Scholarship Specialist II

Overview

Utah State University is seeking a Scholarship Specialist II to support the effective, equitable, and compliant administration of scholarship programs across our college and academic units. This role plays a vital part in ensuring students receive timely, accurate, and transparent access to scholarship funding aligned with donor intent and university policy. 

The Scholarship Specialist will manage program administration, eligibility review, award processing, compliance analysis, reporting, and system support. This position collaborates closely with students, departments, Student Financial Support, Advancement, and Business Services to deliver high-quality scholarship processes that promote student success and responsible stewardship of institutional and donor resources. 

Responsibilities

Program Administration & Awarding - 45%

• Manage the full scholarship cycle—from application setup and eligibility review to selection, awarding, and reconciliation. 
• Ensure awards align with donor agreements, institutional policy, and available budgets. 
• Monitor eligibility, identify errors, and process corrections or re-awards. 
• Maintain accurate data in scholarship management systems such as ScholarshipUniverse and Banner. 

Collaboration & Stakeholder Support - 30% 

• Serve as a resource for departments, students, and campus partners. 
• Facilitate scholarship committees and review processes. 
• Coordinate with Advancement, Business Services, and Student Financial Support to ensure consistent and aligned awarding practices. 

Compliance, Auditing & Reporting - 10% 

• Apply and interpret donor intent, university policy, and relevant regulations. 
• Conduct audits of scholarship activity to ensure accuracy and compliance. 
• Prepare reports for unit leadership on scholarship utilization, trends, and forecasting. 

Process Improvement & Systems Support - 10% 

• Recommend workflow and policy improvements that enhance transparency and efficiency. 
• Participate in system updates, testing, and enhancement of scholarship platforms. 
• Document processes and maintain accurate guidelines for internal and external audiences. 

Communication & Outreach - 5% 

• Provide clear and timely guidance to students, families, and staff. 
• Develop and update scholarship documentation, FAQs, website content, and operational resources. 
• Assist with promotional efforts to improve scholarship awareness and engagement. 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, education, or a related field OR an equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Three (3) years of relevant work experience is required in scholarship administration, financial aid, student services, finance/business operations, or related work. 
• Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience with scholarship or financial aid systems (e.g., ScholarshipUniverse, Banner). 
• Experience in higher education, student services, donor stewardship, or compliance-related roles. 
• Understanding of FERPA, donor intent, or scholarship financial workflows. 

Required Documents

Along with the online application:

Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

Names and contact information of at least three references to be input at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile. 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good through innovative research and scholarly activities that are grounded in reciprocal engagement with local, regional, and global communities. USU prepares students to be active, civically engaged leaders who are prepared to address critical societal challenges. Dedicated to providing a high-quality and affordable education, USU remains a leader in research, discovery, and public impact.