Program Director, Scholarship Services

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Job Title:

Program Director, Scholarship Services

Department:

Undergraduate Education | Morrill Scholarship Program

Program Overview

The Office of Educational Enrichment and Scholarship Services (E2S2) advances student participation in high-impact learning by coordinating programs that provide opportunities for student academic engagement, experiential learning pathways, and scholarship administration.  The unit oversees core functions, including managing the Office of Undergraduate Education Learning Communities and global education programs; coordinating with university departments and corporate partners to expand access to research and internship opportunities; offering service-based experiences; and supporting processes that help students identify, access, and document co-curricular learning experiences.  Through these programs, E2S2 ensures that students have clear, navigable opportunities to pursue meaningful academic and professional development experiences.

E2S2 works in close collaboration with Student Financial Aid, academic colleges, the Career Center for Excellence, Service-Learning, and other university partners whose work intersects with experiential learning and scholarship administration.  While these processes are shared across campus, E2S2’s role centers on aligning student opportunities with available funding, enhancing the student experience, and streamlining operational practices within its portfolio.

The unit also partners with University Advancement to support donor engagement and steward philanthropic resources that expand student access to internships, research, and other transformative learning opportunities.  By integrating program oversight with strategic collaboration, E2S2 strengthens pathways to student engagement while advancing broader institutional goals related to academic success, access, and career readiness.

Job Description Summary

This Program Director for Scholarship Services provides reports to the Director of Educational Enrichment and Scholarship Services (E2S2). This person provides strategic leadership for scholarship administration and financial aid coordination for the Scholarship Services branch of the team, as well as leadership support and engagement for core programming on the educational enrichment side of the unit. This Program Director advances the institution’s goals focused on access, affordability, persistence, student success, and degree completion.

The Program Director designs and executes strategies that strengthen scholarship stewardship, enhance financial aid literacy, and foster institutional partnerships that financially support undergraduate students.

Within the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Program Director manages the development, delivery, and continuous improvement of scholarship and financial aid support services, ensuring that programs are student‑centered, data‑informed, and aligned with university priorities. The Program Director collaborates closely with the unit director, university leadership, the Office of Student Financial Aid, Advancement and Development, and academic units to ensure that scholarship resources are administered effectively, equitably, and in full compliance with federal, state, and institutional policies.

The program director manages a team of professional staff responsible for scholarship operations and the delivery of financial aid services. In this capacity, the program director plays an influential role in shaping institutional practices related to scholarship management, student affordability initiatives, and the overall financial well‑being of undergraduate students.

Additional Information:

MINIMUM REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Advanced degree may be desirable. 5 years of relevant experience required. 8-12 years of relevant experience preferred.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Strategic Leadership & Planning: Demonstrated ability to shape and advance long‑term strategies that strengthen student affordability, retention, and graduation outcomes. Experience leading the development and continuous refinement of scholarship and financial aid service systems that align with institutional priorities and evolving student needs. Skilled in designing scalable processes that support multiple scholarship and student success initiatives while using data, assessment, and program outcomes to guide planning, resource allocation, and ongoing improvement.

Program Design & Implementation: Experience in recognizing and addressing structural barriers that limit access to experiential learning and financial support. Experience of designing outreach, advising, and support strategies that expand opportunities for first‑generation, Pell‑eligible, and other underserved student populations. Demonstrated ability to monitor access and award patterns, assessing impact, and implementing targeted interventions to ensure distribution of resources in alignment with university policies.

Scholarship Administration & Financial Stewardship: Strong and comprehensive understanding of scholarship administration, financial aid integration, and donor stewardship. Ensure compliance with federal regulations, state policies, and donor intent while managing awarding processes with accuracy and integrity. Demonstrated data literacy and system knowledge to streamline scholarship discovery, eligibility matching, and application tracking. Provide strategic oversight of institutional and donor‑funded resources, developing policies and operational systems that enhance efficiency, transparency, and responsible financial stewardship.

Staff Leadership & Talent Development: Demonstrated ability to lead, support, and develop professional staff responsible for scholarship coordination and student financial support services. Ability to set clear expectations aligned with unit goals, fostering a collaborative and accountable team culture, and promoting innovation in service delivery. Provide consistent coaching, constructive feedback, and meaningful professional development opportunities that strengthen staff capacity and advance student success outcomes.

Student Programming & Advising: Ability to design and deliver high‑quality workshops, advising sessions, and programming that build students’ readiness for scholarship opportunities and competitive application processes. It requires integrating scholarship advising with enrichment pathways such as research, leadership development, service, global learning, and internships to create cohesive developmental experiences. Individuals demonstrating this competency also support the implementation of enrichment programs that deepen student engagement and academic growth.

Regulatory Compliance & Governance: Demonstrated ability to interpret, apply, and communicate federal, state, and institutional regulations related to financial aid and scholarship administration. Ability to advise leadership on policy changes and their operational implications, as well as maintaining documentation and procedures that ensure audit readiness and institutional accountability.

Partnership Development & Stakeholder Engagement: Experience building and sustaining strategic partnerships across campus to strengthen scholarship access and student financial support. Serve as an effective liaison to units such as Financial Aid, Advancement, Development, and academic colleges, and represent the unit on committees, advisory boards, and professional organizations. Individuals communicate program outcomes and best practices through presentations and collaborative initiatives, contributing to a coordinated institutional approach to student success.

Administrative & Operational Excellence: Strong organizational, administrative, and communication skills that support efficient and compliant unit operations. Demonstrated financial stewardship, such as PCard management, and the production of accurate reports on scholarship utilization, program outcomes, and student impact. Ability to contribute to donor stewardship by coordinating communication between donors and scholarship recipients and support strategic communications that highlight student achievements and high‑impact practices.

Technical Skills: Working knowledge or the ability to acquire knowledge of the following software: PC – MS Office –Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Google applications (Mail, Calendar, Drive, Sheets, Docs, Slides, Forms, Chat, and Campus Specific Applications, including, but not limited to, ScholarshipUniverse OnCourse, SIS, Qualtrics, Canvas, and Canva, etc.

CAREER ROADMAP:

FUNCTION: Academic Administration

SUB-FUNCTION: Student Financial Aid

CAREER BAND: People Leader - Managerial

CAREER LEVEL: M2

Location:

Hale Hall (0085)

Position Type:

Regular

Scheduled Hours:

40

Shift:

First Shift

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