Associate, Scholarship Operations

Position Overview

The Associate Scholarship Operations will support Scholars by managing the scholarship application review process and ensuring timely disbursement of funds. Reporting to the Senior Manager Systems this role involves reviewing applications for eligibility serving as a point of contact for students and improving operational efficiency. The Associate will also coordinate information between Scholars and the organization to facilitate payments to colleges and universities.

Primary Responsibilities

Scholarship Application Processing

• Serve as the main point of contact for high school seniors and returning college students regarding the status of their Achieve Atlanta Scholarship applications after submission
• Process initial and renewal scholarship applications to determine eligibility for scholarship funds
• Review scholarship applications evaluating required documents and confirming student-entered data match documents
• Verify eligibility through appropriate documents and apply eligibility policies accordingly
• Evaluate re-submitted application documents and manage student communication regarding the validity of these documents
• Maintain a thorough understanding of scholarship policies and processes in order to effectively manage scholarship application intake review and communications

Customer Service and Communication

• Provide high-quality customer service ensuring professional courteous and timely responses to all inquiries
• Respond to incoming Scholar eligibility application and payment status inquiries through all program communication channels (i.e. Salesforce database email text phone)
• Manage direct communication with students to help them navigate Achieve Atlanta Scholarship processes and services
• Lead outreach efforts to identified scholarship applicants and Achieve Atlanta Scholars to assist with troubleshooting various issues
• Collaborate with program partners to obtain information needed for Scholar inquiries and payment statuses

Documentation and Data Management

• Enter data from application documents into Salesforce and maintain database accuracy
• Accurately document all communication with students in the Salesforce database
• Contribute to the documentation of job processes and procedures
• Assist in identifying opportunities to improve processes and enhance the Scholar experience

Operational Support

• Attend cross-functional meetings with programming teams throughout the application cycle to develop new strategies and outreach efforts to support Achieve Atlanta Scholars
• Collaborate with team members to ensure efficient and accurate scholarship administration processes
• Coordinate information between Scholars and Achieve Atlanta as needed for application processing and payment management
• Support other scholarship operational tasks as assigned by the Systems & Operations team

Growth and Development Opportunities

Automation and Process Improvement

• After mastering the manual data entry and scholarship application processes identify areas for process improvement and automation.
• Collaborate with the Systems & Operations team to develop and implement automation solutions using tools such as Excel macros Salesforce automation features or other relevant technologies.
• Participate in training and development programs to build technical skills and knowledge in systems and automation.

Qualifications :

The Profile

This position offers an opportunity to make a significant impact on the lives of students by ensuring they can access vital scholarship resources. If you are passionate about education detail-oriented and dedicated to providing excellent service we encourage you to apply.

The ideal candidate will bring energy innovation and professional maturity to this role. They will have the utmost integrity and a reputation for doing things the right way. The successful applicant will be a self-sufficient professional with strong problem-solving and organizational skills ability to prioritize workload to focus on the most critical tasks and a commitment to follow-up and follow-through.

Education Experience & Knowledge 

• Bachelors degree in a related field
• 1-4 years of work experience related to the responsibilities of this role
• Experience with customer service and data management
• Understanding of data management principles and familiarity with database systems
• Knowledge of and experience with college access K-12 preparation or college guidance efforts with under-represented youth (preferred)
• Knowledge of higher education financial aid (preferred)

Skills & Abilities

Organization and Prioritization:

• Demonstrates exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Maintains accuracy and precision in all tasks while efficiently managing and prioritizing multiple responsibilities
• Manages and prioritizes multiple tasks acting with a sense of urgency when needed

Relationship Management and Communication:

• Exhibits excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Demonstrates a natural ability to maintain a customer service mindset and advocate for students
• Demonstrates an empathic nature acknowledging and honoring all peoples humanity
• Approaches working and learning with humility

Technical:

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite particularly Excel
• Familiar with Salesforce
• Experience with or a willingness to learn automation tools (e.g. Excel macros scripting languages Salesforce Flows)
• Willingness and interest to learn and implement new technical systems and tools

Innovation and Process Improvement:

• Demonstrates a proactive approach to identifying inefficiencies and suggesting improvements
• Experience or interest in process automation and optimization
• Ability to think creatively and propose innovative solutions to streamline operations

Additional Information :

Organizational Competencies 

• Mission and Values Driven: Understands how job contributes to the greater mission of AATL; operates within the core values; supports and performs responsibilities with Mission and Vision in mind. 

• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrates awareness of ones own and others emotions attitudes biases belief systems strengths and limitations to adjust behavior and thus manage interactions successfully and create a psychologically safe workplace.  

• Strategic Approach: Understands and processes complex information for use in long-term planning and execution. 

• Partnership: Works collaboratively across internal and external boundaries to build relationships and achieve common goals.

• Growth and Development: Actively seeks to improve skills and knowledge to meet the organizations vision and commitments to fulfill current job responsibilities and prepare for future career goals and opportunities.

• Leading: Takes personal accountability for the organizations success. 

Organizational Culture 

Achieve Atlanta is a value-driven organization grounded in principles that guide everything we do.

• Unwavering Belief: A steadfast confidence in our students is the inspiration and fuel for everything we do.  Their dreams are the foundation for our work.
• Champion for Students: We back our belief in students by acknowledging historical inequities breaking down systemic barriers earning students trust and building their agency to become their own champions.
• Expectation of Excellence: We foster a culture of excellence through consistent effort tenacity and integrity resulting in work we can stand behind. It is the standard we set for ourselves and the example we model for our students and community.
• Intentional Collaboration: We cannot achieve our vision alone. We deliberately work together internally and build strategic partnerships externally to identify and accomplish shared goals in changing environments.
• Continuous Improvement: We are constantly learning remaining curious and reflecting on our systems processes and outcomes to meet our mission.  We encourage critical analysis of our work to make thoughtful adjustments innovate and take risks to create solutions.

Salary and Benefits

• To be determined based upon experience and qualifications within the anticipated salary range of $52000 - $65000.
• This position is exempt and eligible for the Achieve Atlantas competitive health and benefits package including:
  • Flexible Paid Time Off:
    • Take the time you need when you need itour trust-based PTO policy empowers you to balance work and life without strict accrual limits.
  • Benefits:
    • Benefits effective on your first dayno waiting period
    • 100% employer-paid medical dental and vision insurance for employee-only plans
    • 100% employer-paid life insurance and AD&D
    • 100% employer-paid short-term disability and long-term disability
    • Wellness and Work from Home Reimbursement programs
    • Access to affordable plans for legal insurance critical illness supplemental life and more
    • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Retirement:
    • Immediate eligibility to contribute to a 403(b)-retirement plan
    • After one year of employment Achieve Atlanta provides an employer-paid contribution to your 403(b) regardless of team member contributions
  • Professional Development: 
    • Individual Development Plans (IDPs) tailored to each team member including access to trainings resources and growth opportunities
    • Annual stipends for conferences and individual professional development

Location 

• Achieve Atlanta currently operates a hybrid model for all staff. Team members work in the office at our downtown Atlanta location for at least two days each week to allow for collaboration and in-person connections. Team members have the flexibility to work the remaining three days from the office home or another location. 

Achieve Atlanta is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of qualifications. Achieve Atlanta policy prohibits unlawful discrimination in any employment decision based on pregnancy childbirth or related medical conditions race religious creed color national origin or ancestry physical or mental disability medical condition marital status age sexual orientation or any other basis protected by federal state or local law or ordinance or regulation.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time