Program Manager in Scholar Success Programs

csusystem; Fort Collins (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

CSU System in Fort Collins, CO seeks a Program Manager to split time between direct student advising and program management within the Scholar Success Program and the Community for Excellence network.

You will support first-generation and limited-income students, coordinate scholarship foundations and donor partnerships, track outcomes, and work with campus partners to advance student success and equity initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field; 3+ years of professional experience in student services or college access programs.
• Demonstrated experience delivering direct individualized and group support to students.
• Commitment to serving diverse student populations and support networks.
• Experience managing program logistics and administrative timelines.

Responsibilities

• Administer scholarship programs and foundation partnerships, including recruitment, awards, and reporting.
• Serve as liaison to scholarship foundations and donors, coordinating communications and fulfillment of commitments.
• Provide holistic student success coaching to an assigned caseload, promoting academic achievement and persistence.
• Assess student needs and coordinate interventions, linking students to campus and community resources.
• Maintain student records and ensure compliance with policies and regulations.
• Develop and facilitate student engagement opportunities through workshops and cohort experiences.
• Collaborate with campus partners to coordinate services and improve student outcomes.

Skills

Student advising

Program coordination

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Grant management

Job description

Position Summary:

The Program Manager role is a dynamic and dual focused leadership role within Scholar Success Program. As part of the broader Community for Excellence network, the Program Manager collaborates across campus to help develop a student success ecosystem. Operating with a high degree of independence, the Program Manager splits their time equally between direct high-touch student advising and robust programmatic management:

• Holistic Student Support and Advocacy: The Program Manager provides comprehensive, high-touch advising to a small group of first-generation and limited-income students through a proactive, student-centered approach focused on student success and career readiness. The Program Manager navigates complex student concerns and acute crises, serves as a frontline advocate and manages resource referrals. The Program Manager builds a strong sense of belonging, community, and support through facilitation of individual meetings, cohort events, community events, and intentional learning opportunities.
• Operational Management and Foundation/Donor Stewardship: The Program Manager oversees the day-to-day operations, logistics, and event planning required to execute external foundation partner and donor agreements. The Program Manager ensures compliance with established timelines and deliverables, manages program budgets, and represents the University as the primary point of contact for external stakeholders.

Full Consideration Date: Sunday, 8/23/2026, 11:59pm (MT)

Essential Job Duties:

• Administer scholarship programs and foundation partnerships by managing recruitment, selection, scholarship awards, donor agreements, reporting requirements, and compliance with foundation and university expectations.
• Serve as the primary liaison to scholarship foundations and donors by maintaining collaborative relationships, coordinating communications, and ensuring fulfillment of program commitments and stewardship responsibilities.
• Provide holistic student success coaching by managing an assigned caseload and delivering individualized support that promotes students' academic achievement, personal development, persistence, and graduation.
• Assess student needs and coordinate interventions by identifying barriers to success, responding to complex student situations, connecting students with campus and community resources, and advocating for student success.
• Maintain student records and ensure compliance by documenting student interactions, monitoring academic progress, utilizing student success data, and adhering to university policies, federal regulations, and professional standards.
• Develop and facilitate student engagement opportunities by planning workshops, cohort experiences, leadership development activities, and community-building programs that foster belonging and student success.
• Collaborate with the Community for Excellence (C4E) Network and campus partners to coordinate services, strengthen scholarship support, improve student outcomes, and advance institutional student success initiatives.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of departmental, divisional, and university priorities.

Supervision:

Position may supervise student staff.

Conditions of Employment:

• The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date; the department will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.
• Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires).

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree plus a minimum of 3 years of professional employment experience in K-12 education, higher education, or college access programs.
• Demonstrated experience delivering direct, individualized (one-on-one) and group support to students, focusing on student success, retention, and fostering a sense of belonging.
• Demonstrated commitment to working effectively with diverse student populations and their support networks.
• Demonstrated professional experience managing program logistics, administrative timelines, or independent decision-making processes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in student personnel, higher education, counseling or related field.
• Experience working with scholarship foundations, donors, or grant programs.
• Experience in program coordination, leadership, or progressively responsible work within a college access or student success framework.
• Experience working with TRIO or similar college access programs, academic advising, or career counseling.
• Experience advising, counseling, teaching, or supervising individuals from historically minoritized communities.
• Demonstrated success in conflict resolution, creative problem-solving, and independent decision-making.
• Strong organization and administrative skills with a proven ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, or coaching others, with a demonstrated commitment to fostering a culture of mutual accountability.
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