About the Department

Program Specialist 2

Salary: $43,716 - $58,380* Annually

Classification: Classified

Supervisor: Program Specialist 5

This position provides administrative and operational support for Financial Aid. The Program Specialist 2 (PS2) position supports the college’s mission by promoting student access, enrollment, and retention through effective administration of financial aid programs, regulatory compliance oversight, and proactive fraud monitoring. The role assists in ensuring accurate processing, compliance with federal and state regulations, institutional policy adherence, and timely delivery of financial aid to students.  

The PS2 provides high quality services and support in a friendly, fast- paced, customer-focused environment. This role serves as a program representative with delegated authority to interpret policy, resolve complex issues, and safeguard institutional and federal financial aid resources through careful review and monitoring of student records.  The PS2 will also assist in managing the volume of financial aid inquiries and will handle complex financial aid inquiries that may require consultation with other financial aid team members or members of Enrollment Services. This position works under general supervision and is designed to provide administrative support to help increase enrollment and retention to the college by helping students navigate financial aid questions and assisting in the timely process of financial aid delivery.

Position Duties

• Serve as the primary administrative specialist for financial aid operations, ensuring accurate processing, regulatory compliance, and high-quality service delivery, which may include extensive contact with prospective and current students providing service in person, virtually, email/e-chat, texting, or other web-based methods, and phone calls regarding information and interpretation of college policies and activities related to financial aid.
• Provides information and technical assistance to students, staff and public on steps regarding financial aid policies, procedures, eligibility requirements, and file completion.
• Process/update student records by processing financial aid forms, documents and other information necessary to complete transactions and procedures.
• Determine and explain financial aid requirements, ISIR information, Bio/Demo mismatch, multiple checklist items, etc.
• Document Processing, Record Maintenance, Fraud Prevention Support.
• Scan, index, verify, and process financial aid documentation, including institutional financial aid applications, verification documents, petitions and appeals, citizenship and identity documentation, miscellaneous required forms.
• Identify altered, incomplete, or inconsistent documentation and follow fraud review processes and procedures, including requesting additional documentation, placing holds when appropriate, and referring suspicious cases to senior financial aid administrators or compliance officers.
• Maintain record retention practices in compliance with federal, state, and institutional guidelines.
• Financial Aid Awarding, Revisions, Eligibility Review.
• Coordinate with and process program awards for WorkFirst, BFET, Worker Retraining, Early Achievers, etc.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent 
• Strong interpersonal, customer service, and organizational skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency with standard office software (word processing, spreadsheets, email tools)
• Ability and willingness to learn federal, state and institutional financial aid regulations
• Demonstrated ability and proficiency in providing administrative support 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in Student Services, Financial Aid, Admissions and/or Registration and Records
• Bachelor’s Degree and (2) two years of higher education student services experience 
• Experience with a major ERP/SIS, like PeopleSoft, Banner or Colleague

Other Qualifications

Please note that we are unable to sponsor visas for this position. Only candidates who are currently authorized to work in the United States will be considered.

This is a full-time classified position scheduled to work 40 hours a week, with a salary range of $43,716 - $58,380 annually. All classified positions will start their salary at Step A, when you have completed six months of probation, you will receive a 5 percent pay increase. A collective bargaining agreement exists, and this position is covered by the Washington Public Employees Association (WPEA) Union. Classified positions qualify for the following benefits:

Medical/vision, dental, long-term disability, life insurance, and accidental dismemberment, Flexible Spending Arrangement, Dependent Care Assistance Program, Wellness Programs, Department of Retirement Systems Plan 2 or Plan 3, Deferred Compensation Program (DRS) retirement savings plan; TIAA supplemental retirement savings plan, Aflac, 11 paid holidays, leave – vacation/sick/personal holiday/personal leave, auto/home insurance, space available tuition waiver, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), fitness center, reduced rate and priority consideration on-site child care on a space available.

For more information regarding benefits, please visit our website here.