General Functions:
The Grant Planning Manager/Sr. Grant Planning Manager leads the strategic development, writing, and submission of grant proposals and funding applications in support of Cook Inlet Tribal Council's (CITC) mission and programs. This position identifies and cultivates funding opportunities across federal, state, tribal, and private foundation sources, manages the organization's grants calendar and portfolio, and ensures compliance with funder and regulatory requirements throughout the grant application lifecycle. Working in partnership with program directors, finance staff, and executive leadership, the Grant Planning Manager/Sr. Grant Planning Manager crafts compelling, accurate proposals that reflect CITC's cultural values and commitment to serving Alaska Native and American Indian people, while supervising and mentoring grant writing staff to build a strong, sustainable development function.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Grant Planning Manager
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Develop strategic grant acquisition plans aligned with organizational goals and funding priorities.
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Lead the development, writing, and submission of grant proposals, letters of intent, and funding applications to federal, state, tribal, and private foundation sources, including high-value and complex federal proposals requiring extensive coordination and compliance.
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Research and identify new funding opportunities aligned with the organization's mission, strategic priorities, and program needs, including funding specific to tribal, Native, and Indigenous-serving organizations.
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Manage the grant submission lifecycle, including pre-award planning, proposal development, and submission, ensuring compliance with funder and regulatory requirements.
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Lead the design and execution of the annual grants calendar and oversee a master grants calendar tracking application deadlines across all active and prospective funding sources.
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Review, edit, and strengthen proposals and reports drafted by other team members, providing constructive feedback that builds staff capacity and maintains a consistent organizational voice.
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Collaborate with program directors and department leads to gather data, outcomes, and narrative content needed to develop compelling, accurate funding proposals.
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Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of proposals, awards, denials, and reporting requirements in the organization's donor database or grants management system.
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Prepare and submit timely grant status reports and outcome summaries to leadership.
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Build and maintain relationships with funders, program officers, and partner organizations, representing CITC at funder meetings, site visits, technical assistance calls, and grantee convenings to expand funding opportunities.
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Supervise, coach, and evaluate the performance of assigned grant writing staff, including setting goals, conducting regular check-ins and annual performance reviews, and supporting professional development.
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Assign and balance workload across the grants team, ensuring adequate coverage during peak submission periods and staff absences.
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Ensure proposals and reports appropriately reflect the organization's cultural values, community context, and commitment to serving tribal and Indigenous populations.
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Stay current on federal and philanthropic funding trends relevant to tribal health, social services, education, and workforce development.
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Perform all related duties as needed and assigned.
Sr. Grant Planning Manager
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Perform all duties and responsibilities above with an advanced level of proficiency.
Job Specifications:
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with expert knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and proofreading.
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Demonstrated ability to author a variety of writing assignments conforming to prescribed style and format requirements.
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Ability to balance CITC's style and self-representation with funder guidelines, including state and federal rules.
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Strong understanding of program budget development, with the ability to coordinate with Compliance and Finance departments to align funder requirements with organizational standards.
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Excellent public contact and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally with diverse stakeholders.
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Strong decision-making abilities with the capacity to exercise good judgment under pressure.
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Ability to work strategically, both independently and as a lead of a project team.
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Ability to collaborate laterally and with staff at all levels of the organizational hierarchy, navigate individual work styles, respect supervisory protocols, and efficiently obtain the right information.
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Ability to work collaboratively with personnel from all departments within CITC.
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Excellent project management and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and deliver work subject to strict deadlines.
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Ability to find, work with, and accurately cite a wide range of detailed information and data, such as census, crime and victim, health and epidemiology, justice, education, and workforce development/economic data, at a statewide, regional, municipal, or tribe-specific level.
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Working knowledge of the grant writer code of ethics as well as CITC policies and procedures.
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Strong knowledge of grant writing, proposal development, and funding research techniques across federal, state, tribal, and private sources.
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Supervisory experience, including the ability to train, mentor, and evaluate staff performance.
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Proficiency with grants management databases, Microsoft Office, and funder portals (e.g., Grants.gov).
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Ability to work with staff to develop logic models, evidence-based rationale, timelines, and staffing plans, and to articulate goals, objectives, outcomes, outputs, and performance measures.
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High degree of sensitivity and discretion regarding confidential information.
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Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the social, health, educational, training, and cultural needs of the Alaska Native and American Indian community.
Minimum Core Competencies:
CITC Values, Respectful Leadership, Professionalism, Emotional Intelligence, Problem Solving/Critical Thinking, Communication Skills.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Employment is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory state and federal fingerprint criminal background check.
Grant Planning Manager
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Bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Relevant experience may substitute for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.
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Five (5) or more years of progressive grant writing experience.
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Two (2) years of supervisory/lead or management experience, including staff coaching, workload management, or editorial oversight.
Sr. Grant Planning Manager
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Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in a relevant field preferred. Relevant experience may substitute for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.
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Six (6) or more years of progressive grant writing experience.
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Three (3) years of supervisory/lead or management experience, including staff coaching, workload management, or editorial oversight.
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Experience working with tribal, Native, or Indigenous-serving organizations.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- May require prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and consistently working on a computer with repetitive motion.
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The need to occasionally move around the office to access filing cabinets, storage cabinets, and office equipment may be necessary.
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Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally by utilizing proper lifting techniques and working in a safe manner.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by incumbents within this job. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and working conditions required of employees assigned to this job. Management has sole discretion to add or modify duties of the job and to designate other functions as essential at any time. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract.
