Financial Aid AdvisorThe Financial Aid Advisor under the direction of the Director of Financial Aid provides exceptional financial aid counseling and support to prospective, current, and returning students. The Financial Aid Advisor administers federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs while ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and university policies.This position serves as a primary point of contact for students and families, assisting them throughout the financial aid lifecycle—from FAFSA completion and eligibility determination through awarding, counseling, disbursement, and ongoing financial wellness support. The successful candidate will combine regulatory knowledge, technology proficiency, and outstanding customer service to promote student success and retention.Primary responsibilities include serving as a primary financial aid counselor for prospective, continuing, graduate, and professional students; providing individualized counseling regarding financial aid eligibility, FAFSA completion, verification, scholarships, grants, loans, work-study, satisfactory academic progress (SAP), and financial literacy; responding to student, parent, faculty, and staff inquiries through in-person, phone, email, chat, and virtual advising platforms; assisting students in understanding financing options and responsible borrowing strategies; reviewing and processing financial aid applications and supporting documentation; determining and packaging financial aid awards in accordance with federal, state, institutional, and donor requirements; certifying federal loan eligibility and monitoring annual and aggregate loan limits; resolving conflicting information, over awards, eligibility discrepancies, and enrollment-related issues; reviewing and processing professional judgment requests, satisfactory academic appeals, dependency overrides, unusual circumstance determinations, and special circumstance appeals in accordance with federal regulations; assisting with scholarship administration, including departmental, endowed, and institutional scholarship awarding; performing other duties as assigned; reviewing verification documentation and ensuring timely resolution of outstanding requirements; monitoring student eligibility under federal, state, and institutional regulations; assisting with implementation and maintenance of financial aid policies and procedures; maintaining accurate records in accordance with FERPA, Title IV regulations, and university standards; supporting internal audits, compliance reviews, and program reconciliations; proactively identifying students with incomplete files or barriers to aid eligibility; conducting outreach campaigns to support enrollment, persistence, and retention initiatives; partnering with Enrollment Management, Admissions, Registrar, Student Accounts, Athletics, Graduate Programs, and Academic Affairs to support student success; assisting students experiencing financial hardship by identifying available resources and funding opportunities; representing Student Financial Services during orientation, open houses, FAFSA workshops, financial literacy events, and recruitment activities; conducting presentations for students, parents, faculty, staff, and community partners; promoting financial wellness through debt management, budgeting, and loan repayment education; utilizing Banner SaaS, CRM platforms, federal systems, and other technologies to support efficient service delivery; maintaining accurate electronic records and case notes; assisting with testing, implementation, and optimization of financial aid technologies and process improvements; supporting data integrity initiatives and operational reporting; participating in office automation and continuous improvement projects to enhance the student experience.Required qualifications include a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, minimum of 2–5 years of financial aid, higher education, enrollment management, student services, or related experience, knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations, strong communication, analytical, organizational, and customer service skills, ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, demonstrated commitment to accuracy, compliance, and student service, ability to meet deadlines and maintain a high level of accuracy, professionalism and a customer service orientation, requires some evenings and week-end work throughout the academic year, adherence and support of the Houston Christian University statement of belief as required by the Preamble of the By-Laws of the university, ability to relate well with a diverse student population, and ability to work well under pressure.Preferred qualifications include experience administering federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs, experience with Ellucian Banner or Banner SaaS, experience with FAFSA Simplification implementation and modern Title IV regulations, bilingual (English/Spanish), experience conducting financial literacy, outreach, or student success programming, and knowledge of Texas state financial aid programs including TEG, Texas College Work-Study, and TEXAS Grant.