Director of Scholarship Impact
Job Purpose: The Director of Scholarship Impact oversees all scholarship activities at the Foundation, including the selection and recommendation processes, awarding, monitoring, and reporting of scholarships annually across a 20-county region. Additionally, as a leader on the Impact Team, this position is responsible for full engagement in the implementation of our impact model in which asset development, grantmaking, and nonprofit relations are integrated to maximize impact to the community.
The position plays a role in strengthening the Community Foundation’s presence throughout the region as an effective funder and community leader. The person in this position must demonstrate professional and personal commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and must be able to work in a team environment to ensure organizational goals are attained.
Duties:
Impact Team Collaboration and Engagement
- Provide leadership and overall coordination of scholarship activities within the Impact Team and engage colleagues in the scholarship process.
- Contribute to building and sustaining positive team culture that supports commitment to shared goals and core values, and that fosters development of individual leadership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Participate with Impact Team colleagues to identify opportunities for strengthening and enriching stakeholders’ experience with the Foundation, including fundholders, donors, scholarship applicants, and volunteers.
- Work with the Vice President of Community Impact and Impact Team colleagues to develop strategies to increase scholarship impacts and measure progress and gaps to adjust scholarship strategies and systems.
- Work in collaboration with other Impact Team colleagues and communications staff to tell stories of impact for the community, and for donor-specific reporting.
- Work with Impact Team colleagues and communication staff to produce events, convenings, and other opportunities for donor engagement and donor/scholarship recipient connection.
- Leverage scholarship expertise and work with other Impact Team colleagues to provide content for donor research requests.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of the Impact Team annual budget.
Volunteer Engagement
- Ensure successful alignment of scholarship selection committees with CFNEIA values through volunteer recruitment strategies and onboarding to position committees for high-impact scholarship selections.
- Prioritize relationship-building with prospective and current scholarship committees to ensure scholarship practices uplift trust-based philanthropy principles.
- Steward volunteers’ relationship to and understanding of the Foundation to strengthen engagement in community leadership, development, and impactful scholarships.
Scholarship Management
- Champion trust-based philanthropy practices and principles and advocate for the needs of students seeking assistance to pursue higher education.
- Facilitate application review process, selection meetings, and recommendation and award process with scholarship selection committees.
- Create, maintain, and solicit scholarship applications.
- Provide annual scholarship application workshop.
- Assist scholarship seekers (and their supporters including teachers, counselors, and parents) with navigating the application and follow-up processes; assist third party providers.
- Guide all selection committees in the review and selection process; provide training and/or orientation as needed.
- Oversee notification of applicants, fund representatives and schools regarding scholarship award decisions.
- Facilitate Foundation representation at high school and college scholarship award ceremonies.
- Provide leadership to Grant & Scholarship Manager responsible for facilitating scholarship application cycles, preparation of materials for selection committees, and processing of all scholarships.
- Launch and lead need-based scholarship program, with progressive steps toward a full Scholars Program.
- Lead audit of all scholarships and the process of fund modifications to align scholarships with strategy focused on need-based scholarships.
- Collaborate with Finance Department to support and facilitate interfund transfers, cashflow needs, and check processing.
- Collaborate with Marketing and Communications Department to send press releases and provide necessary website updates.
Scholarship Charitable Impact
- Serve as Lead Steward for new donors only interested in scholarship funds until the donor can be transitioned to another Lead Steward for further development opportunities.
- Serves as point person for inquiries and questions about scholarship fund development.
- Works with donors to establish scholarship criteria and fund agreements.
- Works with Charitable Impact team and other staff on administrative paperwork and processes to establish scholarships.
- Establishes relationships with designees for designated scholarships to ensure impactful scholarships that adhere to our foundation's policies.
- Provides basic knowledge to donors about other funds and ways of giving.
- Work with the assigned steward when changes are made to current scholarship funds.
Community Leadership
- Collaborate with high school and college partners across the region to bring focus to student needs and align our scholarship strategy accordingly.
- Participate in community meetings and convene community members and leaders to support initiatives that serve students who need extra supports to pursue higher education.
- Represent the Foundation in local and regional community initiatives that align with our key priorities.
Strategy, Vision, and Leadership
- Work closely with the Vice President of Community Impact and the Impact Team in creating/managing the overall vision for the community impact at the Foundation.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of Foundation’s strategic goals and objectives.
- Provide leadership in support of the mission, vision, and strategic priorities of the Foundation.
Other Duties
- Provide general assistance and build trusted relationships with fund advisors, school partners, and scholarship applicants and recipients.
- Work with the Vice President of Community Impact to maintain National Standards as defined by the Council on Foundations, and any state standards that may be developed.
- Attend meetings and serve on committees (internal and external) as requested by the President/CEO and/or Vice President of Community Impact.
Responsibility Level:
The Director of Scholarship Impact reports directly to the Vice President of Community Impact. The Director is expected to be a strategic partner, to specialize as the scholarship expert on staff, and to manage volunteers assisting in the selection process while engaging as a key team leader on the Impact Team. The Director will work effectively and collaboratively with Board members, staff, fundholders, other foundations, and the community at large. Director may supervise 1-2 staff and/or interns.
Skills/Qualifications/Personal Characteristics:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- At least 5 years of relevant related professional experience.
- Demonstrated competency in managing major change initiatives.
- Experience in managing and improving processes and procedures.
- Proven ability to partner/collaborate with key stakeholders.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (especially Outlook, Word, and Excel) required.
- Willingness to travel required (valid driver’s license required).
- Strong database skills and ability to efficiently manage and deploy data.
- Work style characterized by self-motivation, initiative, and integrity.
- Committed to confidentiality, effectiveness, and efficiency.An unwavering commitment to racial equity.
- Ability to build relationships with people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures.
- Excellent judgment and decision-making while balancing competing priorities.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a strong team.
- Commitment to the Foundation’s mission and demonstrated respect for its constituents.
Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Travel: This position requires periodic travel to off-site locations and may account for up to 10-15% of your time.
To Apply: Click the button below to apply. Please make sure to upload your cover letter and resume where indicated on the application form.
