Director of Merit Scholarship

University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Massachusetts Boston is seeking a Director of Merit Scholarships to provide strategic leadership for undergraduate and graduate merit programs, overseeing recruitment, award allocation, and budget management.

You will collaborate with senior leadership to deploy approximately $23 million in funding for ~4,000 students, guiding policy, compliance, and donor relations while advancing enrollment success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible relevant experience required.
• Preferred: Master’s degree and 5–7 years of relevant experience, with budget and fund management exposure.
• Experience with financial aid guidelines, scholarship awarding procedures, admissions, recruiting and enrollment management strategies.
• Knowledge of administrative software including Microsoft Office and Excel.
• Ability to plan and manage multiple projects and balance priorities.
• Excellent written and oral communication and customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic administration and distribution of approximately $23 million in merit scholarship funding for ~4,000 students.
• Partner with Undergraduate/Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Administration and Finance, and senior leadership on scholarship strategies.
• Direct all aspects of continuing student scholarship programs including marketing, applications, selection, and disbursement.
• Serve as Enrollment Management liaison to University Advancement on donor agreements and fund development.
• Foster collaborative relationships across Admissions, Deans, Registrar, Bursar and related units to optimize processing.
• Oversee fiscal management, expenditure monitoring, and reconciliation of endowed accounts.
• Interpret scholarship policies and donor restrictions with equity and compliance.
• Monitor recipient academic progress and ongoing eligibility.
• Provide guidance to recipients facing challenges and connect to campus resources.
• Plan and oversee scholarship recruitment, recognition, and donor engagement events.
• Assess ROI of merit programs through data analysis and reporting.

Skills

Administrative software knowledge

Project planning

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Independent judgment

Written and oral communication

Customer service

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

Director of Merit Scholarship

Apply now Job no: 530386
Position Type: Staff Full Time
Campus: UMass Boston
Department: Merit Scholarship Office
Pay Grade: 34
Date opened: 22 Oct 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 05 Nov 2026 Eastern Standard Time

General Summary:

The Director of Merit Scholarships within the Division of Enrollment Management provides strategic leadership and oversight for the university’s undergraduate and graduate merit scholarship programs. This role is responsible for the development, administration, and assessment of scholarship strategies and processes, including recruitment and marketing initiatives, application and selection processes, award allocation, budget oversight, and ongoing fund management.

Serving as the primary steward of merit scholarship resources for the university, the Director collaborates closely with senior university leadership, including Vice Chancellors, Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs, to develop and implement scholarship strategies that support institutional enrollment, retention, advancement and student success goals. The Director provides guidance on scholarship policy, funding utilization, and award optimization to ensure resources are deployed effectively and equitably.

The Director oversees compliance with scholarship requirements, monitors recipient eligibility, and ensures adherence to federal, state, institutional and donor guidelines. The position also serves as the primary liaison to University Advancement, advising on scholarship criteria, donor intent, fund development opportunities, and scholarship program design.

Through data-informed analysis and ongoing assessment, the Director evaluates the effectiveness and return on invetment of scholarship programs, providing recommendations to maximize their impact on enrollment outcomes, student achievement, and the university's strategic priorities.

Examples of Duties:

• Lead the strategic administration and distribution of approximately $23 million in merit scholarship funding, including state waivers, institutional funds, and endowed scholarships, supporting approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students while ensuring compliance with federal, state, donor, and university regulations.
• Partner with Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Administration and Finance, and senior university leadership to develop and implement scholarship strategies that attract, enroll, and retain high-achieving students in support of institutional enrollment and student success goals.
• Direct all aspects of continuing student scholarship programs, including marketing, outreach, application review, recipient selection, award determination, and disbursement, to advance student retention, persistence, and degree completion.
• Serve as the primary Enrollment Management liaison to University Advancement on scholarship development and stewardship, providing guidance on new endowed and restricted funds, reviewing gift agreements, and ensuring scholarship criteria align with donor intent and applicable legal, regulatory, and institutional requirements.
• Cultivate and maintain strong collaborative relationships across the university, including Admissions, academic Deans, the Registrar, Bursar, and administrative units, to optimize scholarship processing and utilization.
• Oversee the fiscal management, expenditure monitoring, and reconciliation of endowed scholarship accounts, collaborating with the Controller’s Office, Budget and Financial Planning, and UMass System administration to ensure financial accuracy, compliance, and effective stewardship of scholarship resources.
• Exercise independent judgment in interpreting scholarship policies, eligibility requirements, and donor restrictions, ensuring equitable and appropriate recipient selection consistent with university priorities and established award criteria.
• Monitor scholarship recipient academic progress and ongoing eligibility, implementing processes that promote compliance, persistence, and student success.
• Provide guidance and support to scholarship recipients experiencing academic challenges, connecting students with campus resources and interventions designed to support retention and achievement.
• Plan and oversee high-profile scholarship recruitment, recognition, and stewardship events, including scholarship award ceremonies, open houses, admitted student programs, and donor engagement activities, to strengthen recruitment efforts, enhance the student experience, and celebrate scholarship impact.
• Assess the effectiveness and return on investment of merit scholarship programs through data analysis and reporting, providing recommendations that maximize enrollment outcomes and align scholarship expenditures with institutional priorities

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible relevant experience required. Prior professional experience working in or having knowledge of financial aid guidelines, scholarship awarding procedures and regulations, admissions, recruiting, and/or enrollment management strategies.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree and a minimum of five‑seven (5‑7) years of progressively responsible relevant experience. Prior experience with budget and fund management and familiarity utilizing student information and CRM systems.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of various administrative software applications and programs, including Microsoft Office and Excel;
• Ability to plan and manage multiple projects simultaneously and balance priorities;
• Ability to manage complex tasks under time constraints, while maintaining strong attention to detail;
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently in a team capacity with a broad range of staff to accomplish departmental, program and university goals;
• Ability to use independent judgment and be entrusted with confidential information;
• Exemplary written and oral communication skills;
• Strong commitment to customer service.

Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link:

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.

UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, wewill ensure that persons withdisabilitiesare provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact [e-mail] or 617-287-5150.

Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.

Applications close: 05 Nov 2026 Eastern Standard Time

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.

The University of Massachusetts Boston provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, genetic information, pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, or membership in any other legally protected class. The University of Massachusetts Boston complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the university operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

UMass Boston typically does not provide visa sponsorships for non-academic positions.

The University of Massachusetts Boston is committed to providing a safe and secure environment that is supported by qualified employees for all of its students, faculty and staff to carry out the University’s teaching, research and public service missions. As a condition of employment, the University will conduct appropriate background check reviews. For more information, please see the University of Massachusetts Boston campus policy and procedures for employee background reviews.