Director of Grants & Contracts

THE WATER INSTITUTE OF THE GULF•Baton Rouge, LA

21h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Water Institute is seeking an experienced Director of Grants & Contracts to lead its grants and contracts function. This role is responsible for the integrity and performance of the full award lifecycle, from pre-award strategy to post-award close-out. The Director will oversee all aspects of grants and contracts, including sub-award administration, partner negotiations, proposal reviews and submissions, approvals, reporting, and the negotiation and administration of all donor-funded grants, contracts, and agreements. A deep understanding of federal grant administration, specifically 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), is required, along with a collaborative approach. This position operates at the intersection of Applied Research, Finance, Legal, Mission Advancement, and Project Management, requiring strong cross-functional partnerships, transparent communication, and trust-building. The Director is expected to be actively engaged across the Institute, proactively manage work, and foster a service-oriented culture that supports the Institute's mission.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, finance, public administration, or a related field.
Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in grants and contracts administration.
At least 5 years in a leadership role at a federally-funded research organization, nonprofit, or institution of higher education.
Demonstrated expert-level command of 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance) and federal grant/procurement regulations.
Experience serving as Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) or equivalent signatory authority.
Demonstrated experience building and documenting SOPs, internal controls, and QA/QC processes from the ground up.
Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives and working collaboratively with legal, finance, research/technical, and development/advancement functions.
Experience managing, mentoring, and developing a grants and contracts team.
Must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S.
Must be willing to occasionally work evenings and travel for meetings and conferences.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree.
Active certification as a Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS), or Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM).
Experience with research environments spanning federal cooperative agreements, foundation/philanthropic funding, and fee-for-service contracts.
Experience supporting intellectual property protection in sponsored research contexts.

Responsibilities

Serve as the Institute’s Authorized Organizational Official, responsible for reviewing, approving, and signing all proposal documents, federal reports, and agreements that obligate the Institute, including prime federal awards, grants, contracts, subawards, subcontracts, vendor agreements, MOU's, teaming agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and awards.
Maintain all online accounts for federal grants user account systems and federal payment systems.
Coordinate and approve project-funded procurement expenses in accordance with 2.CFR.200, documenting procurement actions as required by the funder.
Review all backup documentation to ensure truth and accuracy.
Serve as the Grants and Contracts approver for all final proposals, including narrative, budget, budget justification, and any proposal documents requiring signatures.
Represent G&C in high-risk proposal reviews and provide Go/No-Go risk recommendations that balance compliance rigor with enabling the Institute's mission.
Coordinate approvals for No Cost Extensions (NCEs).
Collaborate with the Director of Finance to develop the Indirect Cost (IDC) rate proposal, review all schedules, check expenditures/allowability, subcontracts vs. subawards, and the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA).
Provide leadership to the Grants & Contracts team, ensuring appropriate staffing levels and performance results to achieve department objectives.
Mentor and develop the Grants and Contracts team, investing in their professional growth, cross-training, and ability to independently handle routine matters.
Lead change management and continuous improvement of G&C workflows, including developing, documenting, and maintaining standard operating procedures (SOPs), QA/QC checkpoints, and written handoffs between G&C and cross-functional departments. Ensure documentation has clear workflows, roles, and responsibilities and complies with all state and federal regulations and federal grant/procurement rules.
Establish proactive processes, timelines, and engagement expectations to ensure early and consistent involvement of the Grants and Contracts function across the project lifecycle (pre-award through closeout), reducing reactive workflows.
Partner with Institute leadership to reinforce the importance of compliance and appropriate engagement with the Grants and Contracts function, addressing gaps in understanding and reducing process circumvention.
Partner early and often with Principal Investigators, Project Managers, and proposal staff at the pre-award strategy stage to identify compliance risks, protect the Institute's intellectual property, and improve proposal competitiveness.
Serve as a visible point of contact for the Institute on grants and contracts matters; respond to status inquiries promptly and transparently, and maintain clear tracking of work-in-progress accessible to stakeholders.
Ensure the role operates at a high level, primarily overseeing day-to-day activities rather than completing them personally.
Manage and maintain the Grants & Contracts department's annual operating budget.
Perform other related duties as assigned.