Assoc Dir, Grant/Contract Assoc Dir, Grant/Contract

Department 00019 – Undergraduate Studies Job Summary

The Undergraduate Studies / Student Success Grant Writer will play a pivotal role in securing funding to support programs within Undergraduate Studies and its partnership with the University Innovation Alliance (UIA). This position is responsible for generating high-quality proposals, narratives, applications, and supporting documents in response to a variety of solicitations, including philanthropic, federal, and state opportunities. The Grant Writer will work closely with the Director of Strategic Initiatives, the Vice Provost of Student Success, and key faculty and staff to gather ideas and perspectives, crafting compelling and competitive grant applications and contracts.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in fundraising and grant writing, with the ability to create multisectoral and multidisciplinary proposals. They will be skilled at distilling complex information from diverse sources into clear, persuasive proposals and will manage the grant submission process from concept to completion. This role requires excellent research skills, strong writing and editing abilities, and the capacity to meet tight deadlines while coordinating with various stakeholders across the university.

Responsibilities

• Write and prepare grant proposals, narratives, and supporting documents to secure funding from philanthropic, federal, state, and other sources.
• Collaborate with the Director of Strategic Initiatives, Dean, Senior Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, and key faculty leaders to gather ideas and perspectives for grant development.
• Develop and implement strategies for soliciting large-scale funding from relevant organizations and individuals.
• Curate content and collect information from diverse campus leaders to draft and edit proposals, case statements, and other fundraising materials.
• Research and distill information from public resources, technical documents, and other sources to create cohesive and compelling proposals.
• Manage the grant development process, ensuring timely submission and approval of proposals and other fundraising documents.
• Support project personnel in writing progress reports for grants and contracts to ensure timely and accurate reporting to funders.
• Create and maintain communication support materials, including templates and boilerplate language for fundraising efforts.
• Identify new government, corporate, foundation, and private funding prospects that align with Undergraduate Studies priorities.
• Attend team meetings, strategic convenings, and participate in discussions with program officers and donors as needed.
• Stay informed of emerging funding opportunities and execute on them in a timely and strategic manner.

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s Degree + two years of related experience or Bachelor’s degree + six years of related experience or 14 years of related experience or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience).

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Preferences

• Experience in developing and managing multi-partner interdisciplinary proposals for philanthropic support.
• Experience supporting multi-step projects and in meeting multiple overlapping deadlines.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and ability to speak to and work with people from a wide range of disciplines, as well as individuals from the Dean/Director level to new students and staff.
• Strong demonstrated writing skills and ability to distill and communicate complex concepts and documents.
• Demonstrated ability to craft compelling proposals for large-scale projects aimed at various sponsors, including federal and state agencies, industry partners, private foundations and others.
• Skills to work in a team environment and on projects that involve input and feedback from multiple stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and different disciplinary languages.
• Familiarity with academic, scientific, and/or technical subjects and a demonstrated ability to translate these into persuasive proposals and cases for support.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of writing major contracts and grant proposals.
• Proficient in interpreting guidelines and manipulating, analyzing, and interpreting data.
• Excellent written and verbal skills.
• Proposal development and reporting for both private and public grants.
• Demonstrated ability to conceive and write creatively for a wide variety of audiences.
• Familiarity with visual storytelling and/or design best practices.
• Ability to work in partnership with others in a collaborative or advisory role.
• Experience developing, managing, and implementing goals, plans, and complex processes.
• Expert knowledge of current and evolving communications trends, preferably in higher education.
• Superior planning and problem-solving skills.

Additional Information

The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801) 366-7770 or (800) 695-4877 or University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and patients from all backgrounds and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education and quality healthcare for historically underrepresented students and patients.

All qualified individuals are strongly encouraged to apply. Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

The University of Utah is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.

To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (OEO/AA). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at: https://www.utah.edu/nondiscrimination/

Online reports may be submitted at oeo.utah.edu

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