Grants Director Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

The Urban Institute’s Grants and Contracts (GC) Department seeks an experienced Director to lead the Prime Awards team and oversee the management of all incoming funder awards. The Director will modernize practices, drive process improvements, and collaborate with research divisions and operational departments to translate institutional priorities into effective grants and contracts strategies. The role focuses on risk‑informed guidance, compliance, and customer‑focused partnership across a complex funding environment.

• Ensure all proposals and signed agreements are consistent with Urban’s funding principles, practices, and rules of engagement, and compliant with funder regulations.
• Actively oversee the GC Prime Awards team participation in the proposal process by reviewing requests for proposals, providing risk assessments, and translating proposal requirements into sound contracting strategies and advice.
• Facilitate solutions that balance compliance with business needs across contract and grant negotiations, requests for information, proposal processes, teaming arrangements, uniform guidance and FAR interpretations, disputes, and special circumstances.
• Work closely with GC Subaward, GC Purchasing, and GC Pricing/Budget Review team leaders to facilitate internal department partnership, collaboration, and integration.
• Strengthen internal coordination and handoffs between operational departments across the award lifecycle to improve efficiency, reduce silos, and enhance overall service delivery.
• Serve as main point of contact and trusted partner to other GC team leaders, operational department leaders, and research division leaders concerning specific grant/contract questions, issues, and risk mitigation strategies related to prime awards.
• Collaborate with Urban’s research divisions and operational departments to build internal infrastructure, process, and culture that ensures GC is proactively engaged early in the business development cycle to shape successful outcomes and reduce last‑minute risk.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration, ensuring team members are equipped to manage complex grants/contracts and adapt to evolving federal, state, local, and foundation funder requirements.
• Engage agency contracting, grant‑making and procurement executive counterparts to develop and cultivate relationships.
• Develop and implement strategies for staff growth and professional development, including succession planning, mentoring, and training programs to build a high‑performing grants and contracts team.
• Proactively manage deadlines and fairly allocate workload across the Prime Awards team, ensuring appropriate coverage during staffing shortages and assessing ongoing capacity needs.
• Provide tailored training to new and existing GC team members and Urban research and management/operational staff regarding grants/contracts management and compliance.
• Perform quality assurance reviews and verify the accuracy of work products for the GC Prime Awards team.
• Engage with new and existing business intelligence and enterprise‑wide systems and tools to understand Urban’s current funding pipeline, business model, and GC’s role in sustaining and growing Urban’s work.

• Demonstrated success leading teams and delivering organizational priorities in complex, fast‑changing environments.
• Proven ability to drive organizational change, improve business processes, and develop innovative, compliant solutions.
• Strong people leadership experience, including setting direction, developing talent, fostering accountability, and building high‑performing teams.
• Ability to serve as a trusted advisor, providing risk‑informed guidance that supports sound decision‑making and institutional objectives.
• Experience establishing enterprise‑wide service standards and driving consistent, customer‑focused service delivery.
• Demonstrated use of performance metrics and data to improve team effectiveness, operational efficiency, and outcomes.
• Proven ability to build strong cross‑functional partnerships and lead through regulatory, funding, and technology changes.

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree, MBA, JD, or other advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in grants and contracts administration, including a leadership role overseeing pre‑award and post‑award functions.
• Extensive knowledge of federal, state, local, and private funding regulations and requirements, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Uniform Guidance, contract compliance, risk management, and audit requirements.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating and administering a diverse portfolio of grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other funding instruments across government, foundation, university, and private‑sector funders.
• Proven ability to lead complex negotiations, assess and mitigate risk, and develop compliant solutions that support organizational and business objectives.
• Experience overseeing the full award lifecycle, including opportunity assessment, proposal development, budgeting and pricing, negotiation, award administration, modifications, compliance monitoring, and closeout.
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing policies, standard operating procedures, service standards, and process improvements that enhance operational effectiveness, consistency, and customer service.
• Strong strategic planning, problem‑solving, and change management skills, with the ability to lead teams through evolving funding, regulatory, and technology environments.
• Experience building collaborative partnerships and effectively advising senior leaders and stakeholders on grants and contracts strategy, risk, and compliance matters.
• Ability to interpret and review complex budgets, pricing proposals, financial analyses, and cost applications.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Proficiency with grants and contracts management systems, customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, workflow tools, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Professional certification in contract management, grants management, research administration, or a related field (e.g., CPCM, CFCM, CGMS, CRA, or CFRA) preferred.
• Experience working in a nonprofit research organization, higher education institution, think tank, or other mission‑driven organization preferred.

• Target salary range: $116,302 – $207,050 (mid $161,600).
• Robust benefits package including generous paid time off, nine federal holidays, medical (including prescription), dental and vision insurance, and transit benefits.
• Immediate participation in 403(b) retirement plan with a generous employer contribution after six months of service and 500 hours, with immediate vesting.
• Access to a health advocate, personal finance coaching, an Employee Assistance Program, and educational assistance for undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

The Urban Institute is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender or gender identity, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, veteran status, pregnancy or family responsibilities, matriculation, disability, political affiliation, or any other protected status under applicable law. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you have a physical and/or mental disability and are interested in applying for employment and need special accommodations to use our website to apply for a position, please contact Human Resources at humanresources@urban.org. Reasonable accommodation requests are considered on a case‑by‑case basis.