"Grant Development Specialist"

Job Details

Classification Title: Grant Development Specialist

Salary: $63,109.00 Annually

Department: Grants

Pay Grade: ADM3

Reports To: Director of Grants

FLSA Status: Exempt

Unit: Administrative

Opening Date: 9/4/2025

Closing Date: 9/19/2025 11:59 p.m.

General Statement of Job

Middlesex College is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and experienced Grant Development Specialist to strengthen and expand the College’s grant portfolio. Focused on the pre-award phase of grant development, this position contributes to all aspects of proposal creation, from identifying funding opportunities to supporting program design and developing competitive applications.

While the College’s Grants Department post-award team manages financial reporting and compliance, the Specialist collaborates on performance reporting to ensure alignment with original proposals and funder expectations. This role also plays a key part in building institutional capacity through mentoring, training, and the development of toolkits and resources that enhance grant-seeking effectiveness.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Serves as lead grant writer for assigned projects under the supervision of the Director of Grants.
• Collaborates with faculty, administrators, and staff to conceptualize and design grant-funded programs that advance institutional priorities and align with funder requirements.
• Researches and identifies new funding opportunities, analyzes grant trends, and builds a robust pipeline that positions the College for long-term success.
• Interprets RFPs and Funding Opportunity Announcements and provides clear guidance to project teams.
• Reviews proposals for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with program guidelines.
• Develops and maintains reusable content, toolkits, and templates to improve efficiency and quality in grant submissions.
• Provides feedback on proposal narratives, ensuring clarity, persuasiveness, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Participates in performance report preparation, ensuring that outcomes reported align with the original proposal narrative and commitments.
• Leads and participates in training workshops for faculty and administrators on grant writing, project design, and proposal development best practices.
• Contributes to periodic assessments of the College’s grant portfolio, identifying areas of strength, opportunity, and process improvement.
• Maintains Grants Office databases, tracks statistics, and assists with institutional reporting on grant activity.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Grants.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in grant writing, English, professional writing, communications, public administration or related field;
• Three (3) years of experience as a grant writer in the public or non-profit sector;
• Three (3) years of experience developing grant budgets;
• Strong written communication skills, with demonstrated ability to craft persuasive proposals for a variety of funders; and
• Strong analytical, organizational, and planning skills, with attention to detail and deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven record of securing federal, state, and/or foundation grants;
• Higher education experience;
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and database systems;
• Familiarity with federal and state regulations related to grant-funded programs;
• Ability to train and mentor faculty/staff in grant writing and project design; and
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to process improvements and strategic portfolio evaluation.

Physical Requirements

The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Hearing: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual Acuity: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

Supplemental Information

Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Retirement: Pension Eligible

Candidates chosen for an interview will be asked to submit a portfolio of their previous work, and may be asked to complete a writing assignment.

Work Arrangement: Consistent with the current application of Middlesex College Policy 4.18.0, this position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Flexible work arrangements are not permanent, and are subject to change or cancellation. Further, they are contingent on the employee completing an initial probationary work period and receiving approval from his or her immediate supervisor, and may be re-evaluated after six (6) months. Additional information may be found at: https://middlesexcollege.edu/about/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/11/policy-manual.pdf

NJ First Act: Any Middlesex College employee hired after September 1, 2011 will have to meet the New Jersey residency law requirement.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Middlesex College is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, marital status, familial status, religion, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for service in the armed forces of the United States, or disability.

Affirmative Action and Compliance Statement: Middlesex College is firmly committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. The College will implement this policy to assure that the educational programs, activities, services, benefits and employment opportunities offered by the College are available to all persons regardless of sex, race, creed, national origin, ancestry, nationality, color, marital status, civil union or domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity, age, handicap (and/or disability), service in the armed forces, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, refusal to submit to genetic tests, or refusal to make available results of genetic tests, in accordance with State and Federal laws. All employees and students are expected to accept these principles and to reflect their spirit in everyday relationships with fellow employees and students. Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to the Affirmative Action Officer, Middlesex College, Chambers Hall, 2600 Woodbridge Avenue, Edison, New Jersey 08818-3050.

Company

Middlesex College is a place where everyone has equal access to opportunity and a chance to THRIVE… in education, exploration, growth and personal progress.

Our students are recent high school graduates looking to take the first two years toward a bachelor’s degree; others want to start a great career right after graduating from Middlesex College. Some may be adult students who have been out of school for a while, looking to upgrade their skills or start college. They are returning military veterans seeking an education. They are also recent immigrants looking to improve their English skills or participate in workplace training.

Less than an hour from New York City, our home county is strategically located near lucrative career opportunities in technology, healthcare and business, with employers like Johnson & Johnson and the fast-growing autonomous technology industry.

Our students hail from every town in Middlesex County, the most diverse county in the state according to the 2020 U.S. Census, and nearly 40 countries.

Thanks to scholarships and grants, we make it possible for anyone to afford Middlesex College without getting into debt. Students and families who make less than $65,000 are eligible for grants covering the entire cost of tuition.

Our caring faculty nurture students as they prepare to transfer to a four-year college or enter the world of work, providing career guidance and extending help beyond normal office hours.

Middlesex College is an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse perspectives and lived experiences, and values each person's contributions.

Join our team in serving a diverse population of more than 12,000 students. The campus community, representing a variety of ages, races, ethnicities, interests, and backgrounds, all work together toward the common goal of providing access to a quality, affordable education to a diverse population.

We understand that total rewards play an important role when choosing where to work. Full-time employees enjoy work-life balance, competitive and equitable compensation, and a friendly, inclusive work environment.

Company info

Website: https://www.middlesexcc.edu/

Telephone: 732-906-2522

Location: 2600 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison
NJ
08818
US