"Student Funding Officer (Mastercard Foundation Scholarships)"

Student Funding Officer (Mastercard Foundation Scholarships)

Location: University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JD

Salary: £35,681 - £41,636 per annum

Contract: Full Time, Fixed-Term Contract (to 31st July 2029)

About Us

Spanning the historic streets of the “city of dreaming spires”, the University of Oxford has been ranked the world’s leading university for ten consecutive years. A place where centuries of tradition meet world-changing innovation, we offer you the chance to shape the future while working in an inspiring environment that promotes excellence. Here, you’ll contribute to ground-breaking research that tackles global challenges - from advancing sustainability to pioneering healthcare solutions - and join a diverse, inclusive community that champions your wellbeing, development, and aspirations. Apply now to become part of our extraordinary legacy.

The provision of scholarships for postgraduate students is an area of crucial importance for the University. The Student Fees and Funding (SFF) office assists in this by managing scholarship programmes and supporting other funding providers (such as colleges, academic departments, and external partners). SFF currently manages over 210 University scholarship programmes for 1,700 students, worth over £62m per year. SFF’s scholarships team is a friendly and supportive group, which is currently growing from 12 to 14 people. The size and experience of the team helps us to ensure new team members can settle in quickly and thrive in their new role.

You also will work closely with the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx), a cross-university platform based at the University of Oxford with the aim of facilitating equitable and sustainable collaborations between researchers based at the University of Oxford and African universities, as well as increasing the number of African students pursuing postgraduate degrees in Oxford.

What We Offer

Working at the University of Oxford offers several exclusive benefits, such as:

• 38 days of annual leave (inclusive of public holidays) to support your wellbeing, with the option to purchase up to 10 extra days and additional leave after long service.
• One of the most generous family leave schemes in UK higher education, offering up to 26 weeks of full-pay maternity and adoption leave, plus 12 weeks of full-pay paternity/partner leave.
• A commitment to hybrid and flexible working to suit your lifestyle.
• An excellent contributory pension scheme.
• Affordable and sustainable commuting options, including a cycle loan scheme, discounted bus travel, and season ticket loans.
• Access to a vibrant community through our social, cultural, and sports clubs.

About the Role

This is an interesting and varied post, working closely with AfOx on the Mastercard Foundation Scholarships, as well as taking the lead on a number of other scholarships. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is an innovative and ambitious partnership, which supports passionate, locally rooted and globally minded African young people to undertake graduate studies at the University of Oxford. In particular, this work focuses on the annual selection process to award funding to new students, and to support them once they are on course.

You will also work as part of SFF’s scholarships finance team on the financial administration of a wider portfolio of scholarships.

While we are ideally looking for someone who meets the selection criteria, we are also committed to offering development opportunities. Therefore, if you don’t tick all the boxes but have transferrable skills, and are motivated to develop and work with us, then we would welcome an application from you.

About You

You will need to be innovative, well-organised, meticulous, and able to establish good working relationships with our partners. You will draw on your numeracy and IT skills, pro-actively improving the administration of your scholarships and enabling them to keep on making a positive difference to our students’ lives.

Application Process

To apply, please upload:

• A covering letter/supporting statement, saying how you meet the criteria for the role and your motivation for applying for this role
• Your CV
• The details of two referees

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday 9th March. Interviews will take place on Monday 30th March, and will be held in person at the University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford.