Director of Grants Strategy and Development

Established in 1965, Metropolitan State University (MSU Denver) was founded to serve students who were underrepresented in higher education whose life paths and experiences did not fit the traditional mold. Sixty years later, the University continues to serve over 16,000 of Colorado's extraordinary and diverse students, providing them with the foundation on which to build their unique aspirations. As the third largest public institution of higher education in Colorado, MSU Denver is a model university for today's college students.

Proud of its federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution that also offers graduate programs (gHSI) and the only Seal of Excelencia certified institution in Colorado, the University serves the most diverse undergraduate student population in the state, as well as the most first-generation students. Through affordable, flexible, and holistic education, MSU Denver helps students build essential skills grounded in a multicultural and global perspective that lead to undergraduate and graduate degrees, and career and life success.

At MSU Denver, we are committed to our CADRE values: Community, Access, Diversity, Respect, and Excellence. We strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment where all community members are valued and belong. Our dedication to breaking down barriers to education, fostering open dialogue, and promoting world-class scholarship ensures that we provide exceptional services and innovative learning opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff.

About the College of Health and Human Sciences

The College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS) embraces inclusivity and an orientation to lifelong learning to prepare diverse students for interculturally competent practice, research, and leadership in their disciplines. Through collaboration and engagement with the community and one another, faculty, staff, and students lead transformative and justice-oriented endeavors to secure the health and well-being of people and their communities.

As a more recently established college within the university, CHHS serves about 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students across 8 academic departments and the Health Institute.

Position Summary

The Director of Grants Strategy and Development provides visionary leadership for all external funding activities across the College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS). Reporting to the Dean, the Director leads a comprehensive grants strategy that advances the college's mission, strengthens its research and program capacity, and ensures sustainable systems for managing external funding.

This position establishes the strategic direction for all pre- and post-award processes, ensuring that CHHS remains proactive, compliant, and future-ready regardless of changes in funding opportunities. The Director anticipates workload and staffing impacts, designs efficient and scalable systems, and fosters a collaborative, solutions-oriented environment.

The Director serves as the college's strategy liaison to the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP), Sponsored Projects Accounting and Compliance (SPAC), Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR), and other institutional partners, building strong partnerships to ensure seamless grant lifecycle management.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Systems Development - 35%

• Lead the development and implementation of a strategic, college-wide grants plan that aligns with CHHS and institutional priorities.
• Establish sustainable pre -award systems that anticipate workload impact and ensure long-term operational capacity.
• Partner with the Director of Grant Operations to maintain post-award systems and ensure pre-award functions work in collaboration with post-award functions.
• Oversee strategic alignment of personnel effort across all active grants, contracts, and gifts to ensure compliance and resource sustainability.
• Collaborate with Director of Grant Operations, ensuring strong post-award practices and integration with overall college strategy.
• Develop frameworks, toolkits, and policies to improve efficiency, clarity, and collaboration across departments and units.
• Provide supervision and/or mentoring to CHHS grant personnel.

Grant Development and Proposal Leadership - 30%

• Lead major proposal initiatives, serving as an expert advisor on proposal strategy, narrative framing, and competitive positioning.
• Partner with faculty and program leaders to conceptualize and structure proposals that advance the college's strategic goals.
• Write and/or co-author major interdisciplinary or college-level grant proposals; serve as Principal Investigator or Project Lead as appropriate.
• Provide guidance on budget development, compliance considerations, and institutional alignment early in the proposal process.
• Oversee a sustainable and transparent proposal pipeline and maintain a comprehensive grants database and reporting dashboard.

Partnership and Collaboration - 25%

• Serve as the strategic liaison with OSRP, SPAC, CFR, the Budget Office, and other key university partners to ensure consistent interpretation and implementation of policies.
• Cultivate relationships with external partners, including funders, foundations, and community collaborators.
• Convene regular strategy meetings between CHHS and university central offices to improve coordination and reduce administrative friction.
• Provide faculty and staff with high-level training on grants strategy, proposal competitiveness, and ethical grant management practices.

Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement - 10%

• Partner with the Dean's Office to align grant activities with long-term college and university strategies.
• Develop and track performance metrics for CHHS grants, analyzing trends in submissions, success rates, and compliance outcomes.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and professional development within the CHHS Grants Office.
• Serve on institutional and college committees and perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited institution
• At least five (5) years of progressive experience in grant strategy, development, and compliance in higher education or nonprofit settings
• Demonstrated success in securing and managing externally funded projects exceeding $1 million
• Experience supervising professional staff and leading teams toward operational excellence
• Strong understanding of federal and non-federal funding mechanisms, compliance frameworks, and institutional grant operations
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced experience leading collaborative proposal efforts involving multiple departments or partners
• Demonstrated ability to design or implement grant management systems or process improvements
• Experience cultivating funder relationships and representing an organization in external partnerships
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and change management skills
• Experience with higher education administrative systems such as Workday

We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every preferred qualification. We are most interested in finding the candidate who will best contribute to CHHS and the University.

Salary for Announcement

Under Colorado law, MSU Denver is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account a variety of factors including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The anticipated hiring range that the university reasonably expects to pay for this position is $94,000 - $130,000.

This position is paid monthly and is eligible for MSU Denver benefits.

Instructions to Apply

The following documents are required to be included with your application:

• Resume

• Cover letter describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position

Important Note: Successful applicants will ensure their resumes clearly demonstrate that their work experience describes how they meetallrequired qualifications. Please ensure you have provided all requested documents, as incomplete applications may not be reviewed.

Professional references and their contact information will be requested from the finalist/s. At least one reference provided must be a supervisor (either current or former).

Official transcripts will be required of the candidate selected for hire.

Deadline

Applications accepted until position is filled; priority given to applications received through Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM MST.