Assistant Director of Grant Development

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Haverhill, MA

1d•$86,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

Northern Essex Community College (NECC) serves more than 5,000 students annually across its campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, Massachusetts. NECC is recognized as one of the 2026 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges and is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. The college plays a vital role in strengthening the Merrimack Valley region through workforce development, expanded access to affordable higher education, increased degree attainment, and strong partnerships with businesses. NECC employees are united by a shared commitment to expanding access to educational opportunities, supporting students, and preparing graduates for long-term success. The college invests in its people through ongoing professional development, collaborative leadership, and a supportive work environment. The Assistant Director of Grant Development is a key member of the Institutional Advancement team, responsible for coordinating and managing critical aspects of the college's public and private grant portfolio. This role supports the full lifecycle of grant activity, including proposal development, budget preparation, submission coordination, compliance review, award administration, reporting, and institutional grant record management. The Assistant Director partners with faculty, staff, administrators, funding agencies, and external stakeholders to facilitate the successful development, implementation, and administration of grant-funded initiatives. The position also contributes to broader Institutional Advancement functions as needed. This position reports to the Associate Vice President, Strategic Relations & Resource Development.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, higher education administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience in grant administration, sponsored programs, or related functions.
Five (5) or more years of experience in grant administration, proposal development support, sponsored programs, or closely related experience in a grant-funded public, nonprofit, or higher education setting.
Experience supporting grant lifecycle activities, including proposal coordination, budget development assistance, proposal submission, and post-award administration.
Experience interpreting and applying funding opportunity guidelines, including federal, state, and/or private Requests for Proposals (RFPs) or Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs).
Experience assisting with the preparation and monitoring of budgets in collaboration with finance or administrative staff.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities in a detailed, high-volume environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and experience using databases, spreadsheets, or tracking systems.
Experience in maintaining accurate records and supporting reporting requirements.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.

Nice To Haves

Seven (7) or more years of experience in higher education grants administration, preferably within the Massachusetts public higher education system.
Experience with grant programs, including familiarity with Massachusetts and federal grant compliance requirements (e.g., Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200).
Experience supporting both pre-award and post-award grant processes.
Demonstrated experience developing or enhancing grant management, tracking, and reporting systems to support proposal development, award management, compliance, and institutional decision-making.
Experience with electronic grant submission systems (e.g., Grants.gov, SAM.gov, state portals, private foundation systems).
Experience using CRM or development systems such as Raiser's Edge or similar platforms.
Experience providing support to senior leadership, including scheduling, document preparation, and coordination of meetings.
Bilingual (Spanish/English)
Experience working with and supporting a culturally diverse population

Responsibilities

Assist faculty and staff with grant development activities across academic, workforce development, student services, institutional advancement, and administrative divisions.
Review Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs), application guidelines, sponsor requirements, and submission instructions from federal, state, municipal, and private funding agencies.
Coordinate proposal development processes and timelines to ensure completion of required documents and adherence to submission deadlines.
Develop and maintain proposal budgets, budget narratives, funding requests, budget revisions, reallocations, and additional funding requests in collaboration with project directors, department leaders, and Finance staff.
Review proposal packages for completeness, accuracy, consistency, and compliance with sponsor requirements and institutional policies.
Complete and coordinate internal proposal approval processes, including preparation of Proposal Approval Forms and routing documentation through DocuSign for required approvals.
Submit grant applications and supporting documentation through a variety of federal, state, municipal, and private funder electronic submission systems and sponsor portals.
Communicate directly with funding agencies regarding proposal requirements, application status, submission questions, and administrative matters.
Maintain awareness of emerging funding opportunities, including periodic monitoring of agency websites and funding announcements.
Handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and in accordance with institutional policies and applicable regulations.
Review grant award documents, contracts, amendments, and related materials to ensure terms and conditions are acceptable to the institution and consistent with proposal submissions.
Coordinate review and processing of Interdepartmental Service Agreements (ISAs) and other grant-related agreements with Finance, Procurement, and other offices.
Verify contract dates, budgets, scopes of work, and funding amounts to ensure consistency with approved proposals and award notifications.
Facilitate internal approval and signature processes for grant agreements and related documents.
Maintain organized and accurate grant records to support compliance, monitoring activities, audits, and institutional reporting requirements.
Assist departments and project directors in understanding sponsor requirements and institutional grant administration procedures.
Facilitate grant kickoff meetings and support coordination of grant startup activities to ensure responsibilities, reporting requirements, and compliance expectations are clearly communicated.
Apply grant management best practices throughout all aspects of proposal development and award administration.
Assist with the preparation and submission of required grant reports and supporting documentation for federal, state, and private funding agencies.
Coordinate recurring institutional grant-related compliance activities, including federal and state registrations, certifications, filings, and applications (e.g., annual SAM.gov renewals and indirect cost rate proposals), ensuring timely completion of all required deadlines and regulatory requirements.
Prepare and coordinate monthly Board of Trustees grant motions for public and private grant awards, ensuring all supporting documentation and submissions are completed in accordance with institutional governance requirements and established timelines.
Maintain comprehensive electronic filing systems and records related to grant development and administration, ensuring proposal, award, budget, contract, and correspondence files are complete, organized, and accessible.
Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve institutional grant tracking systems, databases, workflows, and reporting tools, including Raiser's Edge and internal grant management records, to document and monitor proposal submissions, pending applications, awarded and declined grants, grant expenditures, reporting requirements, and related grant activity throughout the grant lifecycle.
Compile and distribute grant logs, funding summaries, award tracking reports, and other grant activity reports for institutional leadership, external reporting, and strategic planning purposes.
Provide executive scheduling and calendar management for the Associate Vice President of Strategic Relations and Resource Development.
Serve as an active member of the Institutional Advancement team and participate in cross-functional activities and initiatives.
Provide support to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and other Institutional Advancement functions as needed.
Assist with departmental purchasing, invoice processing, subscription renewals, supplies management, and operational activities.
Consistently reflect and support the mission, values, and strategic priorities of Northern Essex Community College.
Perform other duties as assigned.
May be required to work occasional evenings or extended hours to meet grant submission deadlines, reporting requirements, or other time-sensitive deliverables.