Grants & Contracts Officer III

ABOUT UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT

Georgia State University Advancement works to further Georgia State’s status as a national leader in student success, research and innovation, and cultural impact. By connecting with alumni, engaging donors, and increasing philanthropic support for students and scholars, we’re helping to transform lives and build our global community. The University Advancement Division furthers the university and its mission through several departments, including Development, Corporate & Foundation Relations, Alumni Relations, and the Georgia State University Foundation.

Corporate and Foundation Relations

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) is a dynamic and creative team that fosters meaningful and transformational partnerships between Georgia State and foundation and corporate donors.

WHAT MAKES UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT A GREAT PLACE TO WORK?

• Generous benefits, including health, dental, vision, tuition assistance, retirement, etc.
• A knowledge-sharing organization that works collaboratively with cross-campus and external partners
• Professional development opportunity and mentorship
• A rapidly growing center within an academic setting

WHAT YOU WILL DO

University Advancement is seeking Grants Manager, Corporate and Foundation Relations.

With leadership from the Assistant Vice President of Corporate and Foundation Relations, and reporting to a Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, the Grants Manager will be a key member of our growing CFR team. Our goal is to secure transformational grant funding from foundation and corporate partners to advance the mission of Georgia State. In this role, you will improve systems and help a team of fundraisers maintain strong relationships with funding partners. Your skill in building internal relationships, working with financial data, and improving standard operating procedures will make you an invaluable member of the team and allow you to build a diverse skillset in a dynamic and rewarding environment.

Together, we will secure major philanthropic support for GSU priorities, from research to scholarships to innovative programs to capital funding, and much more.

As an R1 research university, Georgia State has more than doubled its research expenditures in recent years, growing from just over $91 million in 2012 to over $186 million in 2024. There is great potential to attract more foundation and corporate research funding.

The success of our over 57,000 students has always been our top priority. In its 2026 edition of Best Colleges, U.S. News & World Report ranked Georgia State University as the top public university for Undergraduate Teaching for the sixth straight year. Georgia State has been among the nation’s top five Most Innovative public universities for the past 11 years. For the seventh year in a row Georgia State ranked among the country’s top 10 universities (No. 2 among public universities) for its First-Year Experiences. U.S. News also ranked Georgia State No. 17 for Social Mobility.

GSU is in a tremendous era of revitalization and expansion at all six of its campuses. The $100 million GSU Research Tower will open this year; revitalized green spaces and quads are in the works; and several other major capital projects are underway. These spaces create a vibrant campus environment; enhance the university’s capacity for discovery and learning; and strengthen its role in driving economic growth and job creation. GSU contributed $3.222 billion to Georgia’s economy in fiscal year 2024.

Job Duties:

Grant Tracking and Reporting

• Ensure strong relationships between GSU and its corporate and foundation donor partners through excellent grants management
• Partner with finance and other colleagues to ensure that grant progress and spending are on track
• Collaborate with colleagues to review grant agreements/contracts and shepherd through the approval and signature process
• Negotiate revisions and amendments as needed, such as modified project periods and reporting timelines
• Write professional communications to donors to seek no-cost extensions, request permission for budget variances, and more
• Maintain a calendar of required reports to foundation and corporate donors and proactively remind faculty/staff about upcoming deadlines; clarify required format and components; gather attachments and institutional information
• Partner with colleagues to resolve potential issues and/or clarify information presented in reports before deadline
• Ensure the timely and complete submission of excellent reports and keep records in GSU’s Salesforce CRM and other file systems
• Draft cover letters to accompany reports as needed, including from university leadership
• Contribute new ideas for stewarding relationships with corporate and foundation donors and deepening engagement
• Contribute new ideas for data management and internal systems improvement
• Prepare internal reports about the Corporate and Foundation Relations team’s activities and impact

Support Proposal Activity and Prospect Research

• Support development officers and other GSU colleagues in writing/editing/submitting letters of inquiry and proposals as needed
• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure that proposal narratives and budgets comply with the requirements and values of both the funder and GSU
• Partner with colleagues to conduct prospect research to identify new potential corporate and foundation partners and open calls/requests for proposals (RFPs)
• Contribute to a database to share upcoming RFPs with GSU faculty

Build Internal and External Relationships

• Develop excellent rapport and collaboration with staff and faculty across the university to enable you to collect the program data and spending details necessary for reports, applications, and other donor communications
• Foster strong relationships with donors and serve as a representative of the university

Mentor and Help Supervise Student Assistants

• With other colleagues, supervise projects assigned to student assistants

Other

• This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. It is understood that the employee will also perform other reasonably related business duties if requested by the supervisor. Job descriptions are reviewed periodically and may be revised if deemed necessary.
• This position includes occasional evening/weekend work and up to 15% travel in Georgia or nationally.

Anticipated Hiring Range: $66,600 - $74,880. Salary offers will be determined based on the candidate’s qualifications in relation to the Minimum Hiring Standards. Candidates earlier in their careers are typically offered salaries closer to the minimum of the hiring range, while those with more advanced or relevant experience may be considered for compensation at or above the hiring range.

Qualifications

Minimum Hiring Standards:

• Bachelor's degree and four years of experience, or a combination of education and related experience

Preferred Hiring Qualifications:

• Demonstrated strength with Excel, databases, generating reports, and analyzing and presenting data
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Experience improving systems or processes
• Confidence with budgets and financials
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative, problem-solving style
• Attention to detail
• Deadline-oriented
• Familiarity with nonprofits, fundraising, higher education settings, and/or other types of grants and contracts management