Director, Grants Development and Operations bei Gateway Technical College (WI), WI

About the Department

The Director of Grants Development and Operations is responsible for identifying and securing grant funding to support the college's strategic goals and programs, as well as managing the college’s grants portfolio. This position works collaboratively with staff throughout the college and carries out a wide range of both pre-award and post-award activities, from researching funding opportunities and writing grant proposals to monitoring compliance with funding agency requirements. 

This position reports to the CFO/Vice President of Finance and Administration and has supervisory responsibility for pre and post award staff.

Position Duties

Grant Development:

• Lead grant planning: Establish a comprehensive plan for seeking, securing, and managing grant funding, aligning with the college's strategic goals. 

• Research and identify potential funding sources: Actively seek and evaluate grant opportunities from federal, state, local, and private funders that align with the college's needs and priorities, and make recommendations on grants to pursue.

• Lead the grant application development process: Work collaboratively with staff and partners to develop high-quality, competitive grant applications. Provide guidance to staff pertaining to grant strategies that will increase competitiveness. Establish project timelines and ensure that grant deadlines are met.

• Write and submit grant proposals and other grant related documents:   Collaborate with faculty, staff, and administrators to develop and submit comprehensive grant applications and related documentation, including narratives, evaluations, and other required materials. Support cross-functional teams in aligning proposals with institutional priorities. Serve as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) for the college, coordinating the submission of applications, reports, and modifications in partnership with relevant departments.

Grant Management:

• Provide post-award support to grant project managers: Advise grant project managers regarding accepting and negotiating new grant awards and effective start up. Monitor the progress of awarded grants, assisting faculty and staff by providing guidance on reporting requirements and compliance, and serve as a liaison between grant managers and funders as needed.

• Monitor grant compliance: Establish guidelines and resources to aid in the effective administration of grant awards, focusing on mitigating risk and maintaining regulatory compliance. Manage systems for grant tracking and reporting.
  

• Manage the grants workflow: Organize, plan, and prioritize the work of the Grants Office in accordance with best practices in grants administration. Identify and engage independent grant professionals or firms as needed, overseeing their work and serving as the primary point of contact.

• Oversee grant accounting:  Lead budget development, financial tracking, and reporting in compliance with funder requirements.  Collaborate with the grants team to ensure accurate accounting of grant expenditures.
  

• Develop and maintain systems and processes: Establish and maintain effective systems for managing grant development and administration. 

• Train staff: Provide training and education to faculty and staff on grant development, management, and compliance. 

• Work collaboratively: Work collaboratively with the Business Office, Talent & Culture, and grant project managers to resolve grant issues and maintain compliance.

• Regularly review and optimize processes to eliminate redundancy and enhance overall efficiency.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree

• Five years of work experience in grant development

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated success in full-cycle grant management, including securing significant funding from public and/or private sources. 

• Proven ability to develop and implement grant-seeking strategies aligned with organizational goals.

• Expertise in drafting complex grant proposals, often in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

• Strong writing, communication, and organizational skills, with an emphasis on clarity and persuasiveness in grant narratives.

• Proficient in managing a diverse grant portfolio, including funder relationships, reporting, and compliance with regulatory and contractual requirements.

• In-depth knowledge of grant proposal development principles, grant management best practices, and federal/state compliance regulations.

• Skilled in conducting research and literature reviews to support competitive proposal development.

• Excellent project management capabilities, with the ability to lead teams, manage multiple deadlines, and adapt to shifting priorities.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including interpreting and applying complex policies and regulations.

• Technologically adept, with experience using AI tools, grant submission platforms (e.g., Grants.gov), and productivity software such as spreadsheets, word processing, and file management systems

Other Qualifications

DIVISION/LOCATION:  Business Office/Kenosha  
COMP GRADE:  30
FLSA DESIGNATION:  Exempt
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available.  
• Employment is contingent upon an acceptable background
• Flexibility is needed to accommodate day, evening and weekend student & business needs   

Gateway will not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, student, or applicant for admission based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, creed, religion, political affiliation, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, disability, age, membership in any reserve component of the armed forces, union affiliation, arrest and conviction record, or any other protected category under applicable local, state or federal law.