DescriptionDo you enjoy turning complex data into clear, reliable answers? Are you energized by systems, queries, and the behind-the-scenes work that keeps a mission-critical office running smoothly? The University of Southern Maine (USM) is seeking a Financial Aid Data Specialist to join the Office of Student Financial Services and provide essential support for the programs, databases, reporting, and procedures that keep financial aid delivery running accurately and on time for USM students.
This is a data- and systems-focused role at its core. You'll work closely with the Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid Systems and collaborate with colleagues across the office, Institutional Research, and University of Maine System partners to build and maintain the PeopleSoft queries, reports, and processes that ensure students' aid is awarded accurately and in compliance with federal and state requirements. Success in this role looks like dependable, well-documented systems and reports that staff across the office can trust.
About the role
The Office of Student Financial Services helps USM students and families navigate the financial aid process, administering more than $75 million in federal, state, and institutional aid annually. The office works to ensure students receive accurate, timely awarding of grants, scholarships, and loans, while maintaining compliance with complex and ever-changing federal and state regulations — all in support of USM's Service Promise of being Student Focused Every Day.
Key responsibilities:
- Create and maintain PeopleSoft queries for awarding financial aid funds accurately and monitoring compliance with federal, state, and institutional policies.
- Develop and maintain strong working knowledge of the PeopleSoft system and SQL to support data management, reporting, and system-related functions.
- Run routine PeopleSoft jobs, monitoring output for anomalies and errors, and assist with annual process setup for each financial aid year.
- Collaborate with the Office of Institutional Research on annual federal reporting projects.
- Provide internal financial aid reports to staff who manage special populations and programs.
- Send and receive sensitive student data securely through federal systems.
- Serve as a resource to staff on software, database structure, downloading protocols, query languages, and reporting tools, including training as needed.
- Represent the office at campus and University of Maine System meetings.
This is an in-person position located on our Gorham campus with a starting salary of $51,000. It is a regular, full-time position with occasional nights and