Financial Aid and Scholarship Coach

Wonderful Education provides the resources that every student needs to succeed in school and launch a rewarding career. With two preschools and innovative Career Pathways and College Success programs, we are reinventing the educational experience for students across California’s Central Valley.  Between these programs and our new Wonderful Career Center, we are working to break the cycle of generational poverty and increase long-term career opportunities. Lynda and Stewart Resnick, co-owners of The Wonderful Company, along with their foundation, fund college scholarships. The Resnicks also founded two K–12 Wonderful College Prep Academy charter schools in Delano and Lost Hills, California, and continue to support them to this day. To learn more about Wonderful Education, visit: csr.wonderful.com/programs/education.    

Wonderful Education is seeking a Financial Aid and Scholarship Coach to help support students and their families in navigating the financial aid process, including but not limited to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). This role involves one-on-one advising, facilitating financial aid and scholarship workshops for students and their families, managing sensitive data, and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders.

The ideal candidate has a passion for education and the desire to create opportunities for Central Valley students. They are detail oriented, highly organized and able to work both independently and collaboratively across multiple teams.

This position reports to the Manager of Financial Aid and Scholarships and will work onsite in Shafter, CA and may require travel to various program locations.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

• Provide individualized support to students and families as it relates to financial aid applications (FAFSA/CADAA), scholarship applications and troubleshooting financial aid issues and other special circumstances
• Provide guidance to students, families and staff on the financial aid process, award packages and scholarship opportunities
• Occasionally communicate with university partners to ensure alignment on processing procedures or to follow up on individual student situations.
• Assist with the development of maintenance of financial aid and scholarship communications and resources
• Support day-to-day financial aid operations and complete other duties as assigned to enhance student success.
• Processing internal scholarship applications

Workshops

• Together with the Financial Aid and Scholarship Manager, create, update, and deliver financial aid, scholarship and financial literacy workshops and presentations for students and families – virtually and in-person
• Together with the Financial Aid and Scholarship Manager, create, develop, update, and deliver professional development trainings for Wonderful Education Staff related to financial aid policies, data management and support strategies
• Create workshop registration links in Salesforce to track registration and communication for workshops and other financial aid and scholarship related topics.
• Interpret and clearly explain federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations and policies.

Salesforce

• Continuously updates student information to ensure accurate data is housed in salesforce.
• Record all interactions with students and families for one-on-one conversations as well as workshops and events.
• Work with Manager and Data Team to ensure data in salesforce is up to date and accurate.
• Manage and safeguard confidential and sensitive student information in compliance with organizational policies.

Other Duties

• Support the coordination of Wonderful Education programs as needed.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Fluency in Spanish is preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; familiarity with Salesforce for data management is preferred
• Passion and eagerness to work with families to ensure they are college and career ready.
• Strong time management skills
• Ability to work on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, while maintaining both efficiency and careful attention to detail.
• Strong organizational skills with calendaring, to do lists, task managers and spreadsheets.
• Ability to identify challenges and find solutions to enhance and develop a successful program
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations, including families, school staff, and external partners.

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• 1–2 years' experience of working directly with a diverse set of students and families
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of FAFSA and CADAA processes.
• Experience with data management and reporting tools (e.g., Excel, Salesforce, etc.)
• Comfortable presenting to large and small groups; training or facilitation experience a plus.
• Knowledge of scholarship search platforms and financial literacy education

Wonderful's dedication to you:

• Pay Range: $26.00- $35.00/hour. Final compensation will be dependent upon skills & experience.
• Competitive benefits package including Medical (including 24/7 online access to a physician), Vision, Dental and 401k with match eligibility
• Opportunities for development and internal mobility
• Manager and leadership training, biweekly L&OD webinars, and eLearning offerings
• Companywide problem solving and continuous improvement training
• Wonderful Giving (wonderfulgiving.com) - allowing you to donate company money to a cause of your choice
• Company focus on wellness and health including virtual yoga and mindful meditation classes

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