Job Description
Student Retention Support Specialist Benefits of working at VCU All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU's robust benefits package that includes: comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefit, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more. Learn more about VCU's benefits here.
Job Code 35214 Sr. Student Advisor SS 1
Recruitment Pool VCU Employees Only
Posting Number req8058
Unit Offc of Strategic Enrollment Mngmnt
Department SEMSS, Student Financial Management Center
Department Website Link semss.vcu.edu
Location VCU
Address 907 Floyd Ave, Richmond, VA 23284 USA
Duties & Responsibilities Summary: VCU's Student Financial Management Center is searching for Student Retention Support Specialists. This position is responsible for case-managing student populations to assist students in maintaining good financial and academic standing through direct and tailored interventions, financial counseling, and communications about financial aid eligibility concerns and other actionable items to resolve potential roadblocks within a timely manner.
This position provides a holistic approach to helping students understand and find solutions to complex financial aid and billing questions. These actions directly contribute to the recruitment, retention, and degree completion of students by meeting student payment expectations. This position plays an active role in creating a culture of care, through a case management success team, by fostering solutions-driven meaningful relationships with students and campus partners, and promoting a successful university experience.
This position requires a well-rounded knowledge of federal and state financial aid program regulations, an understanding of the tuition and fee assessment and billing policies, how to navigate and find information within the student information system, and understand financial aid eligibility concerns which hinder progression and retention.
Core Responsibilities Case Management (55%): Through the use of early alerts, dashboards and daily monitoring: actively identifies, reaches out, and counsels students exhibiting financial distress or concerns about account balances prohibiting retention and progression toward graduating within a timely manner. Reviews data to identify at-risk students in mapping out a sound financial and academic plan for their education.
- Improve students submitting outstanding account document concerns within a timely manner
- Evaluate if a student has exhausted all financial aid opportunities to help pay semester account balances
- Improve on-time account payments, reduce late fees being incurred and financial holds that inhibit future registration
- Reduce collection referrals for outstanding balances
- Engage students who may benefit from satisfactory academic progress or professional judgment appeal reviews
- Identify and contact students who may have concerns paying other educational expenses to improve overall well-being
- Monitor assigned caseload students for financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP) concerns: 1) courses that are ineligible for financial aid such as audit and UF grades, 2) directs students to the appropriate class to make schedule adjustments, 3)
- Recommends adjustments to financial aid packages if there are eligibility concerns, 4)
- Reviews the billing statement with student and makes recommendations how to resolve account balances
- Review and resolve referrals from academic advisors and campus partners for students in financial distress
- Work with the students' advisors to help develop academic plans for students appealing financial aid satisfactory academic progress
- Outreach to students who are more than 180 days delinquent repaying federal student loans and connect them to their lender for repayment options
Financial Counseling (40%): Advise students, parents and campus partners about financial aid opportunities, eligibility requirements, deadlines, policies, and procedures.
- Investigates and provides accurate information about specific financial aid programs, tuition and fee account billing information, and payment options while updating the student information system/Navigate with comments summarizing the nature of the meeting with the student, parent or campus partner
- Serve as a liaison to assigned colleges and schools answering financial aid and billing questions
- Communicate educational costs, how to find information online or within eServices, how to complete the FAFSA, how to complete forms, how to find VCU scholarships, provide deadlines, other campus resources, how to understand financial aid award notices, how to complete steps for financial aid to disburse and how to budget financial aid offered in relation to educational costs
- Directly interacts with students, parents and campus partners utilizing appointments, front counter walk-ins, telephone, video communication, email, chat/instant message or the Navigate advising platform
- Discuss confidential information with students, other family members and campus partners, as applicable by law
- Reviews the individual circumstances of each student, and in some cases, suggests professional judgement that does not fall into standard practices as an exception to the rule
- Reviews the accuracy of documents being submitted for completeness
Financial Aid Outreach and Literacy (5%): Supports outreach programs within the University such as summer orientation, preview days, workshops and other various outreach requests that include both on and off campus events; including local or regional overnight travel.
- Presents financial aid opportunities, educational costs and how to pay for college to parent and student groups
- Assists with other projects within the Division of Strategic Enrollment Management and
- Student Success for recruitment and retention efforts
- Promotes the values and mission of VCU to all constituents in a positive and professional manner
Qualifications Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent combination of training, experience, and education.
- One year of demonstrated experience working in financial aid services, student accounting/billing, registrar services, or academic advising in a higher education setting
- Experience using EAB Navigate (or similar system) and Banner/Ellucian (or similar) student information systems
- Possess strong organizational, planning, and time-management skills with the ability to proactively manage multiple projects with deadlines
- Detail oriented and performs with high level of quality of precision
- Must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to be resourceful, proactive and seek assistance as needed
- Current VCU Employee
- Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff and students from various backgrounds and experiences or a commitment to do so as a staff member of VCU.
Preferred Qualifications - Master's degree from an accredited college or university.
- Demonstrated experience using Microsoft Office, Google Docs or Google Sheets to create spreadsheets, documents, graphs, pivot tables, etc.
- Experience working within the Student Financial Management Center
- Experience working with an assigned caseload where you were required to track, monitor, provide outreach, and measure outcomes
- Bilingual ability specifically with Spanish, Arabic, or Mandarin
Other Position Details This position will be eligible for flexible work arrangements including remote work up to 40%.
VCU Student Financial Management Center may hire up to six candidates from this advertisement.
This requisition will close on August 27, 2025 at 7:00 pm EST.
FLSA University Employee
Job FTE 1.0
Exemption Status Exempt
Restricted Position No
E-Class UF - University Employee FT
Job Category University Employee
ORP Eligible No
Salary Range $52,920
Compensation Type Salaried
Target Hire Date 10/1/2025
Contact Information for Candidates Documents Needed to Apply Resume, Cover Letter
Job Tags
Full time, Summer work, Work at office, Local area, Remote work, Flexible hours, Night shift,