Grants Manager

About PODER: PODER empowers individuals with the necessary academic tools to promote human dignity, increase employment potential, and facilitate participation in the larger community. Since 1997, PODER has empowered Spanish-speaking adult immigrants to create successful and fulfilling new lives in the United States. Through a deep commitment to the needs of immigrant communities, PODER provides critical societal and workforce integration services with both immediate and long-term impact for families, communities, and employers throughout Chicagoland. In 2023, a new chapter in our history began with the opening of a state-of-the-art $6.5MM adaptive reuse in Gage Park: PODER HQ. In 2024, we launched a new strategic plan to realize our vision to create community within a trusted and sustainable immigrant integration center (in-person and virtual) where individuals and families are empowered through holistic and seamless services. The Opportunity: PODER’s Grants Manager is responsible for overseeing the full lifecycle of institutional fundraising, including prospect research, grant writing, reporting, and compliance. This is a rare chance to step into a high-impact, high-ownership grants role at a pivotal moment in PODER’s history. As Grants Manager, you will build and manage a grants portfolio targeting $3–$4 million annually, spanning foundation, corporate, and government funders. You’ll work directly with senior leadership, program teams, and finance to shape the narrative of PODER’s work, and secure the resources that make it possible. This is not a support role. You will own the full grants lifecycle, from prospect research and proposal writing to reporting, compliance, and some funder stewardship, with the autonomy and trust to manage your portfolio strategically. What You’ll Do: Own the Grants Strategy · Develop and manage an annual grants calendar aligned to PODER’s ~$3M budget and revenue goals, with clear pipeline targets and scenario planning to mitigate funding risk. · Research and prioritize prospective funders, with a focus on multi-year, unrestricted, and high-impact opportunities, and maintain a living prospecting system updated in collaboration with senior staff. · Track funder trends, guideline changes, and emerging opportunities in immigration, workforce development, and adult education. Write and Manage Winning Proposals: · Draft, edit, and submit compelling grant proposals, LOIs, and reports tailored to foundation, corporate, and public agency guidelines. · Develop persuasive narrative content that connects program outcomes to funder priorities, drawing on participant data, community demographics, and organizational impact metrics. · Collaborate with program and finance teams to prepare accurate, mission-aligned budgets, logic models, and evaluation plans. · Manage the full proposal calendar, ensuring all deadlines for submissions, renewals, and reports are met without exception. Steward Funders and Ensure Compliance · Prepare interim and final reports that demonstrate impact and build funder trust, using real program data to tell PODER’s story compellingly. · Oversee the grants management system in Salesforce, tracking deadlines, deliverables, status, and reporting requirements across all active grants. · Coordinate with finance and program staff to ensure accurate financial reporting and alignment with grant terms. Strengthen the Culture of Philanthropy: · Serve as an internal grants advisor, supporting development and program staff with proposal framing, storytelling, and shared deliverables. · Train colleagues on grant best practices and help surface compelling impact stories from across the organization. · Contribute to a fundraising culture that sees grants as a shared organizational responsibility, not just a Development function. Desired Competencies: ● Optimizes Work Processes ● Communicates Effectively ● Drives Results ● Customer Focus ● Values Differences ● Builds Networks ● Manages Complexity Required Skills & Abilities: ● Bilingual Spanish/English preferred ● Exceptional writing, editing, and research skills with a strategic, analytical approach to funder alignment ● Strong organizational and project management abilities with attention to deadlines and detail ● Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines ● Ability to prioritize tasks ● Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality ● Proficient with Salesforce and Microsoft Office Suite or related software applications A Strong Plus ● Experience with government grant funding (federal, state, and municipal/City of Chicago) ● Knowledge of immigrant communities, workforce development, adult education, or social justice issues ● Experience growing a grants program in a small-to-mid-size nonprofit environment Education and Experience: ● Bachelor’s degree ● Minimum five years of grant writing and fundraising experience in a nonprofit setting, including a proven track record of securing 5- to 6- figure foundation and corporate grants. ● Knowledge of immigrant communities, workforce development, education, or social justice issues a plus. Physical Requirements: ● The Grants Manager position is clerical and primarily a sedentary role and may require sitting or standing for extended periods of time Salary Range: $73,000–$85,000 per year, commensurate with experience. (For FT positions: Benefit package includes health insurance subsidy and simple IRA company match. Generous holiday schedule and flexible accrued PTO for vacation, personal and sick days.) Equal Employment Opportunity Statement It is the policy of PODER to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, PODER will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Pay: $73,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year Benefits: 401(k) Paid time off Work Location: In person