Scholarship Program Manager

JCC Chicago is seeking a dedicated and service-oriented Scholarship Program Manager to support the organization’s commitment to placing community members at the heart of its mission. This role is responsible for managing the agency’s Fee Assistance program, including oversight of financial aid solutions such as Illinois Action for Children and other subsidy resources. The Scholarship Program Manager plays a critical role in delivering an exceptional customer experience aligned with JCC Chicago’s values. This individual maintains a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s services and programs, ensuring financial assistance processes are efficient, consistent, and accessible across the agency.

In collaboration with the Customer Solutions Project Manager and the Assistant Director of Customer Experience, the Scholarship Program Manager helps evaluate and enhance the agency’s customer experience strategy. This includes developing a unified, high-touch approach across all service channels—whether in person, online, or via phone.

At JCC Chicago, we are focused on growing good kids, building communities, and educating ourselves on the past to make a difference for the future. The largest JCC in North America, JCC Chicago offers a life-affirming journey that builds on the richness and power of Jewish values and continues to reimagine them for a more connected, inspired community. JCC Chicago is an equal opportunity agency that offers career opportunities, internships, and volunteer roles for all.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Work directly with fee assistance and scholarship families, guiding them through the application process and scheduling meetings for support, adjusting accounts, and updating scholarship reports accordingly.
• Schedule and coordinate scholarship and appeal meetings, preparing all cases for the fee assistance committee to review.
• Partner with Project Manager on submission of all IAFC paperwork, track and apply all subsidies to accounts, maintaining quarterly reconciliation between accounts.
• Maintain relationship with Illinois Action for Children, Child Care Aware, DCFS, and other third-party payers to grow business and create opportunity.
• Provide customers with the highest level of service via support ticket system, phone, and online chat.
• Connect with families with outstanding balances and declined payments for collection and payment plans.
• Own “One J” message, agency mission and integrates these into their daily interactions with the community members we serve.
• Provide quality of member experience for all specialty accounts, taking ownership of all Illinois Action and fee assistance families from start to finish.
• Work with finance team to maintain scholarship budgets agency wide.
• Schedule and proctor all Women’s Board appeal meetings, tracking awards and providing budget updates.
• Maintain active certifications at all locations accepting Illinois Action for Children state funding.
• Actively participate in agency events to build and strengthen collaborative relationships across agency.

Key Essential Job Duties/Physical Duties:

• Repetitive movement of arms and hands to operate computer, keyboard and mouse.
• Able to frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• React with physical and mental alertness in emergency situations and assist in evacuation of building.

Days / Hours / %Travel:

Full time, based at Bernard Weinger JCC in Northbrook, with travel between various JCC Chicago locations as necessary.

Monday – Friday | 9am – 5pm with flexibility to work one day a week remotely

Salary Range:

$57,000 - $62,000 annually (commensurate with experience)

Education Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Coursework in Business Administration, Marketing or related preferred

Other Requirements:

• Previous success within business operations and customer service roles in a highly service-oriented environment.
• Must possess strong communication skills, especially over the phone.
• Demonstrated success creating a warm, welcoming environment with a focus on providing an outstanding customer experience.
• Must have exceptional ability to maintain client confidentiality.
• Polished presence and excellent listening skills.
• High degree of proficiency using Microsoft Word, Excel, and CRM databases (Salesforce preferred) with demonstrated ability to learn other technology as needed.
• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities.
• Success working in an environment requiring strong problem solving and attention to detail.
• Previous financial background strongly preferred.
• Moderate comfort with math required.