Dir-Grants Administration (SIP Grant)

DIRECTOR - GRANTS ADMINISTRATION (SIP GRANT)

WILBUR WRIGHT COLLEGE 

Since 1911, City Colleges of Chicago has been connecting students from across Chicago’s neighborhoods to economic opportunity. By offering a quality education at an unprecedented value, City Colleges provides our students and alumni with a pathway to upward mobility. City Colleges of Chicago is the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity—empowering its students to take part in building a stronger and more just city. As Illinois’ largest community college system, City Colleges is comprised of seven colleges and five satellite sites across Chicago.

Wright College was awarded the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) Grant on behalf of the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) and its seven community colleges. Wright College will lead a cooperative arrangement development grant to implement districtwide reforms and improvements to transfer credit automation.

The grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant. Project ALIGN will expand capacity to serve students by modernizing transfer evaluation and articulation process through an AI-driven, SaaS Platform; increase the percentage certificate-seeking students who obtain workforce credentials in an Illinois-designated high-target industry; and maintain pilot Initiative as a self-sufficient program

This position is grant funded through September 2031.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Reporting to the Dean - Academic and Career and Technical Education Programs, the Director - Grants Administration (SIP Grant) and indirectly to the Associate Vice Chancellor- Academic Systems, Records & Policy, is responsible for the implementation, reporting and close-out of the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) Grant.

This position is responsible for the implementation stage of the grant’s lifecycle, working with key stakeholders and grant funded staff to successfully achieve the grant’s objectives, deliver the desired outcomes, and meet the administrative, financial and programmatic reporting requirements of the grant award.  

The Director-Grants Administration (SIP Grant) ensures achievement of approved project objectives related to strategic scheduling, student planning tools, and institutional practices that support student retention, academic progress, and degree completion. The Director also collaborates with District office in the districtwide coordination of grant-funded software implementation and stakeholder engagement; manages grant-funded Special Assignments and associated deliverables; directs performance monitoring, formative and summative evaluation activities, and outcome reporting; and ensures all programmatic, financial, and compliance requirements are met in accordance with federal regulations and institutional policies.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

·       Manages the post-award phase of the grant’s lifecycle, developing and implementing work plans to execute the activities and expend the funds of the project in accordance with the terms and conditions of the grant award. 

·       Advises college administrators and key stakeholders on project’s grant objectives; scope of work and established budget; staff responsible for key tasks and activities; and timeline for activities/process objectives to be completed. 

·       Directs day to day operations to ensure grant deliverables and outcomes are met, and that work is completed within the established budget and in compliance with reporting requirements, regulations and CCC’s policies and procedures. 

·       Participate in the hiring and selection of project personnel including contractual staff as budgeted within a project grant.   Establishes work standards and expectations and monitors staff performance. 

·       Manages the grant’s budget, ensuring budget is properly loaded and fund accounts set-up.  Monitors and approves budget expenditures to ensure purchases are appropriate and in compliance with grant requirements.   

·       Oversees the procurement process for the selection of vendors and service providers and the purchase of equipment and supplies, as applicable to the grant; ensures costs are allocated to appropriate grant fund accounts and purchases adhere to CCC’s procurement policies and procedures. 

·       Monitors project’s progress in meeting activities/process objectives to ensure compliance with established timeline. Oversees the implementation of data gathering and reporting structures to effectively evaluate project’s performance and success. Prepares and submits documentation for any scope or budget modifications as required. 

·       Prepares and submits timely programmatic progress and financial reports in compliance with grant requirements. Submits documentation required for closeout of grant; participates in audit activities, as appropriate. May assist in the grant’s renewal writing, if applicable.

GRANT-SPECIFIC ESSENTIAL DUTIES

·       Provides strategic oversight of the SIP Grant implementation, working in close coordination with the Project Manager-SIP to ensure grant activities, timelines, and deliverables are executed in alignment with approved objectives and the mission

·       Oversees districtwide coordination and stakeholder engagement related to transfer credit, and additional software implementation, including collaboration with institutional leadership and external partners to support consistent implementation, shared accountability, and alignment with student success goals related to retention, academic progress, and program completion.

·       Oversees grant-funded Special Assignments, ensuring appropriate allocation and compliance with grant terms while working with the Project Manager and other stakeholders to ensure the approved scope and deliverables of the assignments are met.

·       Directs grant-specific performance monitoring and evaluation, including oversight of formative and summative performance reports on strategic initiative outcomes related to the grant, analytics, and data-informed recommendations to assess progress, inform continuous improvement, and meet funder reporting expectations.

·       Provides executive-level oversight of implementation effectiveness for grant-funded tools and initiatives, including review of adoption trends and high-level recommendations to institutional leaders to support effective utilization across colleges.

·       Provides leadership in the development and maintenance of grants management handbooks, procedural manuals, and related training materials to strengthen internal controls, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote consistent districtwide practices.

·       Oversees focus groups and structured feedback processes to inform grant-related scheduling and advising analysis.

QUALIFICATIONS

·       Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in Public Administration, Business Administration, Education Administration, or a related field.

·       Five years of program or project administration work experience

·       Three or more years of professional experience working with underrepresented college populations

·       An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered at management’s discretion

·       Knowledge of federal regulations governing grant-funded programs

·       Knowledge of student development theories and academic advising practices

·       Strong understanding of program assessment and retention initiatives

·       Proven track record of collaboration, self-direction and innovation in a collegial work environment

·       Experience managing projects involving multiple stakeholders 

·       Skilled in managing budgets and tracking spenddown of grant funds

·       Experience in project or program management, preferably in higher education 

·       Demonstrated knowledge and experience implementing projects in a complex organization  

·       Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills 

·       Strong donor cultivation and relationship management skills 

·       Strong organizational and project management skills 

·       Strong problem-solving and analytical skills  

·       Ability to work effectively in a culturally diverse environment 

·       Ability to cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders 

·       Ability to handle all situations with tact, persuasiveness, and diplomacy

·       Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook) 

The intent of this job description is to provide a general description of the duties and responsibilities of this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive set of the duties and responsibilities, nor all of the necessary qualifications to perform the work.

Additional Information:

·       Salary Range: $92,866 - $100,000

·       Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as other factors such as internal equity.

·       Benefits information is found at https://www.ccc.edu/departments/Benefits/

WE OFFER: Excellent health and welfare benefit package and long-term savings and investment programs including 403(b) & 457(b) Investment Plans and a pension plan with the State University Retirement System (SURS) Plan. Generous vacation, holiday, personal and sick days, and tuition reimbursement. For a more detailed overview of benefits, please visit the benefits page of our website.

Chicago residency is required for all full-time employees within 6 months of hire. 
We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. 
Thank you for your interest in City Colleges of Chicago!

Salary : $92,866 - $100,000