Financial Aid Specialist

POSITION DETAILS

Lehman College, of The City University of New York, ranks among the top five institutions in the nation for fostering social mobility. A four-year Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Bronx, Lehman offers bachelor’s, master’s, and advanced degrees and certificate programs in the Liberal Arts, sciences, and professions. The College’s community-driven mission and notable academic programs attract a diverse, international enrollment of over 15,000 students who take courses on its 37-acre, tree-lined campus and online degree programs. Many thousands more community members benefit yearly from its active cultural, educational, health, and economic outreach programs and services.

Reporting to the Associate Director TAP Certifying Officer, the Financial Aid Specialist will be responsible for the administration and oversight of the New York State Excelsior Scholarship Program. The incumbent provides advisement, eligibility review, and compliance monitoring in accordance with federal, state, and institutional regulations, while supporting the overall mission of the Financial Aid Office.

Position duties include, but are limited to

Administer the Excelsior Scholarship Program in compliance with NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), CUNY, and institutional policies and procedures.
Review and determine student eligibility based on enrollment status, credit accumulation, residency, income thresholds, and other program-specific requirements.
Monitor continued eligibility, including full-time enrollment and academic progress requirements tied to the Excelsior Program.
Advise students individually regarding Excelsior requirements, documentation, eligibility determinations, appeals, and award changes.
Communicate with students via email, phone, and in person regarding outstanding documentation and program status.
Maintain accurate student records in financial aid systems and state platforms, including HESC portals.
Identify and resolve discrepancies related to eligibility, enrollment, or award posting.
Assist with audits, compliance reviews, reporting, and data requests related to state - financial aid programs.
Participate in outreach activities, workshops, and presentations related to the Excelsior Scholarship and financial aid programs.
Support general financial aid operations as needed.
Remain current on changes to financial aid regulations, policies, and procedures impacting state and federal aid.
Other duties as assigned by the TAP Certifying Officer or Director.

Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States. Sponsorship will not be offered for this position.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's Degree and four years' related experience required. Bilingual in Spanish/English strongly preferred.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of student New York State financial aid programs, processes and systems and work experience in the financial aid office.
Knowledge of student financial aid (Federal statutes and regulations), processes and systems and work experience in the financial aid office
Comprehensive understanding of CUNYfirst or PeopleSoft and New York State HESC database structure.
Strong analytical, research, and technical skills to evaluate and use data in planning and decision making.
Familiar with web-based navigation and writing reports (PS Query) for relational databases and work with large databases.
Working knowledge of ERP systems or specifically PeopleSoft database, Microsoft Excel, Access and PowerPoint is required. Excellent written & oral communication skills.

CUNY TITLE OVERVIEW

Administers and supervises financial aid programs and operations.

Reviews contracts, disbursements, tuition and fees; validates student eligibility for various programs
Administers, monitors and troubleshoots CUNY financial aid systems as well as Federal and NY State systems in order to ensure integrity of student databases and timely and accurate delivery of funds
Assists CUNY staff, applicants, and students/families with advice on financial aid issues and eligibility
May review and reconcile student payroll processing
Represents the Financial Aid function at Admissions events; works with academic departments as well as Bursar, Registrar, Admissions and Computing offices to assure staff understand and implement financial aid processes correctly
Assists in the development and evaluation of Admissions processes
Prepares documentation, instructions, and materials in various media to support financial aid activities
Performs related duties as assigned.

Job Title Name: Financial Aid Specialist

CUNY TITLE

Higher Education Assistant

FLSA

Exempt

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary commensurate with education and experience. $68,364 - $70,815

CUNY is in the process of implementing salary schedule increase s. Once implemented, salaries of eligible employees will increase by approximately 9.54% with an additional increase of 3.5% effective 9/1/26, in accordance with the terms of the PSC-CUNY collective bargaining agreement.

CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

HOW TO APPLY

Visit www.cuny.edu, access the employment page, log in or create a new user account, and search for this vacancy using the Job ID or Title. Select "Apply Now" and provide the requested information.

Candidates must attach a resume, cover letter, and three professional references (name, title, organization, and contact information).

CLOSING DATE

Review of Resumes to begin on March 17th, 2026

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY

CUNY Job Posting: Managerial/Professional

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.

Financial Aid Specialist