Senior Grants Development and Implementation Specialist
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is a nationally recognized and locally trusted college dedicated to advancing the success of all students and economic vitality of the communities we serve through access, high-quality education, and strategic partnerships.
The community that we serve is home to people with a rich range of backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to supporting an environment where all students and employees thrive and succeed. We believe every team member enriches our organization with unique skills, perspectives, and solutions. We seek applicants who are motivated and equipped to support all students, to work effectively with colleagues from a range of backgrounds, and to build the vibrancy of our community.
STANDARD HOURS: 40 hours per week. Typical hours Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm; Flexibility required to include other hours, as necessary.
SALARY: $76,544.00 - $82,500.00 per year
*Salaries/Wages for all finalists (internal and external) will be placed within the range based upon education, experiences, current wages, and internal equity.
The Senior Grants Development and Implementation Specialist is responsible for the development and execution of complex, high-priority grant initiatives aligned with the College’s strategic goals and priorities. This role serves as the primary lead for grant proposal development, including research, concept development, writing, and submission of competitive federal, state, and private foundation grants.
In addition to leading grant development, this position applies project management practices to guide cross-functional teams through proposal development, supports early-stage implementation and coordination of awarded grants. Working under the direction of the Manager of Strategic Projects and Grants, this role ensures that funding opportunities are translated into well-designed, fundable, and executable projects.
This role also supports the coordination of the College’s active grant portfolio by tracking proposal activity, award status, implementation progress, and key deliverables to ensure visibility, organization, and effective execution across the grant lifecycle. In doing so, the position strengthens the College’s capacity to pursue and implement externally funded initiatives by combining advanced grant writing expertise with structured project coordination. This role does not have supervisory responsibility and operates as a senior individual contributor supporting execution and coordination of grant-related work.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Grant Development and Writing
• Lead development of complex, collaborative grant proposals involving external partners and federal, state, and private funding sources.
• Serve as the primary writer for assigned proposals, synthesizing complex data, program design, and stakeholder input into clear, compelling, and competitive narratives and supporting visuals.
• Lead the writing, coordination, and submission of complete grant proposals including all narrative and supporting components (e.g., need statement, goals, activities, timelines, evaluation frameworks) to ensure alignment with federal, state, and national funder requirements and budgets.
• Lead or support the development, writing, and submission of major recurring institutional grants (e.g., Perkins), ensuring alignment with state requirements, institutional priorities, and funding guidelines.
• Collaborate with finance and internal partners to develop accurate, feasible, and compliant grant budgets.
• Draft and secure letters of commitment and other resource agreements from external partners.
• Interpret grant requirements and guidelines to inform strategy and positioning.
• Conduct funding research and opportunity analysis to identify and prioritize high-impact opportunities aligned with institutional strategy and priorities.
Project Development and Pre-Award Coordination
• Apply project management practices to structure and guide the grant development process, including detailed timelines, roles, and deliverables.
• Facilitate early-stage concept development with faculty, staff, and leaders to translate ideas into fundable and implementable project designs.
• Coordinate cross-functional proposal teams to execute proposal development and submission.
• Monitor progress and follow up with contributors to ensure timelines and quality standards are met.
• Collaborate with Institutional Research, evaluators (as appropriate), and partners to develop evaluation frameworks, logic models, and performance measures.
• Ensure proposed projects are realistic, implementable, and aligned with institutional capacity and priorities.
• Demonstrate proactive ownership of the grant development process, independently solving problems and adapting strategies as needed to maintain quality and timelines.
Post-Award and Implementation
• Support the transition from proposal to implementation by establishing project scope, timelines, deliverables, success measures, and reporting expectations.
• Ensure continuity between proposal commitments and project execution by translating approved grant activities into actionable project plans.
• Collaborate with project leads, finance, and internal and external partners (e.g., funding agencies, WTCS system office) to clarify requirements and support implementation.
• Monitor implementation of assigned grants to ensure alignment with approved scope, budget, and intended outcomes.
• Assist with coordination of reporting, data collection, and documentation in partnership with project teams and stakeholders.
• Identify project-level risks, challenges, or misalignment and escalate as appropriate to support timely resolution.
• Support coordination of implementation activities across project teams to maintain alignment with grant objectives and timelines.
• Use project management tools and practices to track progress, timelines, and reporting requirements for assigned grants and support coordinated execution.
Grant Portfolio Coordination and Tracking
• Maintain and support a centralized view of the College’s grant portfolio, including tracking proposals in development, submissions, awards, and active grants.
• Track key milestones, deadlines, and deliverables across the grant portfolio to provide a consolidated view of progress for leadership.
• Coordinate with project leads, finance, and other stakeholders to maintain visibility into grant status, reporting requirements, and implementation progress across the portfolio.
• Support the development of internal reports, dashboards, or summaries that provide leadership with insight into grant activity, funding outcomes, and project performance.
• Identify cross-project risks, delays, or capacity constraints across the portfolio and elevate trends or systemic issues as appropriate.
• Collaborate with the Manager of Strategic Projects and Grants to support portfolio-level prioritization, sequencing, and coordination of grant-related work.
Collaboration, Capacity Building, and Institutional Engagement
• Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal and external partners (e.g., funding agencies, government entities, private organizations, and professional associations) in coordination with leadership.
• Contribute to process enhancements that strengthen grant development, project coordination, and implementation practices.
• Stay current on emerging grant trends, funder priorities, and regulatory changes to inform proposal development and strengthen competitiveness.
• Participate in institutional committees, cross-functional initiatives, and professional networks related to grants and project management.
• Engage with external organizations, including WTCS system groups and funding-related networks, to support alignment with funding priorities and best practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of strategic initiatives and resource development efforts.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
Experience
• Minimum of five years of successful grant writing experience in an educational or nonprofit setting and proven ability to secure government and private funding
Computer Skills
• Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and Outlook; internet browsers and data management software. **An equivalent combination of education and work experience may be considered.
Other Requirements
• Experience coordinating complex, cross-functional projects or initiatives
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines, and stakeholders
• Experience tracking and managing multiple projects or initiatives simultaneously with strong attention to detail
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills • Ability to work independently while coordinating with multiple stakeholders in a complex organizational environment
To apply, visit: https://apptrkr.com/9887248
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