Director I (Director of Grant Partnerships)

The Director of Grant Partnerships is responsible for leading and managing a portfolio of philanthropic grants and contracts, which support the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's strategic priorities. This role brings a proactive and solutions-oriented approach to grant management, balancing portfolio oversight, operational execution, stakeholder needs, and organizational priorities to ensure grant-funded work achieves intended outcomes.

This position oversees the full grant lifecycle, including initiation, implementation, monitoring, and closeout, along with budgets, contracts, and payments. The Director independently manages the grant portfolio by establishing priorities, anticipating needs, identifying potential risks or challenges, and ensuring successful execution across grant activities. By maintaining effective systems, documentation, and communication, the Director ensures grant-funded work is completed on time, within scope, and in alignment with all obligations. The Director supervises the Grants Partnership Coordinator, provides leadership and direction for grant administration activities, ensures compliance, and serves as the primary resource for complex grant and contract matters.

The role requires the ability to communicate with clarity, purpose, and sound judgment; adapt messages and approaches based on the needs of different audiences and stakeholders; and translate information, priorities, and expectations into clear direction and actionable next steps. The Director anticipates stakeholder information needs and proactively provides context, updates, and recommendations to support informed decision-making, build alignment, resolve issues, and advance successful outcomes.

This position requires a high degree of initiative and independent judgment, with the ability to independently manage assigned responsibilities, prioritize competing demands, and proactively communicate needs, risks, and recommendations.

General Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead and manage the grant and contract portfolio, ensuring compliance, timely implementation, monitoring, and successful closeout.

Oversee the transition of grants from the pre-award/proposal phase to post-award administration in partnership with the Executive and Strategic Communications Manager, ensuring funder and program requirements are effectively incorporated into implementation.

Lead kickoff meetings and ongoing check-ins, communicating requirements, priorities, roles, and expectations clearly; adapting communication approaches based on stakeholder needs; and ensuring stakeholders have the context and direction needed for successful execution.

Monitor grant implementation, timelines, deliverables, and compliance requirements to identify and elevate emerging risks, proactively communicate impacts and recommendations, and support timely resolution of issues.

Supervise the Grants Partnership Coordinator by providing direction, coaching, feedback, workload prioritization, and professional development support while ensuring grant administration activities are completed accurately, consistently, and on schedule.

Partner with program leads on scopes of work and contracting processes for grant-supported projects, ensuring grant requirements, responsibilities, and timelines are clearly communicated and aligned before execution.

Develop and maintain grant management documentation, including proposal and grant reporting budgets, internal check-in documents, external funder communications and check-in materials, grant tracking tools, and implementation documentation.

Maintain grant records, Board materials, and required reporting, and continuously improve grant administration processes, systems, and tools to support effective portfolio management.

Develop, review, and monitor proposal, award, and grant reporting budgets to ensure accuracy, fiscal responsibility, and alignment with approved funding.

Oversee expenditures, reconciliations, payment schedules, and payment requests, ensuring timely processing and compliance with applicable policies and grant requirements.

Provide direction and oversight to the Grants Partnership Coordinator on financial administration activities, ensuring budgets, expenditures, reconciliations, payment documentation, and related processes are completed accurately, timely, and in alignment with applicable policies and grant requirements.

Translate financial information into clear updates, recommendations, and actionable next steps, balancing appropriate detail, context, and audience needs to support informed decision-making.

Anticipate financial risks and information needs, proactively communicate potential impacts, and provide recommendations and corrective actions to support informed decision-making and effective stewardship of grant resources.

Strategic Partnerships:
Lead THEF administrative functions related to the annual audit, insurance, policy development and maintenance, and grant-related financial reporting, ensuring documentation, coordination, communications, and reporting requirements are completed accurately and on schedule.

Coordinate logistics, communications, meeting materials, and follow-up for THEF Board and Strategic Partnership related activities, such as the Commissioner's Philanthropic and Economic & Workforce Council meetings.

Support the agency's annual conference, Higher EDge. and other Strategic Partnerships priorities, providing leadership, coordination, and operational support as needed.

Build and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders by understanding stakeholder needs, communicating information in a manner that is accessible, relevant, and meaningful to each audience, and ensuring shared understanding of goals, priorities, roles, and expectations.

Communicate strategically to advance initiatives, resolve issues, and support successful outcomes, ensuring communications are appropriately tailored to the audience and provide the context needed for effective engagement and decision-making.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge Skills or Abilities:
Skill in managing multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines while maintaining accuracy, organization, and attention to detail.

Skill in developing and maintaining effective systems, processes, documentation, and tracking tools.

Skill in communicating complex information clearly, concisely, and effectively to diverse audiences.

Skill in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, identify risks, and recommend solutions.

Ability to translate financial, operational, and grant-related information into clear updates, recommendations, and actionable next steps.

Ability to think strategically while managing day-to-day execution and operational details.

Ability to adapt communication approaches based on stakeholder needs and effectively collaborate with diverse individuals and groups.

Ability to apply creative solutions to problem solving and continuous improvement.

Required In-Office Days:
This position requires on-site work. This position is authorized for a hybrid telework schedule up to two (2) days per week.

Military Crosswalk: https://hr.sao.texas.gov/Compensation/MilitaryCrosswalk/MOSC_ProgramManagement.pdf

Required Minimum Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience supporting or managing grant-funded programs, projects, contracts, or other externally funded initiatives.

Experience managing budgets, financial processes, or other detail-oriented administrative functions.

Preferred:
Experience managing grant-funded programs, projects, contracts, or other externally funded initiatives.

Experience developing, monitoring, or reporting on grant budgets, expenditures, and financial activities.

Experience supervising staff or leading teams, including assigning work, providing direction, and supporting staff development.

Experience developing or improving processes, systems, tools, or documentation to support operational effectiveness.

Knowledge of project management principles and practices, including planning, implementation, risk management, and tracking of deliverables.

Knowledge of higher education, nonprofit, foundation, or public sector environments.

Experience supporting audits, board activities, organizational reporting, or governance-related functions.

Physical Requirements and/or Working Conditions:
Work is performed in a standard office environment and requires:
Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.

Participation in a hybrid work environment with required in-office presence as determined by agency policy.

Frequent use of a personal computer, telephone, copier, and printer.

Extended periods of sitting and working at a computer.

Frequent work under deadlines and collaboration with others in both in-person and virtual environments.

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