At San Diego Foundation (SDF), we are committed to inspiring enduring philanthropy and enabling community solutions to improve the quality of life throughout our region. The Community Impact Division leads SDF’s programmatic initiatives and strategic partnerships to build a vibrant, equitable, and resilient San Diego County.

Founded in 1975, SDF is one of the largest providers of scholarships and community grants in Southern California. Through the Community Scholarships Program, SDF advances educational equity by providing resources and opportunities for students furthest from opportunity to achieve their academic goals and strengthen the region’s future workforce.

The Sr. Manager, Community Scholarships serves as the operational leader for San Diego Foundation's Community Scholarship portfolio. This position oversees scholarship administration, portfolio management, donor stewardship, volunteer and external committee operations, reporting, and continuous process improvement.

The Sr. Manager directly supervises scholarship program staff and is responsible for ensuring efficient, equitable, and compliant scholarship operations while serving as the primary operational liaison for donors, community partners, and scholarship committees. Working closely with the Director of College Success, this position develops and maintains the systems, processes, and infrastructure necessary to successfully administer one of the region's largest scholarship portfolios.

This is a hybrid position with weekly onsite requirements at SDF’s Liberty Station headquarters in San Diego.

Essential Responsibilities:

Scholarship Operations & Portfolio Management

Serve as the operational leader for SDF's Community Scholarship portfolio, overseeing scholarship administration, annual cycle planning, fund compliance, award processes, and continuous process improvement.
Direct the management and stewardship of SDF's scholarship portfolio, including endowed, annual, donor-advised, and special-purpose funds, overseeing fund utilization, award allocation planning, renewal obligations, budgets, and long-term sustainability strategies.
Lead annual scholarship cycle planning and operational readiness, establishing timelines, workflows, capacity plans, and service standards that support efficient and equitable program delivery.
Establish and maintain operational policies, procedures, controls, and quality assurance practices while proactively identifying and addressing risks, process gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
Support in strategic oversight of the Common Scholarship Application platform, ensuring system functionality, accessibility, data integrity, and a positive experience for applicants, donors, reviewers, and staff.
Oversee scholarship selection and award administration processes, including application review workflows, committee recommendations, appeals, and final award approvals in partnership with the Director.
Support cross-functional collaboration with internal stakeholders to ensure effective fund administration, operational alignment, and successful program implementation.

Donor, Volunteer & Community Partnership Leadership

Serve as SDF's primary operational representative for scholarship donors, external review committees, volunteers, and community partners.
Lead the governance and administration of scholarship review committees, establishing procedures, review standards, and decision-making frameworks that ensure equitable, transparent, and donor-aligned award processes.
Oversee the recruitment, development, engagement, stewardship, and succession planning of volunteer reviewers and committee members to maintain a diverse and high-performing committee network.
Serve as the primary point of escalation for committee concerns, policy questions, conflicts, and complex scholarship review matters.
Review scholarship recommendations and award outcomes to ensure alignment with donor intent, program guidelines, equity objectives, and organizational standards.
Partner with the Director and Development & Stewardship to support donor cultivation, retention, scholarship fund development, and donor communications through scholarship impact reporting and program expertise.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

Lead and develop a high-performing scholarship team through coaching, mentorship, performance management, and professional development.
Establish team priorities, performance expectations, accountability measures, and operational standards that support program excellence.
Oversee workforce planning, workload distribution, and resource allocation to ensure team capacity aligns with program needs.
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and shared ownership.
Promote cross-training to strengthen organizational resiliency and long-term program sustainability.

Reporting, Analytics & Data Strategy

Support in the management of scholarship performance metrics, dashboards, and reporting frameworks, managing data collection, analysis, visualization, and reporting efforts that support organizational decision-making.
Analyze scholarship application, award distribution, demographic, and portfolio performance data to identify trends, improve operational effectiveness, and advance equitable student outcomes.
Leverage internal and external data to evaluate program performance, assess emerging needs, and inform strategic planning and decision-making.
Develop and present portfolio insights, trends, forecasts, and impact reports to leadership, donors, committees, and community stakeholders, translating complex information into actionable recommendations.
Establish and maintain data governance standards, reporting protocols, and quality assurance practices that ensure the integrity, consistency, and reliability of scholarship data across Blackbaud and related systems.
Partner with Information Technology, Data Services, Finance, and Grants Management teams to strengthen reporting capabilities, improve data accessibility, and advance continuous improvement initiatives.

Cross-Functional Coordination & Organizational Engagement

Partner with the Director to serve as a key leader within the Community Impact Division, fostering cross-functional collaboration, shared learning, and alignment across initiatives that advance SDF's education and community impact goals.
Partner with internal departments to ensure operational alignment, effective communication, and successful execution of scholarship program priorities.
Contribute to organizational planning, reporting, evaluation, and continuous improvement efforts that strengthen program effectiveness and community impact.
Represent SDF through community partnerships, stakeholder engagement activities, public presentations, and scholarship-related events, serving as an ambassador for the Foundation's education initiatives.
Support organizational priorities and special projects that promote a culture of inclusion, innovation, accountability, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in education, nonprofit management, public administration, or related field.
Minimum seven (7) years of management-level experience in education, philanthropy, government, or nonprofit organizations.
Demonstrated expertise in educational equity, scholarships, or academic program management.
Strong database and project management skills, including experience managing complex database processes (Blackbaud preferred) and working with project management tools such as Asana or other workflow management platforms.
Skilled in volunteer engagement and relationship management across diverse groups.
Culturally competent and committed to promoting equity and inclusion.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and database applications.
Self-directed, adaptable, and capable of problem-solving in a fast-paced environment.
Strong ethical standards and integrity

Core Competencies

Scholarship Program Operations
Team Leadership & Supervision
Volunteer Management & Engagement
Project Management & Process Optimization
Data Analysis & Reporting
Cross-Department Collaboration
Donor and Partner Relationship Management
Equity-Centered Program Design
Database & Technology Systems (Blackbaud)
Communication & Presentation Skills

Language Skills

Fluent in English (reading, writing, and speaking)
Spanish proficiency preferred

Work Environment & Special Conditions

Professional, hybrid work environment based in San Diego, California.
Fast-paced, collaborative, and mission-driven setting.
Ability to sit, stand, walk, or drive for extended periods, with or without accommodation.
Ability to view and use a computer screen for up to two hours at a time.
Ability to type and enter data using a computer keyboard.
Ability to communicate effectively by phone, video, or in person.
May require extended hours during peak scholarship season and occasional evening or weekend work for events.
Occasional travel within the San Diego region as needed.

San Diego Foundation is committed to supporting the well-being, growth, and success of our employees through a comprehensive and competitive benefits package:

Salaried, Exempt $90,000.00-$100,000.00 (San Diego Foundation is committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. Actual offers will be reflective of qualifications, skills, experience, internal equity, alignment with market data, among other relevant factors)
Supportive, inclusive company culture; recognized as a Top Workplace by the San Diego Union-Tribune 5 years in a row
Hybrid work environment with support for home office setup
Option for a 9/80 work schedule, providing every other Friday off
100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and long-term disability insurance for employees
75% employer-paid premiums for eligible dependents
403(b) retirement plan with up to 4% employer match, plus annual discretionary contributions
Earned Incentive Program
Three weeks of paid time off annually, plus an additional organization-wide paid week off in July
13 paid holidays, plus 2 paid volunteer days each year
Extended Health Care Time accrual for sick leave, family care, and parental leave
Four-week paid sabbatical after every five years of service
$100 monthly cell phone and internet reimbursement
$75 quarterly wellness or gym reimbursement
Annual $600 match to a nonprofit of your choice through a Donor Advised Fund
Annual service recognition with a $100 donation to a nonprofit of your choice

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

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