Student Loan Manager in Worcester

The Student Loan Manager is responsible for the oversight and administration of all educational loan programs within the Financial Aid Office, including Federal Direct, WPI Institutional, Massachusetts No Interest, and private loan programs. This role ensures the accurate and compliant management of loan origination, certification, disbursement, reconciliation, and reporting while maintaining program integrity and adherence to federal, state, and institutional regulations.

The Student Loan Manager provides leadership and guidance to staff on loan processes, policies, and best practices and collaborates with other departments to support seamless operations. In addition, this position assists with financial aid packaging and provides counseling to students and families, demonstrating a strong commitment to high-quality customer service and student success. The role requires balancing operational oversight, regulatory compliance, and student-facing responsibilities in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

Work Arrangement

The role is typically on-site during standard business hours (8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday). Hybrid work arrangements may be considered after the probationary period, when feasible and aligned with departmental and institutional needs.

Responsibilities:

• Assist the Director of Operations with oversight of the Federal Direct Loan and private loan programs by serving as a liaison between student loan recipients and the U.S. Department of Education loan servicing/origination centers and private lenders to resolve issues and address concerns.
• Meet with students and parents to guide them through the financing process for Federal and private loans, as well as alternative payment options.
• Ensure compliance with federal regulations for all direct loan programs.
• Review and process Federal Direct Parent and Graduate PLUS Loan applications, including approvals, denials, and all required actions for loan processing.
• Manage all aspects of federal loan processing, including eligibility determination, origination, error resolution, certification, disbursement, and borrower requirements.
• Assist with reconciliation of federal loan disbursements between the U.S. Department of Education's Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system and the institution's student information system, including month-end and year-end closeout.
• Collaborate with the Director of Operations, Bursar, and Finance Office to ensure cash receipts are accurately credited to student accounts and properly reconciled.
• Review daily certification requests in the ELM student loan platform and certify, deny, or adjust loans to ensure they align with the student's Cost of Attendance (COA).
• Conduct outreach with students and/or lenders as needed to maintain accurate and up-to-date loan records, particularly when changes occur to a student's enrollment or COA.
• Receive weekly disbursement rosters from ELM and update PowerFAIDS for posting into Workday.
• Collaborate closely with the Bursar's Office to reconcile loan records monthly and ensure alignment between Financial Aid and Bursar accounts.
• Conduct outreach to eligible students and assist them with the completion of required loan documents for the Massachusetts No Interest Loan (MA NIL) program.
• Generate all MA NIL promissory notes and disclosure statements using the Massachusetts State Aid system for student signature.
• Manage the submission of MA NIL paperwork to the State to ensure timely disbursement of funds.
• Update PowerFAIDS to replace or adjust institutional loans with MA NIL awards to ensure accuracy of student financial aid packages.
• Perform monthly reconciliation between State and WPI records to confirm both systems are aligned.
• Evaluate and package financial aid for first-year and returning students on an as-needed basis according to departmental priorities.
• Review financial aid applications for accuracy and eligibility while processing verification, award adjustments, appeals, and satisfactory academic progress (SAP) appeals.
• Provide guidance and counseling to students and families regarding financial aid eligibility and WPI financial aid policies.
• Serve as the primary contact for summer financial aid packaging.
• Manage the financial aid packaging process for all graduate-level students by evaluating student eligibility based on FAFSA data, enrollment status, and other federal requirements.
• Process Federal and private loan requests submitted by students.
• Ensure that students enrolled at least half-time are informed of Federal loan options before certifying private loans.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all graduate financial aid inquiries.
• Act as a liaison with Graduate Admissions and process all awards issued by their office.
• Review and process all "payment to student" emails for graduate students to ensure accurate account notation.
• Perform all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed by the supervisor.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; associate degree considered only if accompanied by substantial relevant experience.
• Minimum of three years of experience with loans and/or loan processing.
• Familiarity with federal, institutional, or private loan programs.
• Excellent communication, time management, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities concurrently.
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and provide superior customer service to students, families, and colleagues.
• Experience counseling students and providing guidance on financial aid matters.
• Highly detail-oriented with a strong commitment to accuracy.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, especially Microsoft Excel, and comfortable learning new software technologies.
• Solid knowledge of Title IV federal financial aid regulations preferred.
• Experience using PowerFAIDS or a similar student information system.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team, contributing to a positive, collaborative work environment.
• Willingness to work overtime during peak periods, including file review cycles, and to participate in WPI events outside normal business hours.

Salary Grade 6: $55,000 - $60,000 per year (depending on experience).

FLSA STATUS: United States of America (Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.