Grants Manager

The deadline to submit an application is February 17, 2025. Please submit both a resume and cover letter to be considered.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:

The Ford Foundation seeks an experienced Grants Manager (GM) who will be responsible for managing the end-to-end grantmaking process for select programmatic portfolios.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Grants Management (AD), the GM will be a key partner and advisor to their team and grantees on all grantmaking processes, policies and systems. This role is highly collaborative and will have accountability to support and maintain best practices and standards in grants management.

The ideal candidate will be a detail-oriented, knowledgeable and adaptable person who can work independently and as part of a team.

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE: 

The GM’s responsibilities are broken down into four major categories: grant portfolio management and planning, grant proposal and report review, grant monitoring and grantee engagement, and budget management and financial health analysis. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Grant Portfolio Management and Planning

1. Works with the Program Director (PD), Program Officers (POs), Program Assistants and AD to achieve a steady flow of grantmaking during the year.
2. Collaborates with the program teams and supports the PD and POs in grant planning, including budget projections, due diligence and proposal invitations.
3. Advises program teams on efficient, effective, and appropriate funding structures, and provides clear guidance to optimize grants, consultancies and event-related activities.

Grant Proposal and Report Review 

1. Conducts a complete review of the proposal record with a focus on the content, quality and accuracy of the data and information entered by the grantee, with special attention to the grant budget, and ensures adherence to any applicable local policies, regulations and laws.
2. Reviews and approves narrative and financial reports for alignment with Foundation policies, approved grant type, terms of the grant and budget.
3. Coordinates legal review of tax status of new non-US grantee organizations with Grants Compliance Unit (GCU) or with NGOSource.
4. Partners with GCU on proposal and report review to ensure compliance with Foundation and IRS policies to mitigate risk.

Grant Monitoring and Grantee Engagement 

1. Provides support and technical assistance to prospective and current grantees and serves as a key point of contact around grant-related issues, including in the grants management system (Fluxx).
2. Ensures timely and accurate payments to grantees, including tracking and reviewing grant agreement letters, and confirming updates to banking information in the system.
3. Works with POs and Senior Manager, Risk and Compliance on select grantee audits by external auditors for appropriate resolution.
4. Exhibits best practices in grantmaking by ensuring grant records are updated, managing and tracking reporting requirements and payments, and managing grant modifications (e.g. grant increases/decreases, changes in dates, budgets or payment terms).

Budget Management and Financial Health Analysis

1. Manages and monitors program budget(s) to ensure funds are accurately appropriated, transferred and/or shared with other programs as necessary.
2. Analyzes grantee financial health and related due diligence, including the draft and submission of the financial health assessment tool process.
3. Provides input and guidance to POs for strategic review of the organizational financial health of grantees.

Additional Responsibilities 

1. Participates in and contributes to both programs and grants management team meetings, retreats and related activities.
2. Leads and manages grants management orientation and training to new program staff, including on Fluxx grants management system. 
3. Undertakes special projects to further institutional goals and assists in research projects related to the Foundation’s current and historical grantmaking and/or grantmaking trends. 
4. Works with IT staff to pilot and test new technologies, implement ongoing technology improvements and to serve as a key grantmaking team liaison for Fluxx.
5. Performs other duties as assigned; including backing each other up and collaborating, as needed, on workflow issues, including administrative tasks and other projects. 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1. Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience, with a minimum of 5 years of progressive grants management experience in a philanthropic organization.
2. Knowledge of budgeting, analysis, reporting and grants management.
3. Demonstrated experience in managing and supporting multiple teams and a portfolio of grants and budgets.
4. A successful track record in setting priorities, analyzing data, problem solving skills, which supports and enables sound decision-making.
5. Excellent communication, interpersonal skills and organizational capabilities.
6. Ability to multitask, meet deadlines and work in a fast-paced environment.
7. Ability to work well with colleagues, consultants, funders, and grantees across many diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
8. Ability to work independently and analytically, exercising discretion and good judgment.
9. Willingness to handle complex, heavy and detailed-oriented workload and assigned special projects.
10. Demonstrated experience working with GSuite, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft and Google applications.
11. Knowledge of the legal and compliance issues pertaining to a U.S.-based private foundation with domestic and international grantmaking.
12. Familiarity with grants management software and related systems, preferably Fluxx.
13. Ways of working and engaging that align with the Foundation’s mission, core values, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This position is primarily a sedentary role. However, the person in this position may need to occasionally move about inside the office to liaise with internal staff, access files, office machinery and a copy machine/printer.

The Ford Foundation is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its programs, and operations. As part of this commitment, the Foundation will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact, talentacquisitionhr@fordfoundation.org.

SALARY: The Ford Foundation is committed to practicing salary transparency. The starting salary for this position is $120,000. We review global compensation on a regular basis to ensure market competitiveness and equity. The hiring range for this position has been carefully crafted in alignment with the market.

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Permanent.

About Us

 

The Ford Foundation is an independent, nonprofit grant-making organization. For more than 80 years it has worked with visionary people on the front-lines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. With headquarters in New York, the foundation has ten regional offices in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.