Dir. Scholarships & Employer Engagement

Nebraska Invasive Species Program; Lincoln (NE); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible benefits program

Paid vacation and sick leave

Tuition benefit for dependents

Immediate vesting pre-tax retirement benefits

Job summary

A leading university in Lincoln, Nebraska, is seeking a Director of Scholarships and Employer Engagement to oversee the Presidential Scholars Program and enhance career readiness initiatives. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience in higher education and a strong background in leading teams and managing scholarship programs. This role is vital for supporting student success through strategic programming and effective partnerships. A flexible benefits program is included.

Qualifications

• 5 years experience in higher education, student access, scholarships, workforce development, or experiential learning.
• Demonstrated experience administering complex student programs or scholarship initiatives.
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams.
• Experience using data to assess program effectiveness.
• Excellent communication skills engaging various stakeholders.
• Experience using data and metrics to assess program effectiveness and drive improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to the Presidential Scholars Program and Career Currency.
• Administer and improve a comprehensive scholarship experience.
• Lead a cross-functional team for workforce innovation.
• Support student success and career readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic thinking

Organization

Data analysis

Project management

Employer relationships

Education

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Job description

The Director of Scholarships and Employer Engagement provides strategic and operational leadership to the Presidential Scholars Program and Career Currency. Reporting to the Vice Provost, this role is responsible for the administration, and continuous improvement of a comprehensive scholarship experience that integrates recruitment, co‑curricular programming, academic excellence, and career readiness, while simultaneously leading a cross‑functional team advancing Career Currency as a system‑level workforce innovation.

This position plays a critical role in advancing the University’s commitment to student success, leadership development, and workforce alignment by ensuring that high‑achieving students are supported through a cohesive, outcomes‑driven ecosystem that connects scholarship, skills, credentials, and career pathways.

University of Nebraska employees enjoy a flexible benefits program allowing you to customize your benefits to suit your personal needs; paid vacation and sick leave in addition to 13 paid holidays; access to career‑advancing educational programs, including employee and dependent tuition benefit applicable at any of the NU campuses; and immediate vesting pre‑tax retirement benefits.

Required Qualifications:

• 5 years experience in higher education, student access, scholarships, workforce development, or experiential learning
• Demonstrated experience administering complex student programs or scholarship initiatives.
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams, projects, and cross‑functional collaborations.
• Strong strategic thinking, organizational, and execution skills.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage students, families, faculty, employers, and senior leaders.
• Experience using data and metrics to assess program effectiveness and drive improvement.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience working within a university system or multi‑campus environment.
• Background in career development, workforce partnerships, or competency‑based education.
• Experience building employer relationships and aligning academic programs with workforce needs.
• Demonstrated success integrating co‑curricular programming with academic and career outcomes.

Additional Information:

The ideal candidate is an agile professional with strong interpersonal communication skills, flexibility and responsiveness; exhibits high ethical standards; proficient in managing time and competing priorities; responsive and committed to managing, supporting and motivating students and staff; committed to the ideals of a major public research university.

Special Instructions:

Submit an applicant profile and attach a letter of interest addressing the professional attributes mentioned above; a current resume; and the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references.

The University of Nebraska is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the University of Nebraska to adopt and support measures designed to prevent and eliminate discrimination against employees and prospective employees of the University of Nebraska based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation. The University of Nebraska does not condone or tolerate discrimination.

Campus Name: University of Nebraska System (UNOP)

For questions or accommodations related to this position contact: [e-mail]

Special Instructions to Applicant: Please provide a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references.