Senior Scholarship and Student Funding Specialist

Iowa State University; Ames (IA); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work option

Onsite childcare (Ames)

Job summary

The Senior Scholarship and Student Funding Specialist at Iowa State University will oversee undergraduate and graduate scholarship administration, ensuring donor funds are used properly while supporting college enrollment and student success through data-driven decisions.

You will partner with departments and stakeholders to improve processes, ensure compliance, and advance financial stewardship across CALS. This role may be hybrid after orientation.

Qualifications

• Experience interpreting donor agreements and funding restrictions.
• Ability to develop proposals and present to leadership.
• Experience analyzing financial and program data to inform decisions.
• Ability to build collaborations and provide guidance to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the operational and subject matter expert for undergraduate and graduate scholarship administration across the college.
• Provide consultation and guidance to departments and stakeholders on scholarship processes.
• Manage complex scholarship processes and monitor compliance and stewardship requirements.
• Analyze data to support decision-making and continuous improvement.

Skills

Donor agreements

Funding policies

Strategic planning

Data analysis

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

Senior Scholarship and Student Funding Specialist

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Iowa State University is seeking a highly organized, analytical, and student-focused professional to serve as our next Senior Scholarship and Student Funding Specialist. This position will play a vital role in helping students access financial resources, ensuring donor-funded scholarships are administered effectively, and supporting college enrollment and student success goals through data-informed decision making and operational excellence.

If you enjoy solving complex problems, working across many stakeholder groups, improving processes, and making a meaningful impact on students' lives, we encourage you to apply.

Why This Role Matters

Scholarships and student funding can be transformational for students and their families. This position serves as a critical resource for the college, connecting students with financial opportunities while ensuring hundreds of scholarship funds are administered accurately, responsibly, and in accordance with donor intent.

You’ll join a highly engaged team united by a shared commitment to student success. Scholarships and student funding are fundamental to that work, helping students access the resources and opportunities they need to succeed at Iowa State University. In this role, your work will be at the foundation of some of CALS’s most important strategic goals, helping ensure financial resources are aligned with student needs and college priorities and supporting the programs and opportunities that help students thrive.

As the college’s scholarship administration expert, you will help advance effective stewardship of donor-funded resources and shape processes that improve access, efficiency, compliance, and service across the college.

About The Role

The Senior Scholarship and Student Funding Specialist serves as the operational and subject matter expert for undergraduate and graduate scholarship administration across the college. The position provides consultation and guidance to departments and stakeholders, manages complex scholarship processes, monitors compliance and stewardship requirements, and analyzes data that support decision-making and continuous improvement.

This role combines student service, policy interpretation, financial stewardship, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration in support of one of Iowa State University’s largest and most impactful colleges.

The position offers the opportunity to serve as a trusted advisor and problem solver while helping shape processes that support students and the broader strategic goals of the college.

This position may be eligible for hybrid work of up to two business days, after completion of an initial orientation and training period.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience interpreting and applying donor agreements, funding restrictions, policies, regulations, or eligibility requirements to ensure financial resources are used appropriately and in alignment with intended purposes.
• Experience developing proposals, recommendations, or strategic plans and articulating and presenting goals, findings, and recommendations to leadership or other stakeholders.
• Experience analyzing financial, student, program, or utilization data to identify trends, evaluate outcomes, assess resource needs, and inform strategic decision-making.
• Experience building collaborative relationships and providing consultation, guidance, or training to stakeholders on complex programs, policies, funding processes, or organizational priorities.

The selected candidate will be hired as a Student Services Specialist III.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Why Choose Iowa State University?

Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:

• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program
• Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions. WorkFlex offers flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work. For more information, please speak with the Hiring Manager.

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email [e-mail], or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Appointment Type

Regular

Time Type

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

Full time

Pay Grade

PS808

Original Posting Date

October 2, 2026

Posting Close Date

October 18, 2026

Job Requisition Number

R20017

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. [phone], email [e-mail].

General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.