Graduate Funding Coordinator

Part of the Office of the Provost, under the Academic Affairs Division, the Graduate Division elevates Mason graduate education by augmenting the work of the academic units, by increasing the impact of graduate students and programs, by fostering a collaborative culture of academic excellence, and by contributing to the research productivity and the workforce development appropriate to an R1 institution.

About the role

As a part of the Graduate Division, the Graduate Funding Coordinator position reports to the Assistant Director for Graduate Operations and Funding and is responsible for managing and processing all centrally-administered graduate awards, scholarships, assistantships, grants, and fellowships.

Responsibilities

• Award and Scholarship Financial Administration
  • Processes the Graduate Division awards and scholarship programs, including tuition grants, stipends, and travel awards, supporting more than 500 students each semester;
  • Maintains scholarship and award records using a third-party, cloud-based platform and Excel, ensuring accurate data entry and documentation;
  • Responds to student inquiries regarding scholarship and award payments, providing information on university policies, procedures, and funding requirements;
  • Assists with the implementation and administration of the Graduate Division’s funding programs, including the High Impact Grant, Dissertation Completion Grant, Summer Assistantship program, and other institutional funding initiatives; and
  • Works with campus partners to support timely award processing, compliance with program requirements, and student service delivery.
• Award and Scholarship Program Coordination
  • Processes and tracks the Graduate Division funding agreements, including graduate assistantships, tuition support agreements, travel awards, and other student funding programs;
  • Prepares, distributes, and maintains graduate student employment contracts, tuition support agreements, and related funding documentation to ensure accuracy and timely completion;
  • Supports onboarding activities for Graduate Division scholars and cohort-based programs in collaboration with Human Resources and campus partners;
  • Assists with the annual administration of Graduate Division scholarship programs, including reviewing applications, tracking eligibility requirements, and maintaining program records;
  • Serves as a resource for faculty, staff, and students by providing information regarding scholarship programs, funding opportunities, and program procedures;
  • Collaborates with university departments to support the administration and ongoing operation of graduate funding programs and initiatives; and
  • Compiles reports and maintains records to support program administration, budget tracking, and operational needs.
• Graduate Student Travel Fund Administration
  • Coordinates the Graduate Student Travel Fund Program, including reviewing applications and reimbursement requests, ensuring accuracy and timely completion;
  • Responds to inquiries and provides information to students, faculty, and staff regarding Graduate Student Travel Fund program procedures and requirements; and
  • Supports the maintenance of the Graduate Student Travel Fund application system by assisting with updates, monitoring functionality, and helping to ensure efficient program operations.
• Graduate Health Insurance Subsidy Program Coordination
  • Supports the enrollment activities for the Graduate Student Health Insurance Subsidy Program, supporting more than 1,000 graduate students annually;
  • Assists the team with verifying program eligibility requirements are met and supports program participation;
  • Maintains enrollment and reporting records, assists with invoice reconciliation, and coordinates payment processing with the health insurance provider; and
  • Serves as the back-up contact for student and departmental inquiries related to the subsidy program.
• Performs other projects as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Demonstrated experience administering financial support and program funding initiatives for students or program participants;
• Knowledge of university funding processes, systems (e.g., Ellucian Workflow, Banner, Salesforce), and related policies and procedures;
• Knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.);
• Excellent written and communication skills;
• Ability to prioritize and manage tasks efficiently while working under tight deadlines;
• Ability to provide excellent customer service to students, staff, faculty, and academic units; and
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to identify and implement process improvements in funding operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in higher education student funding and support programs, including scholarships, fellowships, internal and external grants, awards, and graduate student assistantships;
• Demonstrated experience in funding program assessment and evaluation; and
• Experience working in graduate education.

Schedule

Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk), hybrid workplace.

Criminal background check required.