Project Assistant

State of New York - Higher Education Services Corporation; City of Albany (NY); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday & Paid Time Off

13 paid holidays annually

Hybrid telecommuting up to 50%

Job summary

Higher Education Services Corporation in Albany, NY is seeking a Project Assistant to support scholarship programs, handle inquiries, coordinate contracts, and maintain reporting data. The role involves collaboration with ITS, program staff, and external partners to ensure program operations run smoothly.

The position requires experience with student financial aid and strong communication skills; hybrid work with potential remote days may be discussed during interview.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience administering student financial aid.
• Bachelor's degree counts toward 1 year of required experience.
• Preferred: experience with financial aid programs for higher education.

Responsibilities

• Support management of Healthcare Workers for Our Future Scholarship and other programs; serve as daily HESC contact for inquiries.
• Draft responses to inquiries regarding awards and the program.
• Liaise with agency staff, ITS and Grants and Scholarships teams.
• Obtain signed contracts from awardees and monitor contract status.
• Update Scholarships database and generate reports and metrics.
• Provide updates to supervisors and prepare presentations for management.
• Draft communications to awardees and colleges.
• Coordinate data collection with schools and ensure data integrity in databases.
• Help implement workflow and policy changes; supervise clerical staff.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Financial aid administration

Communication skills

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree counts toward 1 year of required experience

Job description

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Note: For questions about the job posting, please contact the agency that posted this position by using the contact information provided on the "Contact" tab for the position.

Agency Higher Education Services Corporation

Title Project Assistant

Occupational Category Clerical, Secretarial, Office Aide

Salary Grade NS

Bargaining Unit PS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)

Salary Range From $24.35 to $24.35 Hourly

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Temporary

Jurisdictional Class Competitive Class

Travel Percentage 0%

Workweek Mon-Fri

Workday

From 8 AM

To 5 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? No

County Albany

Street Address 99 Washington Avenue

City Albany

State NY

Duties Description

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Support management of Healthcare Workers for Our Future Scholarship, as well as other grant and scholarship programs and serve as a daily HESC contact for all inquiries pertaining to these programs, providing technical guidance and assistance with program operations. May handle other scholarship programs as assigned.
• Draft well-crafted responses and respond to inquiries regarding awards and the program, from constituents, partners, interested parties.
• Liaison with various agency program staff including HESC's digital team, outreach staff, call center, other state and local partners.
• Work with awardees to obtain signed contracts and monitor the status of contracts returned.
• Update Scholarships database and manage reporting requirements and keep up to date metrics as they relate to programs.
• Provide regular updates to supervisors, Program Manager, Division Directors, Vice President of Grants and Scholarships, Executive VP and other staff and create presentations for report out to management and other stakeholders when needed.
• Participate in the formulation of recommendations regarding reporting, tracking, managing program and resolving issues and coordinate resolution of findings and implementation of modifications.
• Draft communication to awardees and colleges.
• Work with ITS and Grants and Scholarships team to ensure HESC databases have relevant information to collect data from schools on participant enrollment and issue payments.
• Compile data as requested for supervisors/division management.
• Work with Division management to implement any changes to workflow, programs, policies, procedures, etc.
• Supervise clerical employees by prioritizing work assignments, ensuring efficient and effective workflow, and training and evaluating staff.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION:

Two years* of experience administering student financial aid, working with students, parents, and/or post-secondary educational institutions, or the interpretation and application of laws, rules, and regulations related to student financial aid programs.

• * Bachelor's degree counts toward 1 year of required experience listed above.

PREFFERED QUALIFICATIONS

• Extensive knowledge/experience working with financial aid programs for higher education
• Familiarity of post-secondary education requirements and options, application procedures and admission requirements
• Experience working with a diverse population of graduate/undergraduate students
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking skills and listening skill.
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Commitment to the value of higher education
• Strong interpersonal and human relations skills.

It is essential that candidates clearly and concisely indicate exactly how they meet the above minimum qualifications in their resume. Failure to show how you meet the minimum qualifications above may result in disqualification and removal from consideration.

Additional Comments NYS is an equal opportunity employer.

Benefits of Working for NYS

Generous benefits package, worth 65% of salary, including:

• Holiday & Paid Time Off
• Thirteen (13) paid holidays annually, plus two (2) floating holidays
• Up to Thirteen (13) days of paid vacation leave annually
• Up to Five (5) days of paid personal leave annually
• Up to Thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave annually for CSEA or PEF; up to eight (8) days of paid sick leave annually for M/C
• Up to three (3) days of professional leave annually to participate in professional development
• Initially positions will work full-time in the office and a hybrid telecommuting schedule of up to 50% remote work can be discussed with the hiring manager during the interview.

Health Care Benefits

• Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost

Additional Benefits

• New York State Employees' Retirement System (ERS) Membership
• NYS Deferred Compensation
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• And many more.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Name Higher Education Services Corporation

Telephone [phone]

Fax

Email Address [e-mail]

Address

Street 99 Washington Ave

City Albany

State NY

StateJobsNY 2026 NYS Department of Civil Service