POSITION: Director, Foundation Relations and Grants
DEPARTMENT: External Relations
REPORTS TO: Vice President, External Relations
SUMMARY
The Director, Foundation Relations and Grants, manages all Chicago Council relationships with foundation constituents and oversees all Council grants from the proposal development stage to reporting on how grants were used. The Director manages a $3 million yearly grant portfolio, representing approximately a third of the Council’s annual revenues. Reporting to the Vice President, External Relations, the position works closely with the President, Vice President of Studies, Executive Director of Global Agriculture and Food, and other Council staff who are responsible for grant-funded projects and programs.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Conduct in-depth research to identify potential sources of grants from foundations, corporations, and other institutional sources of funding; analyze each grantor’s program interests, grant procedures, and past charitable donations
• Through in-depth research and/or personal knowledge of grant making organizations, assist the President, vice presidents, and program staff in developing connections with varying sources of funding
• Draft proposals and all supporting materials for each grant application, working in close cooperation with the President, vice presidents, and other key staff responsible for the specific grant-funded programs or projects; advise staff on the grant requirements, collect information, and create documents needed for each proposal, such as institutional background, Council financial statements, etc.
• Draft budgets for new Council projects and work collaboratively with the finance department, senior management, and project directors to monitor project budgets to meet reporting requirements
• Build and maintain relationships with grantor agency/foundation program officers, executives, and other individuals who can help the Council achieve success in grant proposal submissions; work closely with program staff to keep foundation program officers apprised of Council progress
• Manage a $3 million yearly grant portfolio including seven-figure multiyear grants; manage relationship with 25 active funders including several key contacts within each foundation and multiple prospective funders
• Monitor grant reporting deadlines and work closely with program officers and senior management to ensure that reporting requirements are met in a timely basis, in full compliance with the foundation’s reporting standards
• Independently draft grant reports for submission and work collaboratively with the senior management and project directors to gather all supporting information required
• Maintain accurate, centralized records in the master database and in hardcopy files on the Council’s
relationships with all foundations and other grantors, including application guidelines, grant proposals/applications, signed contracts, and other items related to securing and reporting on each grant
• Work closely with finance department and external relations colleagues to ensure grant agreements, acknowledgements, and grant payments are processed and moved through the system in a timely fashion
• Perform other projects as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; master’s or advanced degree preferred
• Minimum of five years’ experience in grant writing, research, coordination, and preparation
• Experience developing complex, six- and seven-figure, multiyear grant proposals preferred
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Expertise in Internet research, specifically gathering and analyzing foundation grant programs, areas of concentration, and grant guidelines/requirements
• Strong background working with computers and donor databases; experience with iMIS desirable; proficiency required in the use of MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Self-motivated, disciplined and highly organized
• Must perform well under pressure and be able to complete multiple projects concurrently
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a team environment
• An interest in and knowledge of international relations and global issues is highly desirable
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, founded in 1922 as The Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, is a leading independent, nonpartisan organization committed to influencing the discourse on global issues through contributions to opinion and policy formation, leadership dialogue, and public learning. The Chicago Council brings the world to Chicago by hosting public programs and private events featuring world leaders and experts with diverse views on a wide range of global topics. Through task forces, conferences, studies, and leadership dialogue, the Council brings Chicago’s ideas and opinions to the world. Learn more at www.thechicagocouncil.org.
TO APPLY
Please email a cover letter and résumé as Word documents to hr
thechicagocouncil.org. You can also apply via the Council’s website at www.thechicagocouncil.org in the Career Opportunities section. EOE