Associate Director, Grants

Why we need you

Springboard Collaborative invites talented and passionate candidates to apply for the position of Associate Director of Grants. The Associate Director of Grants will be responsible for all assigned donor-facing proposals, reports, and LOIs. A successful candidate will be exceptional at written communication, project management, and detail orientation. This is a remote position, and candidates must reside in the U.S. More information about location and travel can be found below.

Springboard Collaborative closes the literacy gap by closing the gap between home and school. We coach educators and family members to help kids learn to read by 4th grade. Springboard envisions a world in which parents and teachers work together—rather than in isolation—to accelerate student learning. The Associate Director of Grants supports this goal by writing strong reports and proposals to secure and maintain the funding necessary to carry out Springboard’s work successfully.

The Associate Director of Grants will report to the Director of Donor Communications and work as part of the Partnerships team. This is a great opportunity to support an entrepreneurial team to maximize the impact of a rapidly growing organization.

You can read more about the requirements, competencies, goals, and responsibilities below. We'd love to have you join us!

This is important

We are an equal-opportunity employer. Diversity is more than a commitment at Springboard Collaborative—it’s at the core of what we do and how we do it. No one can solve a problem better than those who experience it firsthand. That’s why Springboard aspires to hire a diverse team that is representative of the marginalized communities we serve.

We also know that having a diverse workforce makes for a better workplace. Springboard’s hiring process seeks individuals who value diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, etc.

Finally, if you’re passionate about an open role, we encourage you to apply— even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications listed on the job description!

Here are your priorities in the first year:

• You will deliver high-quality, on-time reports and proposals.
• You will ensure that all externally-shared language is accurate, up-to-date, and compelling. 
• You will execute timely and efficient grant processes.
• You will promptly update and maintain a database of approved final language.  

Here are your responsibilities within and beyond the first year:

• You create best-in-class written content.
• Draft, revise, and submit high-quality grant proposals, reports, concept notes, LOIs, and mass emails. 
• Collaborate across teams to gather, conceptualize, and contextualize impact data, financial information, and other relevant content to tell a compelling story.
• You implement communications systems and processes.
• Maintain processes to support the delivery of grant writing services to internal clients, i.e. kick-off meetings, shared projects, regular progress updates, etc.
• Maintain the Philanthropy team’s centralized language repository to ensure access to up-to-date, best-in-class grant writing language.
• Maintain the team’s annual communications calendar and related processes.
• You execute donor communications strategy.
• Contribute to regularly updating Springboard's case for support to reinforce organization-wide fundraising strategies and tactics and help front-line fundraisers achieve annual revenue goals.
• Tailor external messaging to different donor audiences by region, interest area, donor type, etc.
• Uphold quality standards for writing.
• You uphold operational excellence.
• Meet grant writing and reporting deadlines.
• Proactively communicate to internal stakeholders on the progress of work.
• Submit requests for information in a timely fashion.

What you offer us

Here are the competencies and requirements we expect the right candidate to have: 

• Communication: You effectively communicate in writing, tailoring messages to the interests and priorities of different audiences. Your writing is clear, concise, strategic, and persuasive. 
• Customer focus: You ensure a positive and seamless experience for the front-line fundraisers who are your internal customers. You listen and respond to their needs, delivering high-quality, tailored materials on predetermined timelines with minimal edits needed. 
• Project management: You structure and direct the work of various internal stakeholders to ensure that complex, time-sensitive grant-writing projects are completed successfully and with ease. You ensure deadlines are met and keep stakeholders informed of project status.
• Attention to detail: You diligently attend to details and pursue quality in all external written materials. Your writing is accurate and typo-free. 
• Valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion: You understand how our work improves the lives of marginalized students and use that understanding to support the success of Springboard’s fundraising efforts, specifically within written external materials.
• 3-5 years of grant writing experience in the non-profit field
• Experience writing proposals that have secured grants of $50K+ 
• 3+ years of project management experience specializing in maintaining workflow consistency, setting up project plans, and tracking/monitoring next steps 

It would be nice if you had:  

• Experience working in education, edtech, or literacy 
• Experience using Asana or similar project management tools 

While this description is meant to provide an overview of the goals and responsibilities of the Associate Director of Grants, we are seeking candidates who demonstrate flexibility and can adapt to evolving needs in an entrepreneurial environment.

What we offer you

Compensation
Our compensation values: At Springboard, compensation equity is integral to the way we operate and our commitment to competitiveness, pay equity, performance-based rewards, transparent & equitable career growth, and progressive benefits.

Compensation for this role: Each role at Springboard is placed in a compensation band with 5 levels. Generally, we expect candidates that meet all the hiring criteria to be offered the midpoint of the band. This role sits within Band 3. The midpoint of this band is $84,648.63. The actual level of the successful candidate (and corresponding salary) will be based on compensable factors such as job-relevant education, job-relevant experience, training, licensure, demonstrated competencies, and other factors. You may also be eligible for Springboard's bonus program.

Our process to determine compensation: Springboard does not negotiate the offered salary during the offer conversation. Throughout the interview process, we will evaluate your alignment with the compensable factors listed in the job description. From there, we will determine your starting salary on a level within the job band.

Benefits

At Springboard, we feel it is important to take care of our employees, which is why we offer a competitive benefits package. These benefits include the following:

• The usual stuff - Medical insurance with a cash stipend for those who waive Springboard coverage. Options include PPO and High Deductible/HSA.
• We’ll take care of it - We fully cover your vision & dental insurance premiums, plus your short & long-term disability coverage.
• Securing your future - We match up to 6% of your salary in 403(b) retirement contributions after your first twelve months at Springboard.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) is important - Four weeks (20 days) annually. At Springboard, time off doesn’t need to be earned to be used. Everyone gets access to their time at the start of the calendar year.
• Holidays! - All 11 federal holidays, two extra floating holidays, weekdays between December 25th - January 1st, Election Day, and your birthday!
• Under the weather? - We don’t cap the number of sick days available to employees.
• Paid Leave - Parental Leave (12 weeks after the first 6 months of employment). Marriage Leave (five days). 
• Technology - All employees receive a Springboard laptop and optional monitor. Springboard uses Google Workspace and Asana. 

• We are committed to your development - We provide personal & professional development funding of $2000/year.

• Your wellness is a priority - Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides support for stress/anxiety, finance, law, family, substance abuse, grief, and more. 
• Transparency is key - We ensure regular opportunities to discuss individual and organizational development and our commitment to equity. Consistent and structured real-time feedback is foundational to Springboard’s culture.

Location and travel

Applications are welcome from any location within the United States. This role can be performed remotely, with quarterly travel to participate in team and org-wide retreats. Springboard Collaborative’s headquarters office is in Philadelphia, PA.

Springboard requires in-person employees at a Springboard facility or participating in in-person SBC programming or events to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of a CDC-authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be asked to provide their COVID-19 vaccination status and proof of vaccination, as required.

Please note that this employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

About Springboard

Since our founding in 2012, we have grown Springboard’s reach from 40 to more than 100,000 students in over 300 Title 1 schools. Amidst rapid growth, Springboard consistently delivers best-in-class results. In schools that often struggle to get 20% of parents to show up for report card conferences, Springboard’s weekly family workshops average 88% attendance. Students average a 3-4-month reading gain during each program cycle, closing the gap to grade-level performance by about half in just five or ten weeks. Springboard’s work has been featured by Forbes, NPR, and the New York Times (twice). Nationally, Springboard Collaborative is the only organization to have cracked the code on equipping marginalized families to teach reading at home. You can learn more by watching our CEO on the main stage of ASU GSV.

Our org chart & mission

Click here to view Springboard’s structure at a glance, and here to browse our incredible staff. You can read more about how we engage teachers and families to accelerate student learning in this op-ed.