Grants and Contracts Manager

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Job Description Summary

The Program for Leadership and Character is seeking a responsible, detail-oriented, and trustworthy Grants and Contracts Manager to provide grant administration and financial services support for the Educating Character Initiative.

The Educating Character Initiative, funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., is a project that aims to build capacity for character education at U.S. colleges and universities. Our major activities include : (1) awarding and stewarding sub-grants to institutions of higher education seeking to cultivate character in their faculty, staff, administrators, and students; (2) supporting individuals and institutions in their efforts to educate character through consultation, the development and dissemination of resources, hosting of convenings and conferences, and more; (3) building a broad and diverse community of character educators; and (4) producing scholarship and research on character and character education.

The Grants and Contracts Manager will serve as the lead administrator of the Educating Character Initiative’s grant efforts, attending to matters of fulfillment and reporting of ECI contracts with its funders as well as overseeing ECI’s role as a funder of a major national grants program. The GCM will execute contracts for over 100 open grants to colleges and universities, offer both pre- and post-award support to institutions receiving grants and subcontracts, and be knowledgeable and responsive to ECI program staff regarding grant proposal preparation, award selection, budgets, and administration. The Grants and Contracts Manager will monitor research program budgets, program reports, business affairs, policies and procedures, and personnel matters for the external grants and subcontracts, and will proactively review grantee budgets and program reports to identify potential issues or challenges. They will also make decisions regarding resource acquisition, (re)allocation, and no-cost extensions and apply analytical and problem solving techniques to business affairs associated with the external grants and sub-contracts. The Grants and Contracts Manager will report to the Executive Director of the Educating Character Initiative and work closely with the Associate Director of Partnerships, the Assistant Director of Partnerships, and the Business Manager for the Educating Character Initiative, as well as the Wake Forest University Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and Legal Department.

Please submit 1) a cover letter explaining your experience and your fit for this position with the Educating Character Initiative; 2) a résumé or curriculum vitae; and 3) three professional references (at least one of whom must be a current or former supervisor).

The deadline for priority consideration is December 1, 2025. This position is eligible for remote work. The position will remain open until filled.

Job Description

Essential Functions :

Works closely with the Executive Director and Associate Director of the Educating Character Initiative to develop the structure and application for the granting initiative and to coordinate and review grant application budgets and receipt of all proposal materials.

Assists proposal writers in applying for grant opportunities, aids in determining appropriate guidelines and regulatory requirements, and works with the organizations to prepare budgets and fulfill other requirements.

Develops, negotiates, reviews and finalizes all sub-contracts and tracks and monitors maintenance coverage periods, contract dates, invoice due dates, and amounts due.

Manages over 100 grants and subcontracts to external institutions, including grants to individuals. Maintains and reconciles detailed budgets for each grant or subcontract; advises and / or determines which expenditures are within budget guidelines; informs management of irregularities; and proceeds with corrective action.

Provides ongoing communication and support to grantees to ensure accountability and the success of their programs and works as a liaison between the individual institutions and the Program staff.

Ensures timely submission of sub-grantee reports and reviews reports from sub-contractees to ensure that budget and program goals are being met in accordance to the guidelines in the contract.

Compiles and reviews progress reports for internal and external stakeholders, including the Program leadership, faculty / staff, Research & Sponsored Programs, and funding agencies.

Assists with reports and proposals related to grantmaking efforts.

Serves as a department liaison to coordinate grantmaking procedures with Wake Forest’s Office of Research and Sponsored Projects and the Legal Department.

Works with the Business Manager to ensure that grants and sub-contracts comply with University accounting policies and procedures.

Works with the Business Manager to oversee the system for releasing funds to grantees as well as receipt, processing and approval of invoices and expenditure requests from sub-contracts.

Assists Associate Director with interviewing and selecting external consultants and manages the contract negotiation and ongoing consulting relationships with those individuals.

Works with ECI Grants Team to ensure coordination of operations, activities, and timelines with program officer liaisons as well as ECI Finance.

Works with the ECI Research team on ensuring necessary data collection, management, and retrieval.

Works with the Associate and Assistant Director of Partnerships to maintain a system of contacts and communications with key partners.

Assists the Director of Communications with gathering relevant information from the sub-grantees to disseminate advertisements and resources.

Takes an active role on a dynamic, collaborative, and fast-paced team.

May supervise support staff as needed.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities :

Bachelor’s Degree in business or related field plus three years of progressively more responsible accounting / management experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge of office and administrative practices and principles.

Knowledge and skill in developing and reviewing contracts, accounting and budget preparation / management.

Contract administration experience.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite.

Well-developed planning, administrative, and project management skills; ability to establish goals, prioritize tasks, and mobilize resources in a time-critical environment.

Strong interpersonal and communications skills, both verbally and in writing. Ability to develop and nurture relationships with organizations and individuals having diverse professional expertise.

Ability to analyze and solve problems, make decisions, and proactively respond to grant budgeting issues and needs. Ability to analyze and interpret policy and procedural questions.

Strong critical thinking skills with careful attention to detail.

Ability to manage multiple tasks under pressure and adapt rapidly to changing priorities; excellent time management skills; ability to organize personal workflow.

Ability to work independently and acquire knowledge of new systems in a short time period.

Good character, sound judgment, and a strong work ethic.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities :

Experience in grantmaking.

Experience with Salesforce and Workday.

Demonstrated proficiency in contract law, including interpreting and constructing contractual language.

CRFA designation, or equivalent.

Familiarity with higher education.

Familiarity with leadership and / or character education.

Accountabilities :

Works under minimal supervision.

Responsible for own work.

Budgetary responsibilities

Physical Requirements :

Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting and standing.

Environmental Conditions :

No adverse environmental conditions expected.

Additional Job Description

Time Type Requirement

Full time Note to Applicant :

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his / her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and military or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact AskHR@wfu.edu or (336) 758-4700.