Associate Director of Grants

Communities In Schools of Central Texas • Austin, TX

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director of Grants is a senior, writing-forward role responsible for leading pre-award public funding strategy and serving as a primary proposal writer for complex and high-impact government grants. This position works in close partnership with the Director of Grants, who remains a significant contributor to proposal writing, particularly for the organization’s largest and most strategic opportunities.
The Associate Director brings deep technical expertise in public funding, leads public grant prospecting and research, and drafts and coordinates competitive proposals aligned with CISCT’s strategic priorities. While this role contributes to grant strategy and provides thought leadership in the public funding space, it remains a hands- on, writing-forward position with opportunities for leadership through complex project ownership and cross-functional collaboration.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional grant writing experience, with significant experience in public sector grants or contracts
• Demonstrated success securing government funding in education, social services, or related fields
• Exceptional technical writing skills and ability to manage complex, compliance-driven proposals
• Strong research skills and comfort navigating public funding systems and procurement processes
• Ability to synthesize complex information and make strategic recommendations
• Experience collaborating across departments and contributing to shared writing efforts
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Ability to work independently while thriving in a collaborative, team-based environment

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with CIS, education systems, or youth-serving organizations is a plus
• Experience using AI tools and emerging technologies for grant research or writing is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead pre-award public funding prospecting efforts, including federal, state and local opportunities
• Monitor public funding trends, policy shifts, and procurement pipelines relevant to education, mental health, student supports, and youth development
• Conduct in-depth research to assess opportunity fit, competitiveness, and capacity requirements
• Coordinate with CIS National’s grants team to stay aligned with network-wide public funding strategy, guidance, and opportunities
• Participate in RFP workshops, information sessions, and webinars, translating learnings into actionable recommendations
• Advise the Director of Grants on public funding opportunities, feasibility, risks, and strategic alignment
• Serve as lead writer for many complex and technically demanding public grant proposals
• Draft full proposal narratives or major sections of large public grants, often in collaboration with the Director of Grants
• Translate program models, outcomes, and budgets into clear, compelling, and compliant narratives
• Coordinate with program, finance, evaluation, and operations staff to develop scopes of work, budgets, and required attachments
• Ensure proposals are responsive to funder priorities, clearly articulated, and aligned with CISCT’s strategic goals
• Partner closely with the Director of Grants on proposal positioning, messaging, and prioritization
• Collaborate with the Grants Manager to ensure strong handoff from awarded proposals into post-award compliance and reporting
• Draft proposal narratives with clear attention to future reporting requirements, measurable outcomes, and deliverables
• Respond to funder questions related to proposal content or narrative intent as needed
• Support private foundation proposals and reports during peak cycles or surge periods
• Contribute to the refinement of grants templates, tools, and internal processes
• Build strong cross-functional relationships to support effective grants development
• Promote agency culture, standards, and systems
• Participate in the CIS team approach to service delivery and problem-solving
• Other duties as assigned by the Director of Grants or Chief Development Officer

Benefits

• Generous paid time off: 4+ weeks of holidays, 2 weeks of vacation time, personal days and sick days
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: 100% employer-paid employee medical plan available, plus family subsidies, dental, vision, life, disability insurance, and 403(b) retirement plan with employer match
• Community-centered culture focused on impact, growth, and connection

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director