Senior Grants & Contracts Director

About the Organization
Come join Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County! We are the first food bank in the State of California, and the second in the nation. We pride ourselves in providing 10 million pounds of food annually to over 65,000 people per month through our network of 150-member agencies and programs. We believe that a thriving community is one where everyone has access to nutritious food to support their health and wellbeing. Our team is dedicated to inspiring and supporting our community to provide nourishment for all community members.

EOE Statement
Second Harvest seeks to attract and retain a diverse workforce that brings a broad range of perspectives and experiences to our work. We value lived experience alongside learned experience and we encourage you to apply, even if you do not believe you meet every one of our qualifications. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals.

Second Harvest is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Second Harvest will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Second Harvest is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report.

All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor.

Full-Time/Part-Time
Full-Time

Exempt/Non-Exempt
Exempt

Description

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County

Senior Grants & Contracts Director

$98,783 - $107,564

Annualized Salary

Exempt

About the position: The Senior Grants & Contracts Director (SGCD) plays a vital role in securing and managing funding to support the mission of Second Harvest Food Bank. S/he leads the full grant and contracts cycle including research, proposal development, submission, reporting, and compliance. The SGCD is responsible for developing and implementing effective strategies that secure over $4.0 M in funding through competitive funding proposals to support Second Harvest's programs. S/he works closely with staff to effectively communicate program impact through data-driven results and evidence-based practices, ensuring strong alignment with funding requirements.

REPORTS TO: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

SUPERVISES: N/A

JOB SUMMARY:

Contracts & Grants Research, Development and Submittal (40%)

• Responsible for identifying, applying for, and managing the process of securing foundation and corporate grants in accordance with applicable standards, regulations and guidelines.

• Develop and implement effective strategies that secure contracts through competitive proposals that support Second Harvest programs.

• Collaborate with food bank staff, volunteers, and board members to gain in-depth understanding of ongoing program/project needs, goals, objectives, and outcomes.

• Write and submit concise, articulate and persuasive proposals and narratives for the grant application process.

• Work closely with stakeholders to understand funding needs and outcome measurements.

• Lead and collaborate with Second Harvest staff on budget development.
• Meet all contract and grant proposal deadlines by establishing priorities and target dates for information gathering, writing, document preparation and review for the final approval process.
• Conduct research and develop strategies to leverage and secure new resources from private, non-profit and government sources in support of established goals and objectives set forth in the annual budget, operational and strategic plans.
• Develop contract and grant-related resources and templates, including documentation of common questions and recent responses to streamline application and reporting.
• Track success rates and maintain performance metrics

Compliance and Reporting (25%)

• Responsible for preparing and submitting progress and/or impact reports as mandated to funders.
• Ensure staff are aware of internal and external deadlines and deliverables related to grant and contract funding.
• Update relevant staff on a regular basis on the status of applications, approvals and denials, contract information and program fund distributions.
• Ensure that all funded projects comply with the contract terms and conditions.
• Train program staff on contract requirements and reporting.
• Develop and maintain effective information management systems for all grants and contracts.
• Enter all relevant grants and contracts data into appropriate databases for grant and contract tracking purposes.
• Maintain internal controls to prevent non-compliance with grant and contract requirements.
• Manage the grants and contracts calendar and prepare monthly reports.
• Ensure data and relationship files are current within one week
• Prepare reports and dashboards for Board Meetings as requested.
• Perform periodic compliance reviews to verify accurate reporting, expenditure alignment with budgets, and adherence to funding terms.
• Prepare and maintain accurate records to support audit processes, ensuring all grant and contract documentation is complete and readily available.
• Coordinate pre-audit activities and post-audit responses, resolving findings and implementing corrective actions when necessary.

Strategic Planning (20%)

• Working closely with the CEO and CFO: develop and implement the vision, strategy, and annual goals for contract and grant funding sources.
• Monitor and help implement the plan to meet the annual target for grant and contract funding.
• Meet annual grant funding target(s) as identified each year.

External Relationship Management (15%)

• Initiate contacts for developing relationships with prospective funders; maintain strong relationships with funding sources and represent the organization before funders and community partners as necessary.
• Communicate grant/contract status and program progress to grantors.
• Prepare personalized thank you notes to funders from CEO.
• Mail out annual reports to all foundations.
• Serve as the main point of contact between the organization and funders, ensuring timely communication and reporting.
• Log all relevant contacts into the database.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: at least seven years' experience in grant writing, funder stewardship, and grants/contracts compliance and implementation - including substantial experience with government grants and contracts. History of success in obtaining large, multi-year grants is required

Knowledge/Skills/Ability:

• Leadership Skills: Ability to direct/organize colleagues in meeting grant deadlines and deliverables.
• Subject Matter Expert: strong understanding of funding sources, research skills, and familiarity with grants/contracts compliance and reporting requirements.
• Excellent Writer: experience translating complex programs and evidence-based outcomes into compelling narratives that align with government funding priorities.
• Detail Oriented: highly organized with extensive record-keeping experience; attention to accuracy and regulatory compliance.
• Analytical: ability to study systems and processes and recommend and implement process improvements. Strong budget interpretation skills.
• Highly Motivated: proactive, able to work independently while keeping key stakeholders in the loop.
• Highly Effective: able to meet deadlines and produce high-quality grant proposals.
• Tech Savvy: robust experience using data systems, and grant tracking software or CRM tools.
• Problem Solver: adaptive ability to navigate complex challenges while maintaining focus on mission-aligned outcomes
• Strategic Resource Management: demonstrated ability to align funding opportunities with organizational goals and manage complex contracts/grant portfolios.
• Data Analysis & Systems Thinking: skilled in leveraging data systems to drive decision-making and create efficient processes
• Collaborative: Experience building relationships across diverse stakeholder groups and navigating cross-functional partnerships

Additional Requirements:

• It is the responsibility of all SHFB personnel to participate in our Food Safety/Food Defense programs.
• Demonstrate ethical business practices, in conformance with all state and federal
• laws and regulations.
• Commitment to serving vulnerable populations and ending hunger in Santa Cruz County
• Demonstrate full adherence to the Code of Conduct and all policies/procedures related to compliance.
• Adherence to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations including, but not limited to, those governing confidentiality, privacy, program, billing, and documentation standards.
• Ability to meet the following physical requirements with or without reasonable accommodation:
  
  • Able to hear conversations on the phone and in-person. The person in this position frequently communicates with funders, community partners, etc; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
  • Be able to read, write, and interpret written reports, documents and manuals.
  • Able to safely lift or carry items weighing up to 10 pounds.
  • Bi-manual dexterity and able to use a computer keyboard.
  • Frequent standing and sitting throughout the day.
• Given the front-line nature of our work, there will be instances where staff are required to work a flexible schedule in order to respond to community needs. Advanced notice will be provided.
• In instances of a federal, state or locally declared emergency, Second Harvest is considered an essential service and emergency responder; all its employees may be called in to perform regular or emergent duties.

STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE: Our business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 - 5:00pm. Occasional evening and weekend work is to be expected.

WORKSITE: 800 Ohlone Parkway, Watsonville, CA 95076

WORK FROM HOME: Not Eligible

Job Details: This is a full-time, regular, exempt position with a starting annual salary of $98,783 - $107,564; depending on education and experience

BENEFITS: We offer competitive salaries and benefits and a rewarding work environment.

PAID TIME OFF: new hires accrue three weeks of vacation time in their first year of service, in addition to 10 paid company holidays and 12 sick days per year.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS:

• 4 Gold-rated medical plans: employer covered at 90%-80% depending on the plan.
• 100% employer-paid benefits for employee Vision, Dental, Life, Long-Term Care, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Employee Assistance Program
• Employer subsidized vision and dental insurance for dependents.
• AFLAC supplemental plans
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Supplemental coverage on Life and AD&D plans
• Pet Insurance

FINANCIAL BENEFITS

• 403(b) Retirement Plan with generous employer contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement program

To Apply: Please submit your resume and cover letter at https://www.thefoodbank.org/careers by 5pm on 3/28/2025

Position Requirements

Pay Range
$98,783-$107,564 DOE

Benefits

Close Date
3/28/2025

This position is currently accepting applications.