Senior Director of Grants - San Diego, California, United States

WELCOME TO YOUR CENTER · Established as a community non-profit in 1972, The Center provides targeted programs and services to the full diversity of the San Diego LGBTQ community. The mission of The Center is to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bi ...

Job description

WELCOME TO YOUR CENTER

Established as a community non-profit in 1972, The Center provides targeted programs and services to the full diversity of the San Diego LGBTQ community. The mission of The Center is to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, nonbinary, immigrant, and HIV communities for the betterment of our entire San Diego region. Our vision is to create a Center and Center culture where every person feels and knows that they are welcomed, valued, and supported. As the beacon for our regional LGBTQ community, we actively recommit to being a more vibrant, bold, innovative, safe, and modern center each day than the day before. The Center is sex-positive and provides advocacy and critical health and social support services to support our community members through all stages of life, focusing on our deeply held values of equity, social justice, and client-centered, trauma-informed care. The Center currently has over 100 staff working at five facilities across San Diego County.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Director of Grants oversees all aspects of grant development, management, and compliance across the organization's diverse portfolio of federal, state, foundation, and private funding. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), this position plays a critical strategic role in resource development, working closely with program leadership to identify and secure funding opportunities that align with organizational priorities and community needs.

As the organization's lead grant writer, this individual will craft compelling proposals while managing comprehensive reporting requirements for all funded projects. The ideal candidate brings exceptional writing and research capabilities, demonstrated budgeting expertise, and a proven track record securing grants ranging from under $20K to $500,000+. Success in this role requires strong project management and data analysis skills, experience developing measurable outcomes and logic models, and the ability to consistently meet demanding deadlines while maintaining meticulous attention to detail.

The Senior Director will optimize grant administration processes, coordinate all reporting timelines, review proposals for quality and compliance, manage the organization's grant database (Instrumentl), and provide leadership to the grant manager and grant writer. This position is instrumental in sustaining The Center's mission by securing continuous funding streams, building strategic funder relationships, and ensuring the successful execution of programs that serve the San Diego LGBTQ+ community.

PRIMARY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Development & Writing

• Lead development of competitive grant proposals for federal agencies (CDC, SAMHSA, HRSA, HUD, NIH), state agencies (California Office of Emergency Services, CDPH), the County of San Diego, the City of San Diego, corporations, and private foundations
• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for identifying, pursuing, and securing grant funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations
• Conduct research to identify new funding opportunities aligned with organizational programs and strategic priorities
• Write and submit high-quality proposals in a timely manner, following guidelines set forth by the funder
• Write compelling narratives that integrate epidemiological data, evidence-based practices, and community needs assessments
• Develop complex budgets and budget narratives, including de minimis rate calculations and cost allocation methodologies, working with the COO and program staff to accurately reflect costs of proposed activities
• Coordinate proposal development across multiple departments, ensuring alignment with program capacity and organizational goals
• Develop and produce analytic reports that synthesize funding opportunities, insights for improved proposals, and informed decision-making.

Grant Management & Compliance

• Oversee portfolio of active grants, including HIV prevention services, Ryan White, HOPWA, HUD, SAMHSA, CDPH, Cal OES, and other smaller funders
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, county, city, corporation, and foundation reporting requirements and regulations
• Manage grant reporting timelines, coordinating with finance and program staff to submit accurate and timely reports
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all grant applications, submissions, awards, denials, and reports
• Manage the grant database (Instrument) to track grant deliverables, deadlines, and performance metrics
• Prepare regular reports on the status of grant-funded projects for internal and external audiences
• Serve as the primary point of contact and liaison with funders, contract managers, and others involved in the grant process
• Collaborate with the COO, finance, contracts, and quality assurance staff to ensure grant awards are appropriately allocated to projects and started on time

Financial Oversight

• Collaborate with the COO and the finance department on grant budget development, monitoring, and reporting
• Support financial audits related to grant funding

Corporate Strategies and Development

• Work closely with the Deputy Director of Development on a Corporate Giving strategy including: researching the company's mission, CSR goals, recent partners, and leadership to find alignment; developing materials and talking points for cultivation; identifying and applying for corporate grants in alignment with Center needs; and leveraging corporate relationships toward event sponsorships.

Strategic Leadership & Relationship Development

• Partner with executive leadership to develop multi-year funding strategies
• Provide data-driven analysis of funding trends and opportunities for The Center's largest programs
• Keep abreast of developments in the field of philanthropy and grantmaking, and share relevant information with Center leadership
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders and government agencies
• Represent the organization in collaborative grant initiatives and consortiums
• Develop partnership agreements and memoranda of understanding for collaborative grant projects
• Coordinate multi-site grant applications across partner organizations

Team Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise, mentor, and develop grant writing staff
• Review and edit grant proposals to ensure quality and compliance
• Optimize the grant administration process across the organization
• Demonstrate administrative and leadership acumen in the following areas: finance, budgeting, information systems utilization, and grievance/complaint resolution.
• Promote the agency's Welcoming Culture in all program interactions, processes, and functions
• Supervise/mentor all assigned staff, teams, and departments
• Provide guidance/direction in the development and execution of any work plans and projects
• Complete annual evaluation of direct reports
• Provide guidance/direction for career planning, performance challenges, and evaluations

Required Qualifications:

• Education/Experience: 5-7 years of grant writing within a non-profit, social justice environment
• Leadership: 3-5 years of team leadership.
• Other Skills: Knowledge of and experience with the LGBTQ+ community; Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and formulas necessary for creating a budget and reporting; Proficiency with creating and using logic models and SMARTIE goals.
• Technology Skills: Intermediate skills in MS Office Suite.
• Language Skills: Fluency in English.

preferred QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education/Experience: 7-10 years of grant writing within a non-profit, social justice environment
• Leadership: 5-7 years of team leadership.
• Education: Degree in the nonprofit social work field.
• Language: Spanish
• Other Skills: Proficiency with , eRA Commons, and Grant Hub.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

• Compensation: The pay range for this position is $95,000 - $105,000 per year, and is commensurate with experience. This is a Full-Time Regular Exempt position.
• Benefits: The CENTER offers a robust benefits package, inclusive of Competitive Pay Scales, 401(k) Retirement Plan (with company match), Full Medical, Dental, Vision, and Chiropractic Health Coverage, Out-of-Pocket Optional Coverage for Spouses, Domestic Partners, and Dependent Children, Full-time and Part-Time Schedules, Generous Vacation and Holiday Benefits, Professional Training & Development Experiences, Opportunities for Promotion & Advancement

Please review the current job openings by clicking the button below. If you believe you possess the heart and skills for any of these (or any other) exciting job opportunities, we encourage you to apply. Instructions for how to apply are included in each job announcement. We regret that we are unable to accept telephone inquiries.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The San Diego LGBT Community Center is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.