Director of Grants Administration

The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio (ULGSO) is on a mission to end generational poverty through advocacy and by empowering individuals to establish careers, become entrepreneurs, build wealth, and develop as leaders. We serve communities in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky, and o ur programs and initiatives are designed to empower communities and change lives. We focus on workforce development, advocacy, and business development to foster economic self-reliance and growth.

Ourjob readiness training, career counseling, and placement services ensure individuals are prepared for and connected to meaningful employment opportunities. Our Center for Social Justice leads advocacy efforts dedicated to fighting for social justice, equity, and civil rights through policy initiatives and community engagement. We also support entrepreneurs and small business owners through business development programs that provide training, mentorship, and access to capital.

The Director of Grants Administration leads the full life cycle of grants (pre-award, award, and post-award) with a particular emphasis on managing complex government grants (federal, state, local). This role ensures organizational compliance, strengthens internal systems, and supports cross-departmental alignment to maximize funding, outcomes, and long-term sustainability. The Director serves as the subject-matter expert on government grant regulations and reporting requirements.

• Serve as the project manager for all grant applications and reporting activities across corporate, foundation, and government funding streams, including federal (e.g. DOJ, DOL), state, and local awards.
• Research and identify high value public and private funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
• Ensure eligibility, compliance, and documentation requirements for all grant submissions and awards, with a focus on government grant regulations.
• Write and edit high-quality grant proposals, narratives, and supporting documentation that meet funder requirements.
• Maintain the grants master calendar and ensure accurate, timely data management in Instrumental and other systems.
• Oversee a comprehensive Grants Administration framework that coordinates across Finance, Development/Entrepreneurship, External Relations, HR, and the Office of the President.
• Refine and oversee internal processes for pre-award planning, post-award monitoring, fiscal reporting, and compliance tracking.
• Lead internal training for staff on grant compliance, data reporting, government regulations, and documentation standards.
• Strengthen organizational readiness for monitoring visits, site audits, and fund compliance reviews.

• Maintain a deep understanding of programs to ensure accuracy, alignment, and strength of proposals and reports.
• Collaborate with the Data & Analytics team to streamline data collection, evaluation practices, outcomes reporting, and funder metrics.
• Analyze program data and evaluation results to identify trends, improvement areas, and strategic opportunities.
• Synthesize organizational and community impact information to develop compelling cases for support.
• Facilitate completion of high-quality program reports that meet both internal and external requirements.

• The Director of Grants Administration directly supervises the Grants Manager, providing day-to-day guidance, workload delegation, performance management, coaching, and professional development to ensure strong execution of all grant related functions.

• Bachelor’s degree required in Public Administration, Finance, Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, or a related field;
  Master’s degree preferred.
• Extensive experience (5-7 years) managing government grants, including federal, state, and local public funding.
• Strong understanding of grant compliance, budget oversight, allowable costs, and performance reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to build and refine grants management systems and technologies.
• Experience managing grants, databases and cross-department workflows.
• Exceptional…