal, State and Institutional Policy to review a student's record for any of the Home offices
• Make corrections to Federal and state databases as necessary while reviewing required submitted documentation requested by federal or institutional policy
• Participate in cross training in functions of financial aid, student accounts, registrar, and student insurance. In turn, participate in the training of new temporary or student workers.
• Participate in job-related continuing education seminars, professional development and workshops required to maintain up-to-date knowledge of federal or state regulations and university policies related to position.
• Provide support to WVU Hub Director and Assistant Directors as tasks, special projects, and activities arise to achieve institutional missions and unit objectives as time and work load dictates. Participation may include coordinating and leading assigned project team, innovating new or improved methods of operation, developing policy or procedure drafts.

Pay Grade: 12

Length of Assignment: 8.5 Months

• Associates Degree in Business, Accounting, Banking or related field or equivalent higher education experience will be considered in absence of degree.
• A minimum of one (1) year customer service related experience, preferably in higher education. Experience preferred in interacting with large numbers of people, some of whom may be tense or emotional due to nature of financial aid and accounts payable.
• Excellent customer service skills and the ability to promote and maintain university goodwill.
• Highly motivated work ethic in order to perform some repetitive but important duties, must be innovative and self-starting.
• Ability to identify and resolve critical issues.
• Ability to work with confidential information and issues in a professional and responsible manner.
• Ability to listen, empathize, and comfort parents and students in difficult or stressful situations.
• Computer knowledge and software programs (i.e. Banner, Oracle, Argos, MS Office, DegreeWorks).
• Ability to be thorough, obtaining complete and accurate information.
• Good mathematical and writing skills.
• Excellent telephone and interpersonal etiquette and skills.
• Must portray a professional appearance.
• Ability to maintain professional manner in high volume, high stress environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree.

At West Virginia University, we leverage our talents and resources to create a better future for our state and the world. As West Virginia's land-grant university, WVU has three campuses that touch each corner of the state. The WVU System includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres, Extension Service offices in all 55 counties, ten experimental farms and four forests.

From the groundbreaking R1 research of our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs of WVU Potomac State in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley - the contributions of WVU employees directly impact the 1.8 million people of West Virginia every day, no matter their role or position.

Service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation are the core values that unite Mountaineers, inspiring one another to work tirelessly and support others as they seek to reach new heights. After all, when you're a Mountaineer, impossible is just another mountain to climb.

Creating an inclusive, engaged, and dynamic learning environment is core to WVU's academic mission. We welcome candidates who can contribute a range of ideas, approaches and experiences.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.