Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide customer service on financial student aid programs to applicants, Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), financial aid representatives at postsecondary institutions, ensuring applications are processed in a timely manner to meet student needs.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Providing high quality customer service, providing information and application assistance for financial student aid programs such as student loans, bursaries/awards, grants and scholarships by:
- responding to telephone inquiries on the general inquiry or toll free queue lines covering all aspects of student aid programs, policies and procedures from applicants, parents, MPP offices, education and financial institutions representatives who have questions or are seeking clarification of program policies; explaining assessment of eligibility; status of application information
- determining eligibility for loans, grants, bursaries, and scholarships by evaluating eligibility of applications in accordance with program guidelines, calculating financial need manually or by submitting transactions on the branch computer system
- responding in writing to general correspondence received from applicants and financial aid representatives relating to all programs administered by the Student Financial Assistance Branch
- referring complex or contentious inquiries to the Program Assistants, Program Administrators or Program Coordinators depending on the nature and complexity of the inquiry

2. Ensure the timely and accurate processing of applications and transactions for OSAP and all other loans, scholarships and bursary program administered by the Student Financial Assistance Branch – Program Unit by:
- reviewing and completing application forms received directly from students
- ensuring required documentation is obtained from students or from financial aid representatives prior to processing applications
- verifying and reviewing information submitted, identifying discrepancies, following up with applicant or institution representative to obtain correct information and communicating information to applicants, institutions financial aid representatives explain nature of discrepancy and why correction and additional supporting documentation is required
- contacting students by telephone or in writing to obtain additional information required to complete their application forms
- correcting applications which reject from the computer system due to missing or conflicting information
- reviewing and correcting applications with discrepancies by obtaining information from students or institutions
- referring cases and inquiries which do not fall under standard OSAP policy guidelines to other program area staff or to institution financial aid offices
- processing amendments/changes to student application information by entering into the computer system transaction code changes provided by institution financial aid offices on various forms ie. Student activity forms, program information forms, request for duplicate documents, etc.
- referring complex cases to Program Assistants, Program Administrators, or Program Coordinators depending on the nature and complexity of the case
- identifying cases which should be passed on for investigation of fraud to the Standards Monitoring and Compliance unit

3. Participating as a team member in the Program Unit and on a branch-wide basis in the delivery and improvements of client service processes by:
- assisting in training new or temporary staff and sharing skills with other members of the Program Unit
- assisting with various clerical tasks in the program Unit such as receiving and distributing mail and data entry of forms and applications
- other related duties

Knowledge :

Thorough knowledge of all Student Financial Assistance Branch programs, policies and procedures for all programs relating to loans, grants, bursaries/awards, scholarships administered by the program Unit. Thorough knowledge of all program related legislation and regulations to provide information, including application of program policies. Knowledge of Student Financial Assistance Branch on-line computer system to input/access application data and MS Word.

Skills :

Good interpersonal skills to communicate with the public, other staff members and financial aid representatives. Good oral and written communication skills to explain decisions, program policies and procedures on the phone or in writing to applicants. Ability to organize own work and flexibility to perform different tasks throughout the OSAP processing cycle. Ability to deal tactful and courteously with applicants, parents, MPPs and financial aid representatives. Ability to work independently and as an effective team member. Ability to use fully programmable word processing (e.g. MS Word) and various branch online computer programs. Typing/keyboarding to ministry standards.

Freedom of Action :

Job works under the supervision of MANAGER, with leadership and direction from the Program Coordinator, and working in accordance with established OPS/Ministry policies, procedures and directive and relevant legislation related to the Ontario Student Assistance Program.

Job works independently to respond to inquiries and resolve routine items relating to OSAP applications and eligibility. Job seeks clarification/direction on situations outside of established procedure and refers complex or contentious inquiries to the Program Assistants, Program Administrators or Program Coordinators depending on the nature and complexity of the inquiry.