Graduate Funding Coordinator

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Chantilly (VA); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc. is seeking a Graduate Funding Coordinator to join the Graduate Division in supporting centrally-administered graduate awards, scholarships, assistantships, grants, and fellowships.

This role manages funding agreements, student employment contracts, onboarding activities, and annual scholarship program administration, collaborating with Human Resources and campus partners to ensure accurate, timely processing and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience administering financial support and program funding initiatives for students or program participants.
• Knowledge of university funding processes, systems (e.g., Ellucian Workflow, Banner, Salesforce), and related policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.).
• Excellent written and communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage tasks efficiently while working under tight deadlines.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service to students, staff, faculty, and academic units; and
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to identify and implement process improvements in funding operations.

Responsibilities

• Processes the Graduate Division awards and scholarship programs, including tuition grants, stipends, and travel awards, supporting more than 500 students each semester.
• Maintains scholarship and award records using a third-party, cloud-based platform and Excel, ensuring accurate data entry and documentation.
• Responds to student inquiries regarding scholarship and award payments, providing information on university policies, procedures, and funding requirements.
• Assists with the implementation and administration of the Graduate Division’s funding programs, including the High Impact Grant, Dissertation Completion Grant, Summer Assistantship program, and other institutional funding initiatives; and
• Works with campus partners to support timely award processing, compliance with program requirements, and student service delivery.
• Processes and tracks the Graduate Division funding agreements, including graduate assistantships, tuition support agreements, travel awards, and other student funding programs.
• Prepares, distributes, and maintains graduate student employment contracts, tuition support agreements, and related funding documentation to ensure accuracy and timely completion.
• Supports onboarding activities for Graduate Division scholars and cohort-based programs in collaboration with Human Resources and campus partners.
• Assists with the annual administration of Graduate Division scholarship programs, including reviewing applications, tracking eligibility requirements, and maintaining program records.
• Serves as a resource for faculty, staff, and students by providing information regarding scholarship programs, funding opportunities, and program procedures.
• Collaborates with university departments to support the administration and ongoing operation of graduate funding programs and initiatives; and
• Compiles reports and maintain records to support program administration, budget tracking, and operational needs.
• Coordinates the Graduate Student Travel Fund Program, including reviewing applications and reimbursement requests, ensuring accuracy and timely completion.
• Responds to inquiries and provide information to students, faculty, and staff regarding Graduate Student Travel Fund program procedures and requirements; and
• Supports the maintenance of the Graduate Student Travel Fund application system by assisting with updates, monitoring functionality, and helping to ensure efficient program operations.
• Supports the enrollment activities for the Graduate Student Health Insurance Subsidy Program, supporting more than 1,000 graduate students annually;
• Assists the team with verifying program eligibility requirements are met and support program participation;
• Maintains enrollment and reporting records, assist with invoicereconciliation, and coordinate payment processing with the healthinsurance provider; and
• Serves as the back-up contact for student and departmental inquiries related to the subsidy program.

Skills

Excellent written communication

Time management

Customer service

Attention to detail

Prioritization

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Ellucian Workflow

Banner

Salesforce

Microsoft 365

Job description

Department: Academic Affairs

Classification: Education Support Spec 2

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visasponsorship

Pay Band: 03

Salary: Salary commensurate with education andexperience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

Part of the Office of the Provost, under the Academic AffairsDivision, the Graduate Division elevates Mason graduate educationby augmenting the work of the academic units, by increasing theimpact of graduate students and programs, by fostering acollaborative culture of academic excellence, and by contributingto the research productivity and the workforce developmentappropriate to an R1 institution.

About the Position:

As a part of the Graduate Division, the Graduate FundingCoordinator position reports to the Assistant Director for GraduateOperations and Funding and is responsible for managing andprocessing all centrally-administered graduate awards,scholarships, assistantships, grants, and fellowships.

Responsibilities:

Award and Scholarship Financial Administration

• Processes the Graduate Division awards and scholarshipprograms, including tuition grants, stipends, and travel awards,supporting more than 500 students each semester;
• Maintains scholarship and award records using a third-party,cloud-based platform and Excel, ensuring accurate data entry anddocumentation;
• Responds to student inquiries regarding scholarship and awardpayments, providing information on university policies, procedures,and funding requirements;
• Assists with the implementation and administration of theGraduate Division’s funding programs, including the High ImpactGrant, Dissertation Completion Grant, Summer Assistantship program,and other institutional funding initiatives; and
• Works with campus partners to support timely award processing,compliance with program requirements, and student servicedelivery.

Award and Scholarship Program Coordination

• Processes and tracks the Graduate Division funding agreements,including graduate assistantships, tuition support agreements,travel awards, and other student funding programs;
• Prepares, distributes, and maintains graduate studentemployment contracts, tuition support agreements, and relatedfunding documentation to ensure accuracy and timelycompletion;
• Supports onboarding activities for Graduate Division scholarsand cohort-based programs in collaboration with Human Resources andcampus partners;
• Assists with the annual administration of Graduate Divisionscholarship programs, including reviewing applications, trackingeligibility requirements, and maintaining program records;
• Serves as a resource for faculty, staff, and students byproviding information regarding scholarship programs, fundingopportunities, and program procedures;
• Collaborates with university departments to support theadministration and ongoing operation of graduate funding programsand initiatives; and
• Compiles reports and maintain records to support programadministration, budget tracking, and operational needs.

Graduate Student Travel Fund Administration

• Coordinates the Graduate Student Travel Fund Program, includingreviewing applications and reimbursement requests, ensuringaccuracy and timely completion;
• Responds to inquiries and provide information to students,faculty, and staff regarding Graduate Student Travel Fund programprocedures and requirements; and
• Supports the maintenance of the Graduate Student Travel Fundapplication system by assisting with updates, monitoringfunctionality, and helping to ensure efficient programoperations.

Graduate Health Insurance Subsidy Program Coordination

• Supports the enrollment activities for the Graduate StudentHealth Insurance Subsidy Program, supporting more than 1,000graduate students annually;
• Assists the team with verifying program eligibilityrequirements are met and support program participation;
• Maintains enrollment and reporting records, assist with invoicereconciliation, and coordinate payment processing with the healthinsurance provider; and
• Serves as the back-up contact for student and departmentalinquiries related to the subsidy program.

Other Projects as Assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field, or the equivalentcombination of education and experience;
• Demonstrated experience administering financial support andprogram funding initiatives for students or programparticipants;
• Knowledge of university funding processes, systems (e.g.,Ellucian Workflow, Banner, Salesforce), and related policies andprocedures;
• Knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams,etc.);
• Excellent written and communication skills;
• Ability to prioritize and manage tasks efficiently whileworking under tight deadlines;
• Ability to provide excellent customer service to students,staff, faculty, and academic units; and
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to identify andimplement process improvements in funding operations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in higher education student funding andsupport programs, including scholarships, fellowships, internal andexternal grants, awards, and graduate student assistantships;
• Demonstrated experience in funding program assessment andevaluation; and
• Experience working in graduate education.

Mason Ad Statement

George Mason University is a nationally ranked R1 researchuniversity committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperousworld. With 40,000 enrolled students, George Mason is the largestand most diverse public research university in Virginia, offeringdegree programs at the master's, doctoral, and professional level,along with certificates and credentials.

George Mason fosters an All Together Different environment forstudents, faculty, and staff, driven by our core beliefs. Webelieve in inclusivity over exclusivity; we believe in advancingour mission by being willing to take risks, not avoiding them; andwe believe our best work is possible when we apply our diversity oforigin, identity, circumstance, and thought.

Equity Statement

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative actionemployer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in itscommunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration foremployment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexualorientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability orveteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

Campus Safety Information

Mason’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available athttp://police.gmu.edu/annual-security-report/