Associate Director of Scholarships

Job Description: The Associate Director of Scholarships provides strategic and operational leadership for institutional scholarship programs. This role manages all aspects of the centrally administered scholarship awarding of endowed and restricted funding, communication, and compliance—ensuring alignment with enrollment, access, and student success priorities. The Associate Director partners with stakeholders across colleges, University Advancement, and the Ohio University Foundation, and supervises a team responsible for delivering a seamless, student-centered scholarship experience. This position requires deep financial aid knowledge as well as extensive knowledge of administering scholarships based on variable legal gift agreements and guidelines.

Leads the design, implementation, and continual improvement of scholarship awarding processes for institutional, endowed, and externally funded awards. Ensures equity, efficiency, and compliance. Partners with University Advancement and the Ohio University Foundation to steward donor funds and maintain strong relationships through timely reporting. Aligns scholarship strategies with institutional goals for access and affordability.

Directly supervises professional staff, including two Assistant Directors. Fosters a culture of accountability, innovation, and professional development. Provides coaching, performance feedback, and clear expectations to ensure high-quality service delivery and process improvement. Fosters and provides expert counseling to students and parents regarding financial aid and scholarship eligibility. Delivers presentations to various audiences, including prospective and current students, parents, and high school counselors.

Oversees the university’s scholarship management platform and works with IT and vendors on system enhancements, testing, and maintenance. Uses data to drive decision-making, track utilization, ensure donor intent, and assess the impact of funding. Provides regular reports to leadership and recommends improvements based on trend and analytics. Serves as the primary liaison for scholarships to academic colleges, University Advancement, and external agencies. Facilitates cross-campus scholarship coordination, ensures gift agreements are appropriately interpreted and applied, and collaborates with the Honors Tutorial College on signature award programs.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s Degree
A minimum of 6 years of related work experience and a minimum of 3 years of management experience is required.

An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.