Director of Grants Administration

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Job Description

The Director of Grants Administration will establish and lead a new, stand-alone grants administration department within the university. This high-visibility role is responsible for setting the strategic vision, developing administrative policies, and ensuring operational excellence in both pre- and post-award grant functions. The Director will collaborate closely with senior leadership, faculty, finance teams, and external funding agencies to support and advance the university's mission. This role requires a seasoned grant professional with a deep understanding of grant compliance, funding strategies, and relationship management.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a strategic vision for the grants administration department, setting goals and performance metrics.
• Create and execute a framework for grant submissions, ensuring sponsor's grant guidelines are met, documents internal approvals, reviews budgets and other required submission documents to ensure they are in alignment
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all grant-related activities, ensuring seamless coordination between university departments and external funding sources.
• Oversee budget planning and resource allocation for the grants office.
• Lead a growing team, providing mentorship, training, and performance management to ensure professional development and efficiency.
• Establish policies, procedures, and workflows to ensure mission alignment, compliance, and quality in grants administration.

Pre-Award Grant Administration:

• Develop a structured framework for grant submissions, ensuring alignment with funding agency guidelines.
• Guide faculty and staff in the preparation, review, and submission of grant proposals.
• Ensure internal approvals, budget development, and compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements.
• Identify funding opportunities and provide strategic guidance on proposal development.

Post-Award Grant Administration:

• Oversee the successful execution of awarded grants, ensuring compliance with all regulations and reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with finance partners to monitor budgets, spending, and grant-related financial activities.
• Develop timelines and prepare necessary reports to ensure timely submission of grant deliverables.
• Establish mechanisms for tracking grant impact and outcomes.

• Communicates effectively with WGU senior leadership regarding all aspects of grants administration. Responsible for an internal communication and change management plan to expand knowledge and expectations surrounding grants administration.
• Establish a centralized service and resource office for grants identification, development, submission, and stewardship/reporting.
• Collaborates with members of the Advancement team including fundraisers, project management, and advancement services to achieve team-wide goals and deliverables.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• Ensure adherence to federal, state, and sponsor regulations governing grant management.
• Stay informed about changes in grant compliance requirements and communicate updates effectively to stakeholders.
• Advocate for best practices and continuous improvement in grants administration.
• Expertise in leading a grants administration department. This role sets the standard for a successful grants office.
• Deep experience with navigating different funding agencies, both private and public.
• Communicates effectively as the leader of the grants administration team. Ability to direct diverse constituencies, including faculty members, staff, colleagues, and internal and external constituents.
• Implements key office technology and software for tracking grants. Develop appropriate workflows and maintain records.
• Establish a centralized service model for grant identification, submission, and stewardship.
• Leverage technology, including Salesforce CRM, to track, manage, and report on grant activity.
• Develop and execute a change management and communication strategy to educate stakeholders on grants administration processes.
• Ability to use computers and computer software with ease (including Microsoft Word, Excel, web-based tools, and similar software), and the ability and flexibility to learn new skills as different duties may arise
• Ability to work both independently and as a team member. At times, the work is fast-paced with long hours and tight deadlines.

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree with 7 or more years of related experience; Master's or Doctorate degree and 3 or more years of related experience.

Department Specific Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree (preferred) from an accredited institution
• 7 years of relevant experience.
• 3 years of relevant leadership experience
• Proven experience in both pre- and post-award grant functions.
• Deep understanding of federal, state, and private funding agency regulations.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Knowledge of the research regulatory environment and requirements for compliance
• Ability to analyze proposals and contracts and identify areas needing resolution
• Strong ability in policy review, data collection, statistical evaluation of data, and strategies for conveying results to users

Preferred Qualifications:

• Working within a higher education grants administration.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Position & Application Details

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.