The Program Director of Innovation/Pre-Award (PDI) is a strategic leader responsible for identifying, developing, and securing external funding that advances organizational priorities. This role oversees all pre‑award functions for government funding and partners with the Development team for private foundation funding, including opportunity scouting, proposal strategy, partnership development, budget planning, and submission coordination. The PDI ensures proposals are competitive, aligned with institutional goals, and compliant with sponsor requirements. The PDI collaborates closely with executive leadership, Development, department chairs, program leads to build a strong pipeline of fundable initiatives and strengthening organizational capacity for grant development.
- The Program Director of Innovation (PDI) is a pre-award strategic leader responsible for cross department and service line partnership who guides identifying, developing, and securing funding opportunities that support research, programs, and initiatives aligned to MAHEC strategic priorities. This role collaborates with MAHEC leaders on grant strategy, proposal development, and fostering collaborations to advance the organization’s mission. The PDI will provide expertise and leadership in developing, managing, resourcing, monitoring, and evaluating new initiatives, programs, and grants within MAHEC and for the benefit of the community. This role drives pre-award grant and contract development activities, identifying funding opportunities, building strategic partnerships, and developing high-quality, competitive proposals that align with the organization’s mission to advance healthcare innovation and workforce development. In addition, the position will promote and ensure high-quality evidence-based program design, program evaluation, and dissemination. The PDI will partner with the Development team to gather information, draft applications and align foundation support with areas of greatest needs and MAHEC priorities. In addition, the PDI will partner with key leaders to create a master strategy that aligns foundation, government and other external funding with MAHEC’s strategic plan.
- The role can manage multiple teams overseeing programs and projects through the full life cycle in alignment with the Office of Sponsored Programs policies and processes. When needed the PDI will also initiate and implement new programs and projects identified by Chairs, Medical Directors and Service Line Leaders to ensure effective and timely launch. The position can mentor learners, review/evaluate team members, identify training needs, conduct project management training and technical assistance for the organization, consult and supports on other projects to initiate or correct course, participate in hiring new or replacement roles in program and project management and facilitate CQI to ensure growth and improvement.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategic Funding Leadership
- Lead the organization’s pre‑award strategy for government funding to align opportunities with institutional priorities.
- Align pre-award activities to the overall policy, procedures and guidance set by OSP leadership
- Conduct environmental scans to identify and synergize federal, state, foundation, and industry funding opportunities.
- Advise leadership on funding trends, strategic positioning, and competitive opportunities.
- Develop multi‑year funding strategies for departments and service lines.
Proposal Development & Management
- Oversee the full pre‑award lifecycle from concept to submission.
- Facilitate proposal planning meetings, timelines, and deliverables.
- Guide teams in developing strong narratives, logic models, evaluation plans, and sustainability strategies.
- Ensure proposals meet sponsor guidelines, institutional policies, and compliance requirements.
- Partner with Development on foundation opportunities
- Coordinate with OSP for routing, approvals, and submission.
Budget & Resource Planning
- Collaborate with finance and OSP to develop compliant, accurate proposal budgets.
- Advise leaders on staffing models, cost allocations, and allowable expenses.
- Ensure budget narratives and justifications align with program design.
Partnership Development
- Build and maintain relationships with funders, community partners, academic collaborators, and government agencies.
- Support faculty and program leads in developing strategic partnerships for competitive proposals.
- Represent the organization at funder briefings, conferences, and networking events.
Capacity Building & Training
- Provide training and technical assistance on proposal development, grant writing, and pre‑award processes.
- Develop templates, toolkits, and standard operating procedures to streamline pre‑award work.
- Mentor staff involved in grant development and support professional growth.
Data, Evaluation, & Evidence Integration
- Ensure proposals incorporate evidence‑based practices, measurable objectives, and evaluation frameworks.
- Partner with data and evaluation teams to develop performance metrics and data collection plans.
- Support the creation of data dashboards and funder‑ready organizational profiles.
Communication & Coordination
- Maintain clear communication with leadership, program teams, and OSP throughout the pre‑award process.
- Prepare summaries, briefs, and presentations on funding opportunities and proposal status.
- Ensure transparent documentation and shared access to proposal materials.
This position is categorized as a designated driver position and requires the use of a MAHEC-owned or another vehicle to conduct MAHEC business on a regularly scheduled basis (e.g. daily, weekly, or for work essential to the employee’s job).
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SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- This position will provide oversight and supervision to teams of, Program Managers, Project Managers, Program Coordinators, Project Logistics Specialists, Program Evaluators, Continuing Education Planners, and other positions assigned to the project or program team.
COMPETENCIES:
Vision and Strategic Thinking
- Builds a shared inspirational vision. Formulates effective strategies to achieve that vision. Influences others to translate that vision into action.
Integrity and Accountability
- Instills trust through own actions and follows through on commitments. Demonstrates high standards of ethics and treats others fairly and consistently. Establishes clear expectations for self and others to achieve stated goals and objectives. Exemplifies conduct congruent with MAHEC values and professional guidelines.
Engagement and Delegation
- Creates a climate in which others want to do their best and feel personally invested. Engages in shared decision‐making and invites input from team members. Conveys trust in people’s competence to do their jobs and recognizes great performance. Trusts others by delegating responsibilities and allowing appropriate autonomy. Avoids micromanaging and promotes others to take initiative.
Analysis and Problem Solving
- Solves difficult problems through careful and systematic evaluation of information, possible alternatives and consequences. Effectively and efficiently integrates information from diverse sources and evaluates the information against possible courses of action. Makes timely decisions, even when data is limited or solutions produce unpleasant consequences.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
Minimum Qualifications
Any combination of education and experience equivalent to:
- Terminal degree in Public Health, Education, or related field, or
- Master’s degree and 3 years of specialized experience
- Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of specialized experience
plus
- Two years of experience in leading teams or providing supervision
- Grant management experience
- Ability to establish productive relationships and effective stakeholder engagement with colleagues, senior leadership, government officials, community physicians and leaders, private contractors, foundations, and other funders
- Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in health equity, structural racism, and community engagement
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent personnel management skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience facilitating large multi-sector strategic development
- History of external funding from foundations, government, or industry (appropriate for career-level).
- Experience teaching and mentoring students, staff, and/or peers
- Experience designing data collection materials and databases
- Trained or experienced with healthcare or health systems
- Certified in Research and Grant Management
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP:
The position reports to the Director of Population Health/Office of Sponsored Programs.
COMPENSATION
- $84,000 annually + MAHEC Total Rewards package
At MAHEC , we strive to equip all team members with Total Rewards (pay + benefits) to honor their service, support their health, manage their financial security, build their career, and thrive.
MAHEC is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Employees who meet federal requirements may be eligible to have remaining student loan balances forgiven after 10 years of qualifying payments while working full-time at MAHEC.
MAHEC does not provide employment-based US visa sponsorship, now or in the future. All new employees must provide valid, original I-9 documents on their first day of work.
All MAHEC employees and learners will be required to receive the Flu vaccine or have an approved exemption.
MAHEC Talent Management is located at 121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803. Equal Opportunity Employer.
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If you are interested in this role, and you have related experience and qualifications, we encourage you to apply or reach out to [email protected] for support in your job search process. You could be the talent we are seeking for this or other opportunities
