Scholarship Administrative Manager

Regular, full-time, non-exempt position reporting to the Vice President of Scholarships & Student Success / Executive Director of Say Yes Syracuse.

About the role

This position manages the administration and coordination of the Community Foundation’s scholarships and assists with the Say Yes Syracuse (SYS) initiative. Responsibilities include database management for the full scholarship processing lifecycle, from application through award and award renewal. The Scholarship Administrative Manager ensures efficient operations, accurate documentation, and a positive experience for students and partners. The role also ensures program integrity, compliance with scholarship guidelines, and safeguards student information.

Responsibilities

Community Foundation Scholarships

• Manages the end-to-end scholarship lifecycle, including application, review coordination, award decisions, disbursements, post-award communications, and annual follow-ups.
• Coordinates with scholarship committees, councils, and internal teams to support the review and selection process.
• Responds to students, guardians, and external partner inquiries about scholarship awards, payments, eligibility questions, enrollment status, application processes, and exceptions.
• Ensures efficient program administration through meticulous tracking of applications and renewals, coordination of review and selection processes, and accurate documentation of committee decisions.

Say Yes Syracuse Scholarship Program

• Assists in facilitating scholarship awards through database management, including disbursement of Say Yes scholarship awards.
• Assists in the appeals processes for high school and college students.
• Supports the work of Say Yes Syracuse to engage with local partners and collaborate on activities that foster high school to college matriculation and college completion.
• Represents the Community Foundation and Say Yes Syracuse at community events, meetings, and conferences.

Communications and Outreach

• Supports external outreach in conjunction with the Communications Department for the Community Foundation scholarship programs and Say Yes Syracuse, including engaging with Central New York school districts, the Syracuse City School District, and local nonprofit partners.

Data and Information

• Manages student scholarship data and reporting in the Community Foundation’s scholarship software platform.
• Manages and maintains the scholarship database system, including configuration of applications, scholarship eligibility criteria, applicant workflows, and automated follow-ups.
• Verifies and updates scholarship committee contact information in the database to maintain accuracy and confidentiality.
• Ensures that student scholarship records are updated on a timely basis, including contact information, college data, tracking of scholarship awards, and adjustments to uphold program integrity and maintain compliance with scholarship guidelines.
• Reports data related to scholarships, including application submissions, award disbursements, and other donor stewardship reports.

Teamwork

• Collaborates with other departments on the marketing, outreach, processing, and management of student scholarship awards.

Other Duties

• Other duties and projects, as assigned.

Qualifications

• Deep interest in and commitment to philanthropy and the work of the Community Foundation, with a demonstrated commitment to the Central New York area, its people, and their concerns.
• Commitment to be guided in all work by the vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion established by the staff and board.
• Minimum of three years of related work experience required. Familiarity and direct experience with college student admissions processes, financial aid, and/or scholarship support programs preferred.
• Computer proficiency, including knowledge of Microsoft Office and database systems, and a willingness to learn all appropriate Community Foundation software.
• Attention to detail with the ability to organize and prioritize work and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal, relationship-building, and networking skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral. Able to comfortably interact with diverse audiences including students and parents, high school and college partners, as well as nonprofit and community groups.

Schedule

This is a full-time, non-exempt position requiring 37.5 hours per week. Work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with some flexibility in a hybrid work schedule. Tuesdays through Thursdays are designated in-office days. Staff may choose to work a hybrid schedule on Mondays and/or Fridays, dependent on approval. Availability to attend occasional evening events is required.

Pay

Salary range: $55,000–$60,000.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Annual vacation and sick & safe leave
• Twelve paid holidays
• Term life insurance
• Additional disability insurance
• Parking
• 401(k) retirement savings program with employer contribution and match
• Optional flex spending accounts for medical or dependent care expenses
• Other benefits as outlined in the employee handbook