Manager, Grant Relations

ABOUT UNITED WAY

United Way of Massachusetts Bay exists to build more equitable communities, together. With 90 years of local impact in eastern Massachusetts, we work with and for our communities to build economic prosperity and enable everyone-across races and ethnicities-to share in the knowledge, wealth and resources available. We believe that the key to unlocking opportunity is uniting people, and we bring together individuals, community leaders, corporate partners, legislators and organizations to build a powerful engine of change.

We target efforts in the following areas: (1) quality, affordable childcare and out-of-school time care, (2) educational and career pathways for youth and young adults, (3) safe and stable housing, and (4) wealth building and financial inclusion. United Way currently invests over $45 million annually in a portfolio of over 300 community-based organizations. It spearheads public policy initiatives tackling the most pressing community issues, making a direct and sustained difference in the lives of individuals.

We offer excellent benefits including a BCBS PPO plan, dental, a 401k retirement savings with company match and a discretionary employer base contribution, a generous PTO policy which includes extended holiday time and summer hours.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Manager of Grant Relations will partner with the Senior Vice President of Grant Relations and a team of two other staff to help nurture and grow investments in United Way's work and increase its impact in the region. The grants team sits within a larger development department. This is an outstanding career opportunity for a professional to manage a growing portfolio of funders and to help build our impact strategy to advance economic justice across race and ethnicity.

The successful candidate will be skilled at cultivating relationships to help build a pipeline of grant opportunities, as well as internal relationships across all departments in the organization. They will collaborate on the development and execution of a grant funding strategic plan and milestones; steward and cultivate existing and prospective funders; and co-create proposals with United Way staff. The Manager will possess or be able to develop broad content expertise in the United Way's five pillars of focus - Safe and Stable Housing, Economic Inclusion and Wealth Building, Early Education and Out-Of-School Time, Pathways for Young Adults and Community-centered Crisis Response.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. Help Execute Grant Fundraising Plan

• Collaborate with SVP of Grant Relations to execute annual and multi-year grant funding plan. Manage a portfolio of current and prospective funders, advance priority projects, and strengthen the proposal pipeline to increase grant revenue. Be accountable for progress against goals including all project management of grant lifecycle. Build close partnerships with Community Impact, Development, and Finance departments to help create successful proposals and steward relationships with funders.

2. Proposal Creation

• Write compelling proposals and provide guidance to other writers across the organization as to the focus for a particular grant opportunity. Have or be prepared to develop broad content expertise in the areas of United Way's five pillars of focus, as well as the ability to create and co-create new concepts for funding. Must have excellent writing skills and the ability to provide constructive editorial feedback on grant content created by other members of the team.

3. Funder Stewardship

• Steward existing donors to retain grant funding relationships and acquire new grant funding relationships in order to meet revenue goals. Responsible for providing relationship management and stewardship for a portfolio of grant funders with a goal of maintaining and potentially growing these relationships. Have and be able to build a network of relationships in the funder community that can lead to grant opportunities, along with those that may take longer to cultivate. This will require frequent meetings, phone calls and emails, and might include occasional travel.

4. Prospect Cultivation

• Research prospects and actively review calls for proposals/RFPs to identify new opportunities to submit proposals. Along with other staff, identify and screen appropriate state, federal and private funding opportunities through which United Way may receive funds. Review "Requests for Proposals", newsletters and other periodicals and online sources for potential funding opportunities that align with our development goals. Stay informed of significant trends in government, foundation and corporate funding for human service agencies. Requires creativity and strategic thinking to identify possible opportunities and determine strategic fit between these funders and our work.

5. Work collaboratively with other Departments

• Maintain an excellent working relationship with the Grant Finance, Development, and Community Impact program staff in order to build a strong relationships. Establish and maintain ongoing and current knowledge of United Way impact areas, goals, and organizational wide strategies.

6. Other duties as assigned by supervisor

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree preferred and a minimum of 3 years of experience in grants development with knowledge of the mechanics of grant proposal submission, implementation, reporting and stewardship.
• Demonstrated track record of securing and managing grants. Experience securing and implementing state and/or federal government grants preferred.
• Creative and organized with exceptional project and time management, multi-tasking skills, and follow-up skills to ensure successful and timely completion of projects.
• Excellent writing, editing, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills, with an emphasis on the ability to persuade and influence others around ideas, decisions, and financial support
• Excellent interpersonal skills and relationship-building skills; ability and willingness to work as part of a team and with staff at all levels.
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Community-Centric Fundraising principles, and to the vision of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay.
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule- currently a minimum of 1 day in the office per week, to increase to a minimum of 2 days per week effective 1/1/26. Additional in-person work may be required based on the needs of the position, and the hybrid work policy is subject to change based on the needs of the organization.

United Way of Massachusetts Bay is committed to hiring individuals who reflect the diversity of our communities.