Senior Grant Writer

Pillars Community Health•Hodgkins, IL

2d•$35,625 - $40,625

About The Position

The Senior Grant Writer is an integral member of the Pillars Community Health Grants Management and External Affairs Teams. Under the direction of the Vice President of Grants/Community and Government Partnerships, this role leads grant prospect research and recommendations, prepares new and renewal grant applications to corporate and private foundations and government entities, and collaborates across the organization on grant cultivation, management, and stewardship of current and prospective funders. The position also supports grant implementation and compliance, coordinates reporting and funder site visits, maintains grant calendars and project plans, and helps maintain consistent organization-wide messaging. The Senior Grant Writer provides consultation, training, mentoring, and grant-writing guidance to colleagues, contributes to workflow improvements, and may represent PCH in external funder meetings. The role is part-time at 25 hours per week.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Communications, English, Business, Public Health, or a related field involving coursework in structured written communication; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
3–5 years of grant-writing experience, including public and private funding applications.
Ability to engage staff across the organization to learn about programs and present them compellingly to funders.
Ability to think strategically, set priorities, and organize concurrent projects.
Ability to manage grant application processes, meet funder deadlines, exercise independent judgment, and follow through reliably.
Effective written communication skills for explaining program descriptions, details, outcomes, and community impact to varied audiences.
Excellent oral communication skills for interacting with funders, team members, and program staff.
Excellent interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills.
Ability to multitask and willingness to learn new tasks.
Computer proficiency with internet, email, Microsoft Office, and an electronic donor database.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Nice To Haves

Experience with both private foundation and government grant application processes is preferred.
Experience with Donor Perfect and Microsoft Project is preferred.

Responsibilities

Write and submit new and renewal proposals to corporations, foundations, and government entities according to requirements and deadlines.
Serve as project manager for assigned larger grants, coordinating program planning, narrative and budget preparation, and supporting documents with External Affairs, Finance, and Program staff.
Lead grant prospecting by researching corporate and foundation prospects aligned with organizational priorities and recommending promising opportunities.
Coordinate grant implementation plans after awards, including communications, tracking tools, and outcome reporting.
Ensure applications, reports, and supporting materials comply with funder requirements, award terms, and applicable regulations.
Track grant deliverables, reporting deadlines, certifications, and assurances throughout award periods.
Consult with and guide team members on grant-related questions and issues.
Assist with onboarding, training, and mentoring or coaching new team members.
Share grant-writing expertise and advise supervisory staff and team members on grant and reporting narratives.
Recommend improvements to workflows, procedures, and processes.
Assist with representing PCH in external funder meetings, alongside the supervisor or when the supervisor is unavailable.
Assist the supervisor with preparing for or leading team meetings and supporting team projects as needed.
Collaborate with External Affairs staff to support consistent organization-wide messaging and maintain a library of program descriptions, outcomes, demographics, and research data.
Monitor funding trends, priorities, and opportunities aligned with organizational priorities and strategic goals.
Work with the Vice President of Grants/Community and Government Partnerships to cultivate and steward relationships with funders and prospects through in-person, telephone, and email contact.
Write and submit periodic funder reports according to requirements and deadlines.
Maintain the organizational grant calendar and project plans for applications, reports, and supporting materials.
Coordinate funder site visits and monitoring reviews, including scheduling, staff briefings, documentation, and follow-up on findings.
Maintain contact information and notes in Donor Perfect CRM and other systems as needed.
Practice safety, adhere to organizational policies, protect confidential organizational and donor information, and use only aggregate, de-identified data in grant materials in accordance with HIPAA and PCH privacy policies.
Attend departmental and organizational meetings as required and perform other duties as assigned.