Senior Director of Grants

WELCOME TO YOUR CENTER!

Established as a community non-profit in 1972, The Center provides targeted programs and services to the full diversity of the San Diego LGBTQ community. The mission of The Center is to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, nonbinary, immigrant, and HIV communities for the betterment of our entire San Diego region. Our vision is to create a Center and Center culture where every person feels and knows that they are welcomed, valued, and supported.

As the beacon for our regional LGBTQ community, we actively recommit to being a more vibrant, bold, innovative, safe, and modern center each day than the day before. The Center is sex-positive and provides advocacy and critical health and social support services to support our community members through all stages of life, focusing on our deeply held values of equity, social justice, and client-centered, trauma-informed care.

The Center currently has over 100 staff working at five facilities across San Diego County.

The Senior Director of Grants oversees all aspects of grant development, management, and compliance across the organization's diverse portfolio of federal, state, foundation, and private funding. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), this position plays a critical strategic role in resource development, working closely with program leadership to identify and secure funding opportunities that align with organizational priorities and community needs.

As the organization's lead grant writer, this individual will craft compelling proposals while managing comprehensive reporting requirements for all funded projects. The ideal candidate brings exceptional writing and research capabilities, demonstrated budgeting expertise, and a proven track record securing grants ranging from under $20K to $500,000+. Success in this role requires strong project management and data analysis skills, experience developing measurable outcomes and logic models, and the ability to consistently meet demanding deadlines while maintaining meticulous attention to detail.

The Senior Director will optimize grant administration processes, coordinate all reporting timelines, review proposals for quality and compliance, manage the organization's grant database (Instrumentl), and provide leadership to the grant manager and grant writer. This position is instrumental in sustaining The Center´s mission by securing continuous funding streams, building strategic funder relationships, and ensuring the successful execution of programs that serve the San Diego LGBTQ+ community.

• Lead development of competitive grant proposals for federal agencies (CDC, SAMHSA, HRSA, HUD, NIH), state agencies (California Office of Emergency Services, CDPH), the County of San Diego, the City of San Diego, corporations, and private foundations
• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for identifying, pursuing, and securing grant funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations
• Conduct research to identify new funding opportunities aligned with organizational programs and strategic priorities
• Write and submit high-quality proposals in a timely manner, following guidelines set forth by the funder
• Write compelling narratives that integrate epidemiological data, evidence-based practices, and community needs assessments
• Develop complex budgets and budget narratives, including de minimis rate calculations and cost allocation methodologies, working with the COO and program staff to accurately reflect costs of proposed activities
• Coordinate proposal development across multiple departments, ensuring alignment with program capacity and organizational goals
• Develop and produce analytic reports that synthesize funding opportunities, insights for improved proposals, and informed decision-making.

• Oversee portfolio of active grants, including HIV prevention services, Ryan White, HOPWA, HUD, SAMHSA, CDPH, Cal OES, and other smaller funders
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, county, city, corporation, and foundation reporting requirements and regulations
• Manage grant reporting timelines, coordinating with finance and program staff to submit accurate and timely reports
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all grant applications, submissions, awards, denials, and reports
• Manage the grant database (Instrument) to track grant deliverables, deadlines, and performance metrics
• Prepare regular reports on the status of grant-funded projects for internal and external audiences
• Serve as the primary point of contact and liaison with funders, contract managers, and others involved in the grant process
• Collaborate with the COO, finance, contracts, and quality assurance staff to ensure grant awards are appropriately allocated to projects and started on time.

• Collaborate with the COO and the finance department on grant…