Senior Associate, Scholarship Programs

THE AREA FOUNDATION

The San Antonio Area Foundation has served as the sole, designated community foundation for the San Antonio area for sixty years, growing to become one of the Top 20 foundations in the nation based on asset size. The Area Foundation serves as the community’s most trusted and impactful philanthropic partner, managing more than 500 charitable funds totaling $1.3 billion in assets. Coordinating efforts with numerous area nonprofits, the Area Foundation serves as a collaborative leader, connecting donors to address key community issues and investing in our future. Since 1964, over $800 million for scholarships and grants have been awarded to close opportunity gaps for those who need it most in San Antonio. Learn more at saafdn.org.

Our core values are Excellence, Passion, Integrity, and Community.

 Summary of Responsibilities

The Senior Associate, Scholarship Programs, reporting to the Manager, Scholarship Programs, provides critical support for one of the Foundation’s largest scholarship portfolios. This position works to support both the Whataburger Family Foundation Scholarship biannual scholarship cycle and the EPIC Scholars program, assisting with EPIC application workflows for 90 funds, reviewing 16,000 applications annually, and helping award 2,000 students.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Scholarship Administration & Compliance: Support scholarship operations in Foundant SLM and CSuite, including application setup, donor and student communications, awarding, recordkeeping, and payment processing. Assist with EPIC application workflows for 90 funds, adding new processes as funds open, and help review 16,000 applications annually to award 2,000 students. Manage the twice-a-year Whataburger Family Foundation scholarship cycle, ensuring compliance and timely execution.
• Evaluator Coordination & Support: Provide critical support for the evaluator process by training volunteers, managing Conflict of Interest forms, updating instructions, monitoring timely completion, and producing evaluation reports. Coordinate evaluator engagement for both EPIC and Whataburger programs, ensuring fairness, transparency, and consistency throughout reviews.
• Student & Stakeholder Engagement: Deliver responsive, equity-focused support to students and stakeholders through timely communication, webinars, and outreach activities. Assist with crafting notifications and events that enhance program visibility and strengthen relationships. Provide personalized guidance to applicants during both EPIC and Whataburger cycles to promote access and success.
• Program Operations & Data Reporting: Contribute to program operations by compiling scholarship data and metrics for leadership, assisting with annual award events, and supporting staff training. Build collaborative relationships with other foundations and scholarship administrators to share best practices and improve impact. Maintain accurate reporting for EPIC and Whataburger programs to inform compliance and strategic decisions.
• Actively participate in Collaborative Business Planning (CBP) by working across departments, maintaining accurate project information in Monday.com, and supporting organization-wide priorities through timely collaboration and shared accountability.
• Adherence to Core Values: Demonstrates Excellence, Passion, Integrity, and Community in all aspects of work.
• Program Coordination: Supports scholarship initiatives and ensures smooth administration, collaboration with stakeholders, and alignment with program objectives.
• Communication & Relationship Management: Delivers clear, professional communication and fosters responsive, service-oriented relationships with students, evaluators, and donors.
• Data & Systems Expertise: Maintains accurate records, reporting, and workflow using Foundant or similar tools while adapting to emerging technologies and process improvements.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in education, nonprofit management, public administration, social services, or a related field, or at least two years of equivalent or transferable work experience.
• Minimum of two years of experience in scholarship administration, student services, program management, or similar operational roles.
• Familiarity with Foundant, CSuite, or other scholarship and data management platforms is highly valued.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Demonstrated proficiency in managing administrative systems and office equipment, including document scanning, faxing, and copying, while executing tasks with precision and efficiency.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, ensuring clarity, professionalism, and confidentiality in all interactions. Consistently demonstrates a strong work ethic and commitment to excellence.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and familiarity with Foundant or similar scholarship management platforms. Skilled in managing multiple priorities and deadlines with accuracy and efficiency.
• Outstanding organizational, time management, and prioritization abilities. Operate effectively both independently and collaboratively, delivering inclusive, high-quality service.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Adherence to Core Values: Demonstrates Excellence, Passion, Integrity, and Community in all aspects of work.
• Program Coordination: Supports scholarship initiatives and ensures smooth administration, collaboration with stakeholders, and alignment with program objectives.
• Communication & Relationship Management: Delivers clear, professional communication and fosters responsive, service-oriented relationships with students, evaluators, and donors.
• Data & Systems Expertise: Maintains accurate records, reporting, and workflow using Foundant or similar tools while adapting to emerging technologies and process improvements.

WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Primarily remote with in-office work for events, mailing, meetings and may require evening or weekend participation for student outreach, events, or webinars, and may involve hybrid or virtual collaboration.
• Ability to perform typical office tasks, including computer work, filing, scanning, standing for events, and travel as needed.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The San Antonio Area Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary : $63,000 - $64,000