Financial Aid Specialist

Meridian University

• Financial Services

Full-time

• On-site
• Los Angeles Campus (Santa Monica, CA)
• Mon-Fri, 8:

45am-5

15pm PT

About the Position

Meridian University is seeking a financial aid operator to run the day-to-day work that moves federal aid from eligibility to disbursement. In this role, you will own the operational cycle of financial aid across our graduate student population:

verifying eligibility, coordinating disbursements, reporting enrollment to federal systems, and resolving student blockers and cases.

Meridian is a graduate-only institution operating on a quarter system. The right candidate understands the award cycle from the academic year and the quarter-by-quarter financial aid awarding. They bring a full understanding of Title IV regulations, federal financial aid systems, CRM, and student support.

Key Responsibilities

Eligibility & Awarding

• Review ISIRs, resolve comment codes and conflicting information, and complete verification in accordance with Title IV and institutional policy
• Determine eligibility and package federal Direct Loans and other aid sources for graduate students; confirm cost of attendance, enrollment status, and Satisfactory Academic Progress before each award Process loan origination and resolve origination and disbursement errors through COD
• Coordinate with Admissions and Financial Services on payment intentions so that incoming students arrive with aid in place.
• Conduct daily NSLDS checks and audits against Salesforce and 3rd party reports.

Quarterly Disbursement & Reconciliation

• Prepare, review, and execute each quarter's disbursement cycle in partnership with our third-party financial aid servicer and the financial aid team
• Maintain an accurate, current count of expected and actual disbursements; reconcile what was scheduled against what was paid, and close every discrepancy
• Track students whose enrollment changes mid-year (leaves of absence, status changes, withdrawals, and graduations) and adjust their aid accordingly
• Complete Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) calculations for withdrawn students and report adjustments within required timelines
• Monitor and resolve Title IV credit balances and refunds

Federal Reporting & Compliance

• Complete NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Roster (ERR) cycles accurately and on schedule; reconcile each roster against Meridian's records before submission
• Support annual Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) reporting and other federal data submissions
• Process VA education benefit certifications in coordination with Financial Services
• Maintain complete, audit-ready student files and documentation; support FSA audit preparation and program reviews
• Stay current with changes to federal student aid regulations and bring forward their operational implications

Student Support & Process Development

• Serve as a responsive, knowledgeable point of contact for students navigating loans, disbursements, and eligibility questions; resolve financial aid cases with clarity and care
• Maintain accurate financial aid records in Salesforce and Meridian's internal platforms; flag data gaps and help close them
• Document the processes you run, improve them, and hold the standard for how the work gets done
• Collaborate with Student Services, Registrar, and Financial Services to keep enrollment and aid data aligned

Mindset & Approach

• Precision - You treat every number as a commitment to a student. You check your work, reconcile before you report, and do not let a discrepancy sit unresolved.
• Ownership - You own the cycle end to end. You manage your own deadlines, surface issues early, and close loops without being asked. Self-manages well.
• Student care - You understand that behind every disbursement is a person depending on it. You explain complex rules in plain language and resolve issues with both accuracy and kindness.
• Systems thinking - You are not satisfied with working a list by hand each quarter. You look for the root of recurring problems and help build the tracking and automation that prevents them. Innovation - You consistently find ways to improve systems, uplevel current processes, and collaborate with the team to close the loop on improvements.

Required Qualifications

• Eligibility to access federal financial aid and department of education COD, NSLDS, and FPS/ISIR systems
• At least two years of experience administering federal Title IV aid at a college or university
• Working knowledge of Title IV regulations, including verification, R2T4, SAP, and Direct Loan processing
• Understanding and experience implementing OB3 financial aid changes
• Hands-on experience with federal systems such as COD, NSLDS, and FPS/ISIR processing Demonstrated precision with data:

reconciling records, catching errors, and maintaining audit-ready documentation

• Strong written communication skills; ability to explain financial aid clearly to students and colleagues
• Self-management capabilities:

independent ownership of deadlines, visible systems, and proactive issue resolution

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher
• Financial aid experience at a graduate institution or a school operating on a quarter or non-standard term calendar
• Experience completing NSLDS Enrollment Reporting and FVT/GE reporting
• VA School Cert.