Student Awards Associate

The Organization 

ECF is committed to building a vibrant city and enriching the lives of all Edmontonians. We do this by providing an average of over $33 million in community grants and scholarships each year, thanks to the generous support of thousands of donors. As the largest non-governmental funder of the charitable sector in our City, ECF is in a unique position to address long-term, complex community needs by working with donors, charities, volunteers, government and community partners.

The Opportunity 

Reporting to the Director, Grants and Community Initiatives, the Student Awards Associate plays a critical role in supporting students and educational institutions by administering ECF’s diverse range of student award programs and grants. As the main point of contact for student applicants, award recipients, and educational institutions, this position manages communications, fields inquiries, and guides applicants through the award and/or grant process. The Student Awards Associate works closely with internal and external interest holders, building and maintaining relationships that foster awareness and engagement with ECF’s award and grant opportunities.  Through coordinating award panels, tracking applications, and providing support to grant committees, the Student Awards Associate is instrumental in ensuring ECF’s student awards and related programs are fair, accessible, and impactful. 

Key Roles & Responsibilities: 

• Program Coordination: 
  • Manage and coordinate multiple student award programs, ensuring effective communication with applicants, recipients, and educational institutions regarding application processes, statuses, and payments. 
  • Promote award programs and community grants to students and institutions to increase awareness and engagement. 
  • Oversee the internal review process for award applications, managing award panels, providing administrative support, and recommending decisions to the Director. 
  • Ensure timely processing of award payments and address any related issues to maintain a seamless experience for recipients.

• Grant Management: 
  • Review grant applications and provide support to applicants throughout the process, ensuring accessibility and responsiveness. 
  • Participate in grant committee meetings, providing recommendations and insights on grant progression. 
  • Prepare grant and award documentation and fulfill reporting requirements. 
  • Support grant program volunteers and subcommittees to ensure consistency, informed decision making and appropriate practices in the granting process. 
  • Ensure grants and awards adhere to donor stipulated requirements.
    

• Data Management and Community Engagement: 
  • Track and evaluate incoming applications for eligibility based on established criteria. 
  • Manage student award and grant application systems and data within grant management platforms (e.g. Smart Simple and Salesforce), ensuring all data is accurate, complete and up to date. 
  • Analyze and improve processes, procedures and enabling systems to enhance the effectiveness of award and grant management. 
  • Engage with educational institutions, community and other organizations to promote ECF’s student award and granting programs.

• Supporting Grant Programs and Community Initiatives:  
  • Contribute to other grant programs, such as the Community Grants Program, Small Grants, Young Edmonton Grants, and Youth Innovation Grants. 
  • Support the development and implementation of youth grant program(s).  
  • As part of the Grants and Community Initiatives team, review applications for various grant and award programs. 
  • Assist with Grant Program Committee meetings.
    

The Ideal Candidate 

As the ideal candidate, you will possess the following qualifications: 

• A university degree in business administration, non-profit management, social sciences or a related field.  
• A minimum of 3-5 years directly related work experience in the provision and administration of grants, grant/funding programs, program management or related areas; equivalent combinations of related post-secondary education and directly related work experience will be considered. 
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
  

Additional requirements include: 

• Strong customer service orientation.  
• Exceptional organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail. 
• Aptitude for technology with solid understanding and/or experience in the full use of databases and grant management systems (e.g. data management, report generation). 
• Experience with Salesforce and/or Smart Simple is an asset. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications. 
• High degree of initiative and ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently with little supervision. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with a proven ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders. 
• Ability to effectively and professionally present information and respond to questions from diverse individuals and/or groups with differing needs. 
• Demonstrated program management skills including effective project planning, workflow design, and regularly assessing program outcomes to identify areas for improvement. 
• Some flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required for subcommittee or community meetings. 
• Experience in a non-profit or charitable environment is an asset.
  

If you have all these qualities and are excited about the opportunity to be part of an organization that truly makes a difference, we would like to hear from you. 

What we Offer  

We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and welcome candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We also offer a competitive salary and benefits package, professional development opportunities and a supportive work environment including: 

• Salary Range: $61,000-$80,000/year.
• A 35-hour standard work week. 
• Downtown work location with free parking available. 
• Extended Health, Dental and Short/Long Term Disability Benefits, Life Insurance and a Health Spending Account. 
• A 9% contribution to our group RRSP.  
• A hybrid work environment where employees collaborate on site a minimum of 3 days per week with the flexibility to work remotely up to 2 days per week. 
• Vacation starts at three weeks per year.  
• 12 combined personal and sick days.
  

How to Apply 

We’re excited to partner with Involvi Human Resources! This Edmonton-based firm is assisting us in our search for top talent.  To apply, send your cover letter and resume to Recruitment@involvi.ca. 

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.  We are eager to fill this role and our review of applications will begin November 24, 2024. Apply now to get the jump on a new career!