Administrator, Scholarship & College Success

San Diego Foundation; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 36,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

9/80 work schedule

Employer-paid medical, dental, vision,

Life, AD&D, and long-term disability

Dependent premiums covered 75%

401(k) with up to 4% match

Three weeks of PTO + company-wide week

13 paid holidays + 2 volunteer days

Sabbatical after 5 years

Cell phone & internet reimbursement

Wellness reimbursement

Annual nonprofit donation match

Job summary

San Diego Foundation in San Diego, California, seeks an Administrator for Scholarship & College Success to manage student inquiries and the full scholarship cycle within the College Success team. The role emphasizes accuracy, confidentiality, and high-volume data handling in a hybrid work setting at our Liberty Station headquarters.

You will support data entry, award processing, and donor communications, while ensuring timely, organized records and compliant documentation.

Qualifications

• Minimum one year of administrative support experience in a professional office environment.
• Strong customer service orientation and ability to interact with students, donors, fundholders and colleagues.
• Comfort working with large datasets, spreadsheets, and tracking tools.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel) and data entry/record management.
• Ability to learn new systems, processes, and technology.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for scholarship students and applicants, managing the inbox and routing requests across the College Success team.
• Prepare and send student communications; track follow-ups and maintain accurate records.
• Support scholarship and donor communications, including impact reports and donor stewardship activities.
• Enter and maintain student and award data in multiple systems; verify records and resolve discrepancies.
• Provide administrative and logistical support for donor meetings, events, and program initiatives.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Data entry

Customer service

Organization

Communication

Tools

Foundant

Raiser's Edge

Financial Edge

Grants.GE

Excel

Job description

At San Diego Foundation (SDF), we are committed to inspiring enduring philanthropy and enabling community solutions to improve the quality of life across our region. The Community Impact (CI) Division partners with donors, educators, nonprofits, government, and researchers to deliver measurable, equitable outcomes countywide.

Founded in 1975, SDF is one of the largest providers of scholarships and community grants in Southern California. Through the Community Scholarships Program, SDF advances educational equity by providing resources and opportunities for students furthest from opportunity to achieve their academic goals and strengthen the region's future workforce.

The Administrator, Scholarship & College Success provides administrative support primarily to SDF's Community Scholarships Program within the College Success team. Core responsibilities include serving as the first point of contact for student inquiries, supporting the full scholarship cycle, entering and maintaining student and award data, preparing scholarship documentation, and supporting award processing and donor communications and stewardship.

This role is suited for someone who is organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing a high volume of records and requests. The administrator follows established procedures, receives training on SDF's systems and scholarship processes, and works with team members to resolve questions and discrepancies. Additional College Success team support may be assigned as needed.

This is a hybrid role with weekly onsite requirements at SDF's Liberty Station headquarters in San Diego.

Anticipated Application Closing Date: November 25, 2026

Essential Responsibilities:
Student and Donor Communications

• Serve as the first point of contact for scholarship students and applicants, managing the scholarship inbox, providing accurate and empathetic guidance, and routing requests across the College Success team as needed.
• Prepare and send student communications, track follow-up needs, and maintain accurate student records and communication histories in accordance with confidentiality procedures.
• Develop working knowledge of scholarship and grantmaking workflows to support inquiries and prepare scholarship award documentation and communications following established approval processes.
• Support donor stewardship through impact reports, correspondence, mailings, and the review and preparation of student ThankView videos annually.
• Provide administrative and logistical support for donor meetings, events, and engagement activities, delivering responsive service consistent with SDF's commitment to world-class philanthropic service.

Scholarship Data, Award Processing, and Reporting

• Serve as the primary staff member responsible for scholarship data entry, maintaining accurate student and award records in Foundant, Raiser's Edge, Financial Edge, GrantedGE, and other applicable systems.
• Review and verify recipient information and 1,000+ award installment records annually against approved award details, coordinating with appropriate team members to resolve discrepancies or missing information.
• Maintain renewal, award, outreach, and contact tracking spreadsheets to support communications, follow-up, and reporting.
• Prepare routine queries, exports, and reports related to scholarship awards, funds, donations, and donor activity using established procedures.
• Manage a high volume of records accurately and meet processing deadlines while following confidentiality and data quality standards.
• Learn relevant system functions and workflows and update procedural documentation as directed.

Administrative and Team Support

• Provide hands-on support to the College Success team during the full scholarship cycle, managing multiple tasks and deadlines with particular attention to accuracy in student records, payments, and donor-facing materials.
• Maintain organized electronic files, tracking systems, templates, and administrative records; process and track scholarship documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and adherence to established procedures, compliance, and reporting requirements.
• Support process improvements that strengthen accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and the donor experience.
• Cross-train on key College Success team responsibilities and provide backup coverage as needed.
• Assist with special projects, department initiatives, and additional duties that support successful scholarship operations.

Cross-Functional & Organizational Support

• Collaborate with Grants, Development & Stewardship, Finance, Information Technology, Communications, and other departments to support donor services and scholarship operations.
• Provide administrative and logistical support for organizational initiatives, events, and projects as assigned.
• Contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, service-oriented team environment and help identify solutions to operational challenges.

Required:

• Minimum one (1) year of experience in administrative support, customer service, operations, or a related function in a professional office environment.
• Comfort working with large datasets, spreadsheets, and tracking tools.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain administrative records and follow established workflows accurately and on time.
• Strong customer service orientation and ability to interact professionally with students, donors, fundholders, colleagues, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple assignments, prioritize competing responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated initiative and problem-solving skills, including the ability to resolve routine issues using established procedures and refer exceptions to the appropriate team member.
• Dependable and collaborative team member with a positive, professional, and adaptable approach.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Experience with database applications, data entry, record management, and report generation.
• Ability to learn new systems, processes, and technology.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Commitment to the mission and values of San Diego Foundation.

Preferred:

• Experience in scholarships, higher education, nonprofit administration, or donor-facing programs.
• Familiarity with scholarship platforms or CRM or database systems.

Language Skills:

• Fluent in English (reading, writing, and speaking)

Core Competencies:

• Customer and Student Service Excellence
• Administrative & Operational Support
• Database & Records Management
• Attention to Detail & Accuracy
• Cross-Department Collaboration & Communication
• Organization, Multitasking, & Time Management
• Problem Solving and Initiative
• Reliability and Follow-Through
• Equity-Centered Service Mindset

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

• Professional, hybrid work environment based in San Diego.
• Fast-paced setting with multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, or drive for extended periods, with or without accommodation.
• Ability to view and use a computer screen for up to two hours, with or without accommodation.
• Ability to type and enter data using a keyboard or similar tools.
• Ability to communicate by phone or alternative methods, with or without accommodation.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds.

San Diego Foundation is committed to supporting the well-being, growth, and success of our employees through a comprehensive and competitive benefits package:

• Hourly, Non-Exempt $26.00-$29.00 (San Diego Foundation is committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. Actual offers will be reflective of qualifications, skills, experience, internal equity, and alignment with market data, among other relevant factors).
• Supportive, inclusive company culture; recognized as a Top Workplace by the San Diego Union-Tribune six years in a row.
• Hybrid work environment with support for home office setup.
• Option for a 9/80 work schedule, providing every other Friday off.
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and long-term disability insurance for employees.
• 75% employer-paid premiums for eligible dependents.
• 403(b) retirement plan with up to 4% employer match, plus annual discretionary contributions.
• Earned Incentive Program.
• Three weeks of paid time off annually, plus an additional organization-wide paid week off in July.
• 13 paid holidays, plus 2 paid volunteer days each year.
• Extended Health Care Time accrual for sick leave, family care, and parental leave.
• Four-week paid sabbatical after every five years of service.
• $100 monthly cell phone and internet reimbursement.
• $75 quarterly wellness or gym reimbursement.
• Annual $600 match to a nonprofit of your choice through a Donor Advised Fund.
• Annual service recognition with a $100 donation to a nonprofit of your choice.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.