Entry Level Financial Aid Counselor (Student Services Professional IA)

Position Summary

Are you passionate about helping students achieve their educational goals? Join our dynamic team as an Entry Level Financial Aid Counselor at San Diego State University! This is an excellent opportunity to begin your career in higher education while making a meaningful impact on students' lives. With comprehensive training and support, you'll gain valuable skills and experience in financial aid counseling and student services.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide personalized guidance to students and families on financial aid and scholarship eligibility, satisfactory academic progress, budgeting, and resolving financial challenges.
• Review and analyze system-generated financial aid awards to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, policies, and procedures.
• Assist students by assessing their academic and financial circumstances to provide tailored recommendations and solutions.
• Support various program coordinators with essential responsibilities, including file review, scholarship processing, and satisfactory academic progress evaluations.
• Serve students across SDSU's San Diego, Imperial Valley, and Global Campuses.

Why Join Us?

• Gain in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in financial aid counseling under the guidance of experienced professionals.
• Build a foundation for a rewarding career in higher education and student services.
• Help students overcome financial barriers and achieve their educational dreams.
• Be part of a diverse and vibrant campus that values innovation, collaboration, and student success.

Take the first step toward an impactful and fulfilling career. Apply now to join our team at SDSU!

Position Information

• This is a full-time (1.0 time-base), benefits eligible, permanent/probationary position.
• This position is designated non-exempt under FLSA and is eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but may vary based on operational needs.
• The individual hired into this role will work on campus at SDSU in San Diego.

Department Summary

The Student Financial Resource sub-division within the Division of Student Affairs & Campus Diversity includes the Student Financial Center, Financial Aid Office, and Scholarship Office. This sub-division provides student-centered services in a transparent, regulated, and compliance-driven environment under the leadership of an Associate Vice President.

The Financial Aid Office (FAO) supports students attending SDSU at all of the university’s campuses - San Diego, Imperial Valley, and Global Campus. FAO determines student eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid funds and private/institutional scholarship funds according to applicable statutes, regulations, and requirements, and coordinates the administration of these funds with numerous external sources. The responsibilities are carried out by a highly trained staff using an innovative, state-of-the-art data processing system and an efficient and effective organizational structure. The Office's broad range of responsibilities includes awarding over $300 million of financial aid and scholarship funds coordinated and administered by the university, counseling students and parents about availability and eligibility criteria for all aid programs, coordinating reporting responsibilities with all funding sources, and managing aid delivery in a timely and accurate manner.

For more information regarding the Student Affairs Financial Aid Department, click here .

Education and Experience

Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in one of the behavioral sciences, public or business administration, or a job-related field. Specialized experience during which the applicant has acquired and successfully applied the knowledge and abilities shown below may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Key Qualifications

• Knowledge of individual and group behavior principles and interview techniques.
• Ability to research, observe, and interpret factual information effectively.
• Skilled in data analysis, logical reasoning, and making sound recommendations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including clear reporting.
• Ability to contribute to group discussions and maintain collaborative relationships.

Compensation and Benefits

Starting salary upon appointment is not expected to exceed $4,150 per month.

Salary placement is determined by the education, experience, and qualifications the candidate brings to the position, internal equity, and the hiring department’s fiscal resources.

San Diego State University offers a rich benefits package that constitutes a major portion of total compensation. For more information regarding SDSU benefits, please click here .

CSU Classification Salary Range: $4,150 - $5,076 per month.

SDSU Values

At SDSU, our diversity gives us power and benefits every single member of our community. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU provides equal opportunity for all in education and employment. We encourage all members of our community to purposefully learn from one another through open and respectful dialogue and responsible engagement. We strongly preserve the right to free expression and encourage difficult conversations that help lead to improved individual and community learning and cohesion.

Principles of Community

At SDSU, we are a community of diverse individuals who have and represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities. This diversity lends our community strength, and we commit to creating and sustaining an inclusive and intellectually vibrant environment that benefits all members of our university.

SDSU’s Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that is intended to evolve over time. The statement reflects the ideals we are encouraged to uphold in our interactions with one another.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, San Diego State University (SDSU) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. SDSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

SDSU is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At SDSU, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

Initial review of the required application materials, including cover letters and resumes, will begin on January 27, 2025. To receive full consideration, apply by January 26, 2025. The position will remain open until filled.

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

San Diego State University is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (e.g., H-1B visa). Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents that demonstrate a person's identity and authorization to work in the United States, which are consistent with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily and is required for employment. SDSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current SDSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

SDSU is a smoke-free campus. For more information, please click here .

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who request an accommodation by contacting Livia Peeples at lpeeples@sdsu.edu .

Advertised: Jan 10 2025 Pacific Standard Time
Applications close:

Closing Date/Time:

• 

• San Diego State University

• 619-594-5200

Show more