Grants Manager 

Harold Washington College

City Colleges of Chicago’s vision is to be recognized as the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity – empowering all Chicagoans to take part in building a stronger and more just city. The community college system’s more than 3,500 faculty and staff serve more than 60,000 students annually at seven colleges and five satellite sites.

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.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Reporting to the Director - Grants Management, a Grants Manager in the Institutional Resource Development (IRD) Department leads and manages the development, preparation, and submission of competitive proposals for the successful acquisition of grants and funding of district-wide projects. Supports the work of grants development teams including grant writers.

A Grants Manager also provides guidance and direction to Principal Investigators (PIs), Program Directors, and other staff at the colleges through the post-award process including budget setup, implementation, reporting, and closeout to ensure funded projects/programs are effectively administered and in compliance with grant requirements. Performs related duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Manages the pre- and post-award grant lifecycle for multiple district-wide grant opportunities and awards.
• Works collaboratively with various CCC stakeholders in researching and identifying grant opportunities (federal, state, local and other) that align with CCC’s strategic priorities and initiatives.
• Communicates information on grant funding prospects and submission deadlines for proposals to appropriate parties.
• Leads and manages work groups in the development of district-wide grant applications according to Request for Proposal (RFPs) and funder requirements.
• Supports and participates in the development of grant proposals, partnering with Grant Writers in creating, reviewing, and editing content and narratives for competitive proposals.
• Oversees the external grant writer consultants and expenditures in accordance with department budget and contract guidelines.
• Provides ongoing support and guidance to PIs, co-PIs, Program Directors, and college teams to ensure proper grant implementation, reporting requirements, and close-out within grantors’ deadlines.
• Assists with analyzing, interpreting, and applying federal, state, and local government statutes, OMB Guidance, CFR, private funders’ requirements, and other regulations for grant administration.
• Works closely with the finance team and Business Managers to support Principal Investigators on grant budget load, spenddown, modification requests, and other grant-related financial matters.
• Manages the execution of sub-awards, sponsoring consulting agreements, and subaward amendments.
• Maintains up-to-date and accurate electronic records and files of grants, contracts, and correspondence using Excel, PeopleSoft, and related systems.
• Assists in the preparation of the monthly Resource Development Report for the City Colleges of Chicago Board of Trustees.
• Participates in weekly team meetings and prepares reports summarizing status of proposal submissions, awards, and progress toward goals and objectives.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports To Director-Grants Management

Direct Supervision None

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Education, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred
• Four (4) years of work experience in educational research, proposal development, or grant management
• Preference given to candidates with a body of work that demonstrates the securing of significant funds for organizations/foundations
• Grants Professional Certification (GPC) or similar credential, such as PMP, highly desirable
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience implementing projects in a complex organization
• Knowledge of general accounting structures for grants
• Good understanding of public (i.e., city, state, and federal level) funding sources and the private philanthropic community
• Knowledge of evaluation and research methodology
• Understanding of post-secondary education, equity, community issues a plus
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and group communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently

• Ability to work within a culturally diverse environment

• Proficiency in the use of PeopleSoft and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)

We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Chicago residency is required for all full-time employees within 6 months of hire.

Thank you for your interest in CCC!