Director of Grantmaking

Job Title: Director of Grantmaking

Reports to: Chief Program Officer

Date: November 15, 2025

Organization

Rasmuson Foundation is a private family philanthropy that works to empower Alaskans to help each other. The Foundation invests, connects, and convenes Alaskans while awarding grants to Alaska-based nonprofits, Tribes, and other government entities. The Foundation seeks staff members who are mission-oriented, provide diverse perspectives, and share the organization’s values of celebration, collaboration, community, respect, innovation, responsibility, and partnership.

Summary

The Director of Grantmaking provides strategic and operational leadership to advance the Foundation’s mission. This role oversees Foundation grant programs and ensures all grantmaking activities align with the Foundation’s mission, vision, and values. This role oversees the full lifecycle of grants, from development and applicant engagement to due diligence, award, monitoring, and close-out. This position collaborates with staff to achieve goals, is committed to fostering collaboration and uplifting grant recipients, and is grounded in kindness, respect, grace, and humility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervise grantmaking staff, providing coaching, feedback, and professional development pathways.
• Cultivate a positive culture of learning, collaboration, and community-respectful practice.
• Provide leadership and direction for assigned grant programs, ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s grantmaking approach, priorities, and organizational values.
• Train team members on grantmaking processes, ensuring effective use.
• Continuously improve grantmaking processes for efficiency, equity, and grantee-friendliness.
• Grant portfolio oversight, including reviewing letters of inquiry, assigning proposals, coordinating peer review, making recommendations, and preparing board dockets.
• Identify and address potential financial, operational, or reputational risks in proposals and grantees.
• Ensure compliance with IRS regulations, legal requirements, foundation policies, and best practices.
• Responsible for preparing concise, high-quality board materials: presentations, memos, reports, and grant recommendations.
• Maintain high-quality documentation, clear decision-making pathways, and accurate grant records.
• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with community leaders, gain a deep understanding of community priorities, and connect the Foundation with external funders and strategic partners.
• Represent the Foundation on national, regional, and local boards, affinity groups, and committees related to the Foundation’s work and to other funders and affinity groups.

Qualifications

• Alignment with the Foundation's mission, vision, values, and grantmaking approach.
• Minimum of 10 years of increasingly responsible work experience in non-profit, government, or tribal leadership. Minimum of three years of direct people management experience.
• Results in directing and managing grants.
• Experience in partnering closely with partners.
• Must have the ability to build consensus in groups with diverse priorities, and strong written and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge of nonprofits, Alaska, and the philanthropic sector preferred.
• A valid driver’s license and insurance.
• Occasional travel will be necessary.

Educational Requirements

• Master's degree preferred. Experience can substitute.

Position Competencies

• Knowledge of the full grant lifecycle, including sourcing, due diligence, financial review, recommendations, structuring awards, monitoring, and close-out.
• Ability to assess organizational health, project feasibility, and risk.
• Familiarity with IRS regulations, private foundation rules, and best practices in ethical grantmaking.
• Demonstrated project management skills, experience with the Microsoft Office suite, and comfort working with or learning a grant management software system.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Self-motivated, strong organizational skills, ability to manage several projects at once.
• Clear, concise written and verbal communication.
• Sound judgment and decision making.

Leadership Competencies

• A service orientation.
• A commitment to enabling individual and team success.
• Proven ability to influence vertically and horizontally.
• Role models ethics and professionalism.
• Strong listening skills, demonstrated through problem-solving, systems awareness, and applicable solutions.
• Coaches and develops both direct reports and the broader team.

Compensation

• Job Classification: Salaried, Overtime Exempt
• Pay Range: $138,091 - $207,136