Research Analyst - Higher Education

McAllister and Quinn LLC•Washington, DC

1d•$59,000 - $62,000•Hybrid

About The Position

McAllister & Quinn is a federal and foundation grants consulting and government relations firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. Its higher education practice provides federal grant, external funding, strategic intelligence, and capacity-building consulting to small and mid-sized institutions of higher education, with the goal of helping clients increase and diversify external funding. The firm has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in competitive grants for scholarships and student support, academic programs, research, and equipment. The Research Analyst supports the Higher Education practice, reporting directly to a Manager and the Higher Education Practice Chief of Staff. The analyst is assigned to support three to five Directors and Managing Directors and collaborates with colleagues across the firm’s other core practices. The role researches and analyzes grant opportunities and client priorities, prepares accurate client-facing work products, supports client and project management, and contributes to workshops, training webinars, and capacity-building services. The position’s normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with three or more days per week required in the Washington, D.C. office. Salary is $59,000–$62,000 annual base, commensurate with experience, with bonus eligibility.

Requirements

Four-year bachelor’s degree at minimum.
Excellent writing, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
Superior attention to detail across all levels of work.
Ability to synthesize and accurately summarize lengthy and often complex materials.
Strong communication skills by phone and in person with clients and colleagues.
Ability to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously, prioritize effectively, and complete work on time.
Positive attitude, proactive approach, and self-motivation to learn new information and skills.
Ability to troubleshoot problems and work independently.
Adeptness at utilizing and deploying AI-driven solutions to optimize efficiency and accelerate results.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft suite programs, OneDrive, and Adobe.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with external funding opportunities, including federal, state, or foundation opportunities.

Responsibilities

Assist Directors and Managing Directors with client and project management, maintaining organized and accurate records using internal filing systems and data management tools.
Research and monitor suitable federal, state, and foundation grant opportunities and identify those aligned with clients’ needs.
Liaise with program officers at federal and state agencies and foundations.
Prepare accurate written summaries of funding opportunities of interest.
Analyze characteristics of successful awardees to inform clients’ competitiveness.
Research institutions’ funding priorities, academic programs, and strategic plans to identify funding opportunities.
Participate in client meetings, as requested, to understand priorities and prospecting interests.
Produce high-quality, detailed, and accurate client deliverables under fixed deadlines, including grant opportunity matrices and client grant strategies.
Complete quantitative and qualitative analyses for individual grant competitions.
Concisely summarize relevant information for staff and client briefings.
Collaborate and communicate with Managing Directors, Directors, and Vice Presidents to share information and learn from colleagues.
Contribute to a positive team environment and support practice-wide needs among research analysts.
Research trends, interests, and priorities of higher education institutions and federal agency and foundation grant programs and solicitations, including the impact of federal budgets and appropriations.
Develop and maintain working knowledge of relevant federal grant programs across agencies including the National Science Foundation, Department of Education, National Endowment for the Humanities, Health Resources and Services Administration, and Department of Justice.
Provide thorough client support and internal project work with a proactive, solutions-focused approach and confident presentation of opportunities.
Assist with planning and implementing workshops, training webinars, and capacity-building services.
Attend and participate in an annual Research Analyst retreat and other professional development offerings.