POSITION TITLE: Grants Manager

LOCATION: USA - working in Eastern time zone

PROGRAM: Development

SALARY RANGE: $81,000 - 100,000 USD (depending on qualifications)

SUPERVISOR: Vice President

DEADLINE: Rolling, with first review on January 16



SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) uses the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. The Grants Manager is a critical member of CIEL’s development team, which is accountable for ensuring CIEL has the resources to deliver high-impact campaigns that protect people and the planet. In support of this mission, the Grants Manager is responsible for actively managing a robust (primarily foundation-based) grant portfolio. This includes: project management of deadlines and deliverables for 45+ foundations, lateral and upward management of program staff around grant deadlines and deliverables, and tracking and organizing foundation stewardship. This is a project- and people- management role that is responsible not only for tracking progress against, but also driving, outcomes. 

The Grants Manager supervises the Senior Grant Writer to ensure high quality, accurate, and persuasive proposals and reports are internally reviewed and submitted on time, and that all foundation requirements are met, including compliance with all funder regulations, policies, and procedures, as well as those of CIEL. In collaboration with the finance department, the Manager will track progress against grant deliverables, monitor budgets and analyze financial data to ensure we are on track. 

The Grants Manager will work across programs and leadership to develop strategies to improve the grant administration processes. The successful Grants Manager will be detail-oriented, highly organized, a systems-thinker, and a strong project manager. They will need to be adept at working with a variety of people who are themselves juggling multiple deadlines, and work with staff to establish timelines and expectations for input. This is a great position for someone who loves creating systems to keep many people on track and uses horizontal and upward management to achieve a common goal. They will be accountable for navigating a complex workload, keeping many projects moving at once, and managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities while meeting firm deadlines. This position will require excellent organization, adept management skills, a keen eye for accuracy, and deep commitment to CIEL’s mission, values, and goals. This Grants Manager is a full-time, exempt position and reports to the Vice President (Director of Development).


RESPONSIBILITIES:
Portfolio Management (55%)

  • Actively manage CIEL’s diverse and growing foundation portfolio (currently around 50 funders at $8 million annually) to ensure timely submission of proposal, renewal, and reporting requirements for current and potential grants (both project-based and general support), and drive sustainable, multi-year grant revenue to support CIEL’s mission
  • Develop and deploy project management systems/software and other tools to: monitor all active grants and their related deadlines/requirements, track foundation correspondence and outstanding queries, and ensure relevant staff are aware of key interactions, deadlines, or background information
  • Design and maintain a grant deliverable tracking system to monitor progress and implement learnings 
  • Use matrixed and lateral management to work with staff, over whom there is no direct supervisory authority, to deliver materials on deadline and achieve grant outcomes 
  • Innovate and implement processes and procedures that improve the efficiency of the grants team and its interactions with the rest of the organization.
  • Ensure all grant submissions are in compliance with internal procedures and donor regulations. 
  • Meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, and ensure high-quality work products related to grants. 
  • Collaborate with relevant staff to navigate review loops, secure necessary sign offs, and deliver high-quality, timely final products to relevant entities.
  • As needed, serve as copyeditor or draft materials directly.

Grant Tracking (25%)

  • Strengthen and sustain project management system to enable real-time updates on progress made towards grant deliverables
  • Work with the finance department to submit accurate budgets.
  • Track grant spenddown and proactively communicate divergences to VP and Directors to realign work as necessary.


Management (15%)

  • Provide day-to-day supervision, management, and ongoing feedback for relevant staff and consultants
  • Work with Vice President and Program Leadership to develop and monitor work plans and budgets in line with both short-term and long-term goals


Administration (5%)

  • Maintain timesheets and submit them on time.
  • Meet periodically as requested, with supervisor and other team members.
  • Participate in weekly staff and team meetings and other organizational activities, including an annual staff performance evaluation.


QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualifications:

  • At least 5 years of professional experience in a fundraising/grants management role, with at least 3 years in a project management role and/or managing people
  • Proven experience managing a portfolio of grants with competing deadlines
  • Prior experience in a non-profit setting
  • Excellent project management skills; ability to manage complex processes simultaneously 
  • Highly detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to follow detailed instructions and requirements
  • Ability to understand grant budgets and organizational budgets.
  • Ability to prioritize projects with various deadlines and requirements and ensure high-quality work product.
  • Experience working across diverse teams and adapting schedules/priorities in real-time to address competing deadlines
  • Ability to work and communicate effectively with people of different backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles, 
  • Prior experience using matrixed management to achieve results from people for which there is no direct supervisory role
  • Ability to identify a problem, investigate independently to propose a solution, and know when to ask for help.
  • Affinity for feedback, both in converting received feedback into constructive changes and opportunities for learning, and in providing feedback to strengthen work products and processes.
  • Comfort leading meetings to align around processes and expectations going forward.


Desired Qualifications:

  • Experience in an international organization.
  • Excellent English writing skills; ability to write compellingly about technical subjects and copyedit.
  • Experience with Google Suite (including Docs and Sheets) and Asana.
  • Project management experience.

A successful candidate will demonstrate the following competencies: 

  • Action-Oriented: Makes things happen. Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of curiosity, proactivity, and constructiveness.
  • Nimble Learning: Approaches unfamiliar tasks proactively and with an open mind. Can quickly adapt to new situations and to draw on past successes and failures to solve current problems.  
  • Effective Communication: Understands the value of effective communication. Can deliver messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner. Actively listens, checks for understanding, and adjusts content and style to meet the needs of different stakeholders.  
  • Collaborates: Brings people together to leverage their skills, talents, and knowledge to achieve a common purpose. Creates synergy resulting in a combined effort with greater results than what can be achieved by individuals.  
  • Resourcefulness: Is able to make the best of limited resources and find a way to get things done even when the odds are against them.  Can look beyond the obvious for viable approaches to accomplish the goal. 

Location note: This position may be eligible to work from the following locations:

  • Remotely from the US, provided your work schedule aligns with US East Coast time. You must have obtained your own legal authorization to work and live in the US. Some jurisdictions may be excluded based on CIEL’s ability to hire in those jurisdictions.
  • In our Washington, DC, USA office, provided you have obtained your own legal work authorization (CIEL cannot sponsor work visas). A moving stipend is available.

This is a full-time, exempt position. If you are selected for this position and elect to work remotely, you are expected to provide your own space from which to work. CIEL will contribute a one-time stipend of USD $750 for fully remote workers, with an additional USD $250 per year for the purposes of maintaining your remote work space.

CIEL offers a strong benefits package including employer-subsidized health, dental, and vision; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; a 5% contribution of gross annual salary into a 403(b) retirement account; a relocation stipend; dedicated professional development funding; and paid sabbatical leave after 7 years. CIEL is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in the US, and full-time employees qualify for the US Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Application instructions: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; the first application review will take place on January 16. Desired start date: As soon as able; no later than March 11. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and at least one relevant writing sample. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls, please. Note that CIEL does not sponsor visas of any kind. You must have prior authorization to work in the United States in order to be considered for this position.

Anonymous Demographic Survey: Please complete this anonymous demographic survey as part of your application to CIEL. The survey will only be used to help us evaluate our efforts to recruit a diverse pool of candidates. Your answers will not in any way be linked to your application, and the answers to the survey will not be handled by anyone on the hiring committee for the role.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with CIEL’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, CIEL requires candidates to furnish proof of full COVID vaccination status in order to be hired for this position.

About CIEL: For 30 years, CIEL has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. CIEL’s dynamic team of international attorneys and experts work together in a collaborative and supportive work environment to tackle some of the most interesting and challenging issues facing people and the planet. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, actively committed to the principles of multiculturalism and building an organization that is as diverse as the communities we serve around the world. We know that diversity and inclusion make us stronger, and we actively encourage qualified applicants with various backgrounds, identities, perspectives, and (dis)abilities to apply. If you need an accommodation or assistance with this application, please contact Human Resources at jobs[at]ciel.org. 

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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.