Director of Grants & Contracts Management

Director of Grants & Contracts Management

Join to apply for the Director of Grants & Contracts Management role at Fund for Science and Technology

Director of Grants & Contracts Management

Join to apply for the Director of Grants & Contracts Management role at Fund for Science and Technology

Fund for Science and Technology provided pay range

This range is provided by Fund for Science and Technology. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$194,968.00/yr - $292,452.00/yr

The Fund for Science and Technology (FFST) is a new private foundation that is part of the Paul G. Allen philanthropic ecosystem.

Founded in 2022 and launched in 2025, we enable accelerated discovery and catalyze progress for people and the planet through transformational science and technology. The foundation works to advance bioscience, accelerate solutions for the environment, and leverage the power of AI for the benefit of Earth and humanity, supporting work in the lab and across the ecosystem of scientific research, collaboration, and innovation.

Together, we strive to advance the frontiers of science and maximize the benefits it offers the world.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Grants and Contracts Management will be responsible for ensuring the Fund for Science and Technology’s (FFST) philanthropic grants and contracts are executed with rigor, efficiency, and innovation. FFST is a philanthropic funder, and we seek candidates with significant experience in grants and contracts management within philanthropic foundations.

This role leads all operational aspects of FFST’s grant and contract lifecycle—including preparation, due diligence, compliance, negotiation, and processing. Responsibilities include determining the structure and content of grant and contract documentation and ensuring regulatory compliance in collaboration with FFST’s legal and tax advisors. The Director serves as a key liaison to FFST executives, program staff, and external stakeholders to ensure quality, timeliness, consistency, and compliance across all agreements.

As FFST is in the early stages of its philanthropic operations, this position will play a foundational role in building the grants and contracts function from the ground up. The Director will establish systems, processes, and best practices to support FFST’s long-term success and impact.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Grants Management and Direction

• Establish and maintain processes, tools, standards, and requirements to ensure FFST’s grants and contracts comply with applicable laws and policies.
• Design, implement, and maintain systems, practices, and resources for effective grant and contract administration. Partner with internal teams and external stakeholders to improve and innovate processes and policies.
• Draft, review, and negotiate grants and contracts with a focus on clarity, consistency, and compliance.
• Oversee day-to-day grants management operations, including workflow design, intake, review, approval, and documentation.
• Collaborate with program, finance, legal, and tax advisors to determine terms and conditions for grant awards and contracts.
• Ensure staff training and proficiency in grants management procedures and documentation requirements.
• Lead data analysis and tracking efforts to support complex grant portfolio and process management
• Participate in grant and contract budget development, ensuring alignment with grant terms and organizational goals.
• Maintain clear and consistent communication with applicants and grantee partners to support strong relationships and understanding of FFST’s systems.
• Ensure integrity of electronic grant files to meet legal, audit, and internal standards.
• Oversee and refine policies for complex grants, including ER, for-profit, international, and IP/data-governance agreements. Stay current on IRS regulations and philanthropic best practices through participation in committees, trainings, and peer networks.

Grants System Administration

• Design, implement, and enhance IT systems and workflows supporting FFST’s grants and contracts, in collaboration with IT, program, and strategy teams.
• Serve as owner and administrator of the grants and contracts application, management, and reporting system, including template creation, application intake, and workflow administration.
• Lead the development of FFST’s grants and contracts infrastructure with an “AI-first” mindset. Champion the integration of AI-enabled tools to optimize systems, generate insights, and foster continuous learning and thoughtful partnerships.
• Produce data-driven analyses, dashboards, and reports to inform decision-making at the grant, portfolio, program, and leadership levels.
• Over time, build and lead a team responsible for managing FFST’s grants and contracts operational infrastructure and develop into a high-performing team through shared vision, clear roles, and strategic direction.
• Contribute operational insights from grants data to organizational decision-making.
• Define responsibilities and departmental practices to support FFST’s overall goals.
• Promote a culture of excellence, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Educate FFST staff on grants reporting, compliance, and regulatory issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, Experience, Skill, and/or Ability Required:

• Extensive experience in philanthropic grantmaking and operations, with a deep understanding of end-to-end grantmaking processes, compliance, and strategic alignment with organizational goals; demonstrated expertise in overseeing systems and processes for managing large, complex portfolios of grants and contracts.
• Skilled in philanthropic grantmaking compliance in a funder role (IRS/private foundation rules, expenditure responsibility, for-profit and international funding).
• Demonstrated success in scoping, designing, and implementing new enterprise systems and workflows for grants and contract intake, processing, due diligence, compliance, and execution, with the ability to adapt to and apply emerging technologies.
• Proficiency in data management and grant administration software (e.g., Fluxx, GivingData, SmartSimple, Salesforce).
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to execute hands on work, and over time, build and manage a team
• Knowledge of best practices in grants and contracts administration, including collaboration with legal and tax advisors to ensure compliance and effectiveness.
• Experience developing and negotiating contract terms and conditions for philanthropic impact.

Management Responsibilities:

Directly manages one or more employees. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems; and conducting regular one-on-one meetings with each direct report.

Required Computer Skills:

• MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• MS Project

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from an accredited institution and 10+ years of relevant experience, OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Up to 10% international and domestic travel

Special remarks regarding the work environment

• FFST as an organization is Monday – Thursday in the office, and Friday are remote days each week. The hybrid work environment is an organizational decision that benefits employees, may differ from job to job, and is subject to change as needed.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Other

• Industries

  Non-profit Organizations

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Medical insurance

Vision insurance

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