Director, Scholarships

University of Louisville•Louisville, KY

12d

About The Position

The Director of the Office of Scholarships provides strategic leadership for the university’s donor-funded scholarship portfolio, ensuring the effective, equitable, and mission-aligned use of endowed and gifted resources to advance recruitment, retention, and student success. Serving as the institution’s chief scholarship officer, the Director establishes the strategic direction for scholarship policy, administration, and stewardship. The role builds and sustains strong partnerships across Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, Advancement, colleges/schools, and academic departments to maximize the strategic impact of scholarships and ensure fiscal responsibility, donor compliance, and operational excellence. The Director sets the vision for a modern, analytics-driven scholarship operation; leads continuous improvement efforts; and oversees the launch, development, and long-term function of the Office of Scholarships as a trusted campus partner.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a related field and eight (8) years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree
Five years of related experience in scholarships, financial aid, enrollment management, advancement, or student financial services.
Five years of supervisory experience
Experience launching or restructuring a scholarship or financial services unit.
Experience with fund accounting and donor-funded resource management.
Experience with student information systems, scholarship platforms, or CRM technologies.
Strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and web-based platforms.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive university-wide scholarship strategy aligned with institutional priorities.
Establish and maintain policies, procedures, governance structures, and awarding frameworks.
Lead development of data infrastructure for forecasting, modeling, reporting, and impact assessment.
Oversee optimization of scholarship management systems and integrations.
Design efficient, transparent workflows for awarding cycles, fund reconciliation, donor reporting, and compliance.
Collaborate with the Foundation and Advancement to ensure donor intent is honored and documented through consistent stewardship practices.
Direct management of endowed and gifted scholarship spending plans to ensure fund health and long-term sustainability.
Convene and lead campus-wide scholarship administrator networks, providing training and guidance.
Serve as primary authority for scholarship exceptions, appeals, and complex cases.
Provide clear, coordinated communication for students, families, and campus stakeholders.
Identify and mitigate institutional risks related to awarding errors, donor restrictions, and regulatory compliance.
Manage personnel functions including recruitment, onboarding, supervision, performance evaluation, and professional development.
Manage office budgeting and spending.