Senior Manager, Grants and Contracts

Advocates For Children (AFC) is a dynamic social justice organization that strives to ensure a high-quality education for New York students who face barriers to academic success, focusing on students from low-income backgrounds. AFC works on behalf of children and youth who are at greatest risk of academic failure due to poverty, race, ethnicity, disability, homelessness, immigration status/limited English proficiency, or involvement in the child welfare or juvenile/criminal legal systems. We use uniquely integrated strategies to advance systemic reform, empower families and communities, and advocate for the educational rights of individual students. For more information on AFC, see www.advocatesforchildren.org.

JOB SUMMARY

AFC seeks a full-time Senior Manager, Grants and Contracts to become an integral member of our three-person development team as we continue to develop and enhance AFC’s fundraising capacity and grow our foundation, corporate and individual donor bases.

The Senior Manager, Grants and Contracts is responsible for managing AFC’s institutional funders portfolio for government grants, contracts and foundations. With an annual organizational budget of approximately $10M, the Senior Manager, Grants and Contracts will draft proposals and reports and manage submissions to and requests from institutional funders. Additionally, this person will identify potential funding opportunities and collaborate with the development team to respond to RFPs.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• In coordination with the Director of Development, maintain, grow and diversify AFC’s funding through strategic research of prospective funders that align with AFC’s mission;
• Develop initial drafts for proposals, applications, reports, and related materials for all government grants and some foundations. Run reports on program activities from Salesforce database and analyze data to illustrate impact for projecting and reporting;
• Utilize DonorPerfect and other appropriate systems to manage and track grant applications, submissions, deadlines, and reporting requirements, and regularly update grants calendar;
• Partner with program staff and management to ensure all application and reporting materials are ready and submitted when needed. Maintain library of grant support documents including resumes, bios, IRS forms, Board/staff lists, etc.;
• Manage online portals and submit grant applications/reports. Monitor all government channels (e.g., grants.gov, New York Statewide Financial System, Passport, G5) and all online rating agencies (e.g., GuideStar) to ensure records are current;
• Facilitate completion and submission of grant contracts/agreements;
• Work with Finance/Operations for required financial reporting, drawdowns, and reimbursements as needed;
• Assist with other aspects of development as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Understanding of and alignment with AFC’s mission. Please review AFC’s work at www.advocatesforchildren.org.
• Bachelor’s Degree;
• 8+ years of professional, institutional fundraising experience, OR any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position (required);
• Extensive experience conceiving, developing, writing, and managing grants from multiple sources, including governmental agencies at the federal (e.g., United States Department of Education), state (e.g. IOLA, New York State Unified Court System, NYSED), and city (e.g., DYCD, City Council) levels; and major foundations (required);
• Strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills and the ability to write for different audiences;
• Demonstrated ability to transform technical and legal issues into broadly engaging and informative narratives;
• Ability to manage a portfolio of funders and achieve financial results;
• Initiative and independence, combined with the ability to work as part of a small team;
• Technologically savvy, with proficiency in donor CRMs (DonorPerfect), research systems, MS Office software, and Adobe Publisher. Knowledge of Salesforce a plus;
• Experience researching government and foundation funding opportunities;
• Excellent project management skills, attention to detail and organizational skills;
• Ability to meet deadlines and maintain timelines.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Along with a resume, candidates must submit a cover letter that addresses the following questions:

• How has your work or personal experience prepared and motivated you to contribute to AFC’s mission of ensuring educational equity for students who face systemic barriers?
• Describe your experience managing grants from multiple sources. Please include an example of a successful grant proposal or reporting process you led.
• Describe how you have successfully worked across departments (i.e. programs and finance) to secure or manage institutional funding.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis starting January 2025. This position would start as soon as possible. Due to the high volume of applicants, only complete applications from qualified candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.

COMPENSATION

• This is a full-time position, with a salary in the range of $89,116 $

110,000, depending on experience, and includes a comprehensive benefits package.

This position is expected to work at least 2 days a week in the office and remotely on the remaining days.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AFC’s current compensation package includes medical and dental insurance, with a plan option that covers full payment of medical plan premiums for staff and their qualified dependents. AFC has generous time-off policies that include 10 federal holidays, office closure between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and 15 vacation days and 15 paid time off days in the first year of employment. AFC also currently offers a 403(b) plan with a fully vested employer match and coverage of the premium cost of life insurance, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance.

Due to a high volume of applicants, only complete applications from qualified candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.

AFC is an affirmative action employer that actively seeks to recruit and retain a diverse staff and especially encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, parents of persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or gender expressions and persons of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. AFC is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability or other protected characteristic. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. To request accommodations, please email HR@advocatesforchildren.org.