Blue Icon Advisors is looking for seasoned professionals to join our team of independent consultants. Independent consultants are not Blue Icon employees. Assignments for independent consultants do not provide full-time work. If you have any questions about our independent consulting opportunities, please send us an email.
Apply to be an Independent Consultant
Blue Icon contracts with independent consultants to perform work for school clients by matching the needs of the school with the expertise of the consultant. Work may take place onsite or virtually (via email, phone, or video), depending on the needs of the school.
To be considered as an independent consultant, you must apply online and provide the requested documentation.
Examples of projects independent consultants have been asked to perform are below. As Blue Icon grows and adapts to the needs of the community, this list will continue to change.
Assist during peak processing times, staff absences, and vacancies for director-level and above positions. For on-site assignments, you must be willing to travel, have a valid U.S. Driver's License, and not be currently working at a college or university. Interim leaders are matched to meet the needs of each school.
Review the school's P&Ps for compliance issues, write missing pieces, and/or move them into NASFAA's P&P Builder. This project may include staff training on using the NASFAA P&P Builder, which features notifications on regulatory changes so the school can easily update the manual from year to year.
Review procedures on specific topics to ensure compliance with federal Title IV rules and regulations, and provide a report of findings with a priority order to address the highest liability issues. (Full compliance reviews of all Title IV rules will be handled through our Standards of Excellence Review Program.)
Evaluate the financial aid office organizational size and structure, functional tasks, technology use, and workflow to identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies. The final report will provide recommendations to improve effectiveness, customer service, and staff performance. (Note: Our Standards of Excellence Review Program includes a similar evaluation with the addition of a full compliance review.)
Provide federal Title IV compliance training to the staff, either on-site or via video/web conferencing. Consultants must have NASFAA credentials in the topics presented. Customer service and professional development training are also available.
Help develop skills for a new or aspiring director, positioning the leader (and the financial aid office) at the institution, and effectively managing employees and projects.
Explore the current state of student satisfaction through the use of student surveys, engaging directly with students (available on-site only), conversations with staff, and a review of student-facing communications. The final report will provide recommendations for improvements or training and compiled survey data.
Focused consulting on how financial aid can assist with the institution's enrollment management goals.
If a project is not outlined above, Blue Icon Advisors will work with the school to assess the needs and how best to address them. For instance, if the school is undergoing an software implementation, the consultant may work with school staff and the software provider to offer financial aid prospective and guidance.
As a peer reviewer, you will work as part of a team of two to four reviewers and travel across the country to institutions similar to our own. Your team will conduct one-on-one interviews, review student files and other documentation, and more.
As part of the program review response team, you will guide the school through the program review process with confidence. This may include preparing the school, navigating and responding to requests,and assisting with corrective actions.