Financial Awards Specialist

Duties:
The Financial Awards Specialist (FAS), reports to the Manager of Financial Aid and Awards within the division of Student Affairs and oversees all tasks related to internal VIU Scholarships, Awards, and Bursaries (SABs) including emergency requests. This role is crucial in ensuring all aspects related to Vancouver Island University (VIU) award disbursement is accurate meeting multiple deadlines highly impacting student's access to funding, education, and career goals.
A high level of attention to detail and ability to produce professional correspondence as a representative of VIU for entrance, current, and graduating student inquiries is one of many responsibilities that highly impact the reputation of VIU. Duties include tracking, reviewing, communicating, and distributing approved awards within VIU including maintaining the on-line award profile application to ensure that all award criteria parameters are accurate, updated and assigned in the background for selection purposes. This is critical to ensure the most qualified candidates are being pulled for consideration and short-listing.
This role requires a high level of responsibility for receiving and applying funds to student records for the Financial Aid and Awards department as well as all other areas across the campus received and approved through the Advancement & Alumni Office. The 2023/2024 period resulted in over 5.3 million dollars disbursed to VIU students.
Required Qualifications:
Two-year postsecondary diploma related to business or accounting, or equivalent, from an appropriately accredited institution. Five years of recent related experience, including experience in a postsecondary environment. Experience in overseeing and reconciling emergency and access funds. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Senior level MS Office using excel formulas & data-sorting, ability to perform high volume document merges, along with web-page maintenance skills. 50 wpm typing speed. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to deal with a wide variety of people with tact, diplomacy, and patience.
Ability to work independently and efficiently to meet the numerous demands and deadlines, as well as in a team. Ability to be flexible and adaptive to changing priorities. High attention to detail. Demonstrated skill managing and interpreting budgets including the ability to review information, amounts, criteria, and instructions to ensure directives are followed and funding accurately disbursed. Ability to multi-task and switch gears as situations arise. Demonstrated confidence with technology. Respects and supports diversity in the workplace.
Preferred Qualifications:
Knowledge of VIU policies, procedures, systems, and processes. Previous experience working in a financial aid environment posting a high volume of awards.

VIU is pleased to offer eligible employees a comprehensive benefit plan; ample paid holiday time; professional development opportunities and a desirable pension plan. As part of the VIU campus community, our employees work with supportive colleagues within an encouraging environment and are provided with the tools and training that promote learning and development. The perks of VIU employment are multiple, and include well-being initiatives and services, strategic discounts, and flexible work opportunities.
Note:

• Short-listed candidates must provide original transcripts, or applicable original certifications at time of interview.
• All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
• Vancouver Island University (VIU) is collectively committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment for faculty, staff, and students. In our journey towards greater diversity, we invite applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of all gender identities and sexual orientations who bring value to the VIU community through their lived experiences. We encourage members of all equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their application cover letter. When a candidate voluntarily discloses this information in their cover letter, the information will be used only for the fulfillment of the career opportunity. Disclosure and/or self-identification with an equity-seeking group will not lead to advantageous treatment of a candidate who is not qualified.

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