Under the general guidance of the VP and Director of Institutional Advancement, the Manager of Institutional Grants advances Adler’s mission by researching, identifying, and soliciting sources of grant support for programs and initiatives on the Chicago and Vancouver campuses; developing and submitting grant reports, and maintaining institutional donor records in OIA’s prospect management database.
The Manager of Institutional Grants leverages industry knowledge and best practices to promote the mission and vision of the Office of Institutional Advancement and the institution. Supports culture development and management efforts.
Education/Experience:
Bachelor’s degree required; degree in a writing-related field (English, journalism, communications) preferred. Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum five (5) years of progressive experience in fundraising/development required.
Experience in higher education or social justice fundraising is preferred.
K/S/A
Ability to consistently identify opportunities for improvement and make recommendations based on observations
Strong demonstration of alignment with Adler’s social justice mission and vision
Strong critical thinking, problem-solving and visioning acumen
Ability to proactively identify challenges and barriers to stated objective and employ assistance in addressing these
Strong collaboration acumen and abilities
Demonstration of emotional intelligence and professional maturity
Proficient and functional knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge/similar prospect management database
Strong research acumen and abilities
Strong communication acumen including written, oral, and listening
Ability to project manage grant application submissions
Ability to manage post-award grant reporting processes
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Proposal Development
Develop highly competitive proposals for foundation and corporate prospects in support of programs and initiatives on Adler’s Chicago and Vancouver campuses.
Produce and submit grant proposals to governmental agencies for funding for specific projects.
Work with appropriate internal staff to research, plan, outline, draft, and/or edit these grant proposals
Reporting
Prepare or assist in the preparation of reports to external officials on the use of grant funds in accordance with the specific terms of each agreement.
Within Adler’s strategic priorities and through regular contact with faculty and internal center and institute directors, identify areas of activities/needs that might be of interest to foundations, government entities, and corporations;
Research
Conduct research on national and local trends in mental health care in the U.S. and Canada to create compelling need statements for grant proposals.
Prospect Research
Maintain a thorough research effort to determine the giving patterns of local, regional, and national foundations and corporations, including state and federal competitive grant funding.
Identify emerging business leadership and industry trends with a special emphasis on developing high-value-exchange corporate alliances to solicit philanthropic commitments to support the mission and goals of Adler.
Utilize research findings to create prospect profiles and, with the Director of Institutional Advancement, develop and maintain an annual grant submission calendar.
With the Director of Institutional Advancement, meet with program staff and administrators to assess their grant funding needs and set work back plans for grant proposals.
Update the Raiser’s Edge database with all new institutional grant prospects, actions, notes, and submissions. Pull reports on grant prospects from Raiser’s Edge for internal reporting purposes.
Schedule, provide relevant documents for, and attend all grant launch meetings with Finance and program staff.
Work Environment (Physical Demands): The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally, the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment.
Universal Core Behaviors:
Communication:
Effectively expresses oneself in all oral and written communications.
Exhibits good listening and comprehension skills.
Keeps others informed, as well as responds, in a timely manner.
Demonstrates match between words and actions.
Responds with tact, diplomacy, respect, and composure when dealing with others.
Promotes the spirit and essence of the School’s Vision, Mission, Values, and Key Strategies through both verbal and written communication.
Teamwork and Collaboration:
Cooperates with others toward the achievement of common goals.
Seeks consensus and win-win solutions to problems and conflicts.
Contributes actively and participates fully in team initiatives.
Puts the success of the team above own interests.
Builds and maintains constructive work relationships.
Responsive to Change:
Supports changes in the work environment.
Displays a proactive, problem-solving approach toward work.
Committed to life-long learning by continuously increasing skills, knowledge, and effectiveness.
Actively seeks and initiates creative and innovative solutions.
Exercises sound, accurate, and informed independent judgment when needed.
Quality-Driven and Accountable:
Results-oriented and committed to quality through continuous process improvement.
Eliminates ineffective activities and closes performance gaps.
Anticipates and responds to customer needs.
Monitors own performance, accept responsibility for actions, and actively seeks feedback.
Meets deadlines and completes projects and activities in a professional, timely manner.
Seeks opportunities to increase productivity and/or reduce costs while maintaining the highest quality standards (fiscally responsible).
Support of Vision, Mission, Values, Key Strategies:
Supports and models the School’s Values of social interest, compassion, justice, respect for the individual, honors diversity and difference, intellectual rigor, optimism, and collaboration.
Articulates the School’s Vision, Mission, and Key Strategies in a way to educate others.
Demonstrates active commitment in advancing the School’s Vision, Mission, and Key Strategies.
Exhibits personal integrity, honesty, zeal, and compassion.
Aligns work processes to advance the School’s strategic plan and key strategies.
Equal Opportunity Employer
It is the policy of Adler University that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) protection. The University does not discriminate against any individual for employment because of age, religion, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status (including unfavorable discharge from the military), or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.
As part of Adler's equal employment opportunity policy, Adler will also take affirmative action to ensure that minority group individuals, females, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans, and qualified disabled persons are introduced into our workforce and considered for promotional opportunities.
