Development and Communications Senior Associate; Grantwriter

Wisconsin Community Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/Disability/Vet).

Job Code: 2026-ADMINIST-001 |

Location:

Milwaukee | Department:
Development | Status:
Full Time

Combine your leadership and research skills with your exceptional ability to write, edit, proofread, fundraise, and communicate. These skills will aid your contribution to a 114‑year‑old nonprofit, human service organization. As a senior member of an established development and communication team, join us in our collaboration with human service administrators to:

• Conceptualize and develop high‑level, complex proposals
• Develop and write agreed‑upon funding proposals and applications to government entities (federal, state, county, and city), foundations, United Way, and other funding sources
• Perform needed research for funding proposals and applications
• Assist in donor identification, cultivation, and recognition
• Complete many special and varied writing assignments
• Solicit donations, advertising, and in‑kind goods/services to promote WCS programs and special events

As a Development and Communications Senior Associate, you will work closely with the Director of Development and Communication to implement our organization’s development plan and fund‑raising activities. You will work on special writing projects with senior‑level leaders, providing your creative input, product development, and clerical support. Your belief in our mission to “provide innovative opportunities for individuals to overcome adversity” will assist you in cultivating local media relationships to publicly “tell the WCS story.”

Your Bachelor’s – Master’s level studies in communication, public policy, social welfare, or related field, your five to ten years of expertise with proposal/grant writing and institutional donors, and your knowledge of fundraising and research techniques, fundraising strategies and informational sources will contribute to your success in this role. We also need your experience using computer programs such as Microsoft 365 (Word, Outlook, Excel, etc.);

databases; design/presentation software; and event software.

Salary is commensurate with education and experience: $70,000 - $80,000

Provides leadership and support in the areas of grant writing, program planning, and program development; writing and timely submission of funding proposals and other significant documents; provides key support of social media presence for agency; provides project leadership in all areas of development and communication including data collection, publications, marketing, and reporting to funders, as needed.

• Conceptualize and develop high‑level, complex proposals and submit them in a timely manner
• Develop and write agreed‑upon funding proposals and applications to government entities (federal, state, county, and city), foundations, United Way and other funding sources; provide leadership to large grant proposals, as assigned
• Use strong writing, proofreading, and editing skills to complete all assigned writing projects and to edit the work of others in the department and agency
• Work in conjunction with the Director of Development and Communication in implementing the agency’s development plan and fundraising activities, including creative input, product development, and clerical support
• Have knowledge of and support ongoing expansion and updating of electronic and social media presences
• Takes leadership in coordinating with VPs, Administrators, and Program Directors to search for grants and other appropriate funding mechanisms and opportunities for developing new programs and services or supporting existing ones
• Provides leadership and support in donor identification, cultivation, and recognition; develops and strengthens foundation and corporate relationships; maintains interagency contacts; provides a presence on relevant committees in coordination with director; solicits donations, advertising, and in‑kind goods/services to promote WCS programs and special events
• Takes ownership of assigned projects related to agency public relations and capital campaigns
• Collects,…