Graduate Funding Coordinator

George Mason University; Fairfax (VA); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University in Fairfax, VA is seeking a Graduate Funding Coordinator to manage and process centrally-administered graduate awards, scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships. The role supports onboarding, reporting, and program coordination across funding initiatives.

The successful candidate will oversee enrollment and documentation, respond to inquiries, and collaborate with Human Resources and campus partners to ensure timely award processing and compliance.

Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills across diverse audiences.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Customer service mindset with students, staff, and academic units.
• Attention to detail and ability to improve funding processes.

Responsibilities

• Process centrally-administered graduate awards, scholarships, assistantships, grants, and fellowships.
• Maintain scholarship and award records in a cloud platform and Excel; ensure data accuracy.
• Respond to student inquiries about scholarship payments and funding requirements.
• Coordinate and administer funding programs and agreements; collaborate with HR and campus partners.
• Compile reports to support program administration, budgeting, and operations.

Skills

Communication skills

Time management

Customer service

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Ellucian Workflow

Banner

Salesforce

Job description

Graduate Funding Coordinator

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 visa sponsorship

Pay Band: 03

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

Part of the Office of the Provost, under the Academic Affairs Division, the Graduate Division elevates Mason graduate education by augmenting the work of the academic units, by increasing the impact of graduate students and programs, by fostering a collaborative culture of academic excellence, and by contributing to the research productivity and the workforce development appropriate to an R1 institution.

About the Position:

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

Responsibilities:

Award and Scholarship Financial Administration

• 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.

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 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.

Graduate Student Travel Fund Administration

• 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.

Graduate Health Insurance Subsidy Program Coordination

• 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 invoice reconciliation, and coordinate payment processing with the health insurance provider; and
• Serves as the back-up contact for student and departmental inquiries related to the subsidy program.

Other Projects as Assigned

Required 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

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