Senior Grants Manager Family Foundation

Selection process conducted by matteria
You have until August 20th, 2025, to apply.

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Location a Work Mode

Latam & The Caribbean Remote

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Who we are

The organization works to advance positive change in diverse communities across Latin America and the Caribbean. Through partnerships and collaborative efforts, it supports initiatives that align with its values and contribute to longterm regional development and impact.

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Our impact

The organization aims to contribute to a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future. It supports locally driven efforts that promote community wellbeing, environmental stewardship, and equitable development. By collaborating with partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, it seeks to strengthen longterm impact through thoughtful resource allocation and shared learning.

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Purpose of the position

The Senior Grants Manager plays a critical leadership role in ensuring the foundation’s grantmaking processes are strategically aligned, operationally sound, and missiondriven. This position is responsible for the full lifecycle of grant management, from proposal intake through grant disbursement, monitoring, and reporting, with a focus on crossborder philanthropy in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Senior Grants Manager ensures that all grants are administered in accordance with US regulations, local regulations, and best practices in international philanthropy.

This role also serves as a strategic partner within the organization, contributing to planning processes, budgeting, forecasting, and theory of change implementation.

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Key Responsibilities

Grants Management – (50%)
• Maintain functional systems, including a database and tracker of current and past grantee partners, grants, grant requests, applications, and reports.
• Refine and manage grants management standard operating procedures, collaborative workflows, document retention, and data management policies that integrate DAF providers systems and integrate consultants and staff roles as needed.
• Proactively communicate, track, and create grant pipelines with grantees regarding proposals, recommendations, grant agreements, payments, and reports.
• Process grant recommendations for multiple funds to which the foundation advises and follow up to ensure release and receipt of funds. Ensure due diligence and approval processes are followed, charitable purpose and compliance are met, and proactively alert staff of issues.
• Coordinate DAF partnerships together with leadership, including vetting prospective grantee partners through legal consultation, research, etc.
• Coordinate board docket preparation process, working with programmatic staff, leadership team, and the Board to ensure understanding of the docket and a clear approval process.
• Maintain familiarity with US IRS rules and regulations, as they pertain to the grantmaking process, for private foundations and for grantees, and make suggestions and changes to reflect changes to the compliance environment.
• Serve as an internal expert on grantmaking regulations and processes in the foundation’s regions of interest, maintaining familiarity with the environment for philanthropic giving across Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Monitor the disbursement of grants and ensure receipt of funds by grantees.

Grantee Partner Support and Programmatic Support (35%)
• Provide guidance to grantees on the application and reporting process, supporting grantees to navigate the foundation’s processes with culturally relevant and organizational scaleinformed advice and guidance.
• Provide programmatic management to a group of sunsetting grantees, remaining uptodate on their work and communicating needs and strategy recommendations internally.
• Remain uptodate on and connected to the work of ongoing grantees, working closely with the Regional Programs Manager to understand grantees work and participating where possible in site visits.
• Provide support to the theory of change and monitoring and evaluation processes where necessary, facilitating logistical support, and aligning results with the grants strategy.
• Support regional planning processes, aligning strategy with available grants budget and logistical support needed from DAFs, intermediaries, and equivalency determination providers.

General Administration and Operations (15%)
• Participate in annual and strategic planning processes, informing the process with grants management, administration, and budgeting projections.
• Where necessary, participate in the planning and facilitation of staff and board retreats, onboarding processes, and other internal meetings and trainings.
• Work closely with operations staff to ensure implementation of policies and procedures, most notably document retention, data quality, and digital security.
• Serve as an internal administrator of the grants database, working with operations staff to ensure grants management systems respond to US and global grantmaking needs.

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Requirements and competences to work with us

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as social sciences, international relations, public administration, or a related discipline.
• Advanced degrees or specialized certifications in project management, nonprofit management, or related areas are a plus.

• Experience

  • Minimum of 4–7 years of progressively responsible experience in grants management within a philanthropic institution, with at least 3 years specifically focused on international grantmaking.
  • International Grantmaking: Direct experience with compliance, vetting, and disbursement processes for grants to organizations located outside of the United States, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Legal and Compliance Expertise: Familiarity with IRS regulations affecting private foundations (e.g., equivalency determination, expenditure responsibility), preferably in contexts where the candidate has overseen risk mitigation in crossborder giving.
  • Strategic Process Development: Experience refining and operationalizing internal grantmaking procedures, creating SOPs, or managing transitions to or between grantmaking software platforms.
  • Partner Relationship Management: Demonstrated ability to support grantee organizations in navigating application, reporting, and compliance processes with empathy, cultural competence, and technical clarity.
  • Budget and Forecasting Support: Experience contributing to or leading grant budget tracking and forecasting in alignment with organizational strategic goals.
  • MissionDriven Work: Background working with or alongside movements for social justice, human rights, or environmental justice, with experience in Latin America andor the Caribbean.

  • Knowledge and skills

    • Deep knowledge of IRS regulations, private foundation rules, and international giving compliance.
    • Experience coordinating with DAF providers and equivalency determination partners.
    • Understanding of risk mitigation strategies for international grantmaking.
    • Capable of creating and refining SOPs and internal control mechanisms.
    • Fluency in English and Spanish is mandatory (oral and written).
    • Required: Google Suite, Microsoft Office.
    • Preferred: Grants management platforms such as Salesforce, Fluxx, GoodGrants, or similar.
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      Competencies

      • Strategic Alignment – Ability to connect grants processes to broader organizational strategy.
      • CrossCultural Communication – Skilled at navigating cultural nuances across diverse regions.
      • Attention to Detail – High standard for accuracy and compliance.
      • Autonomy and Initiative – Able to lead complex processes with minimal supervision.
      • Collaborative Mindset – Works fluidly with internal and external stakeholders.
      • Integrity and Discretion – Trusted with sensitive information and highlevel relationships.
      • System Orientation – Comfortable managing and refining complex operational systems.

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        Our team profile

        The team is collaborative, purposedriven, and values equity, integrity, and continuous learning. Colleagues work across regions with mutual respect, cultural sensitivity, and a shared commitment to meaningful, communitycentered impact.

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        Key interests for working with us

        Community empowerment and environmental sustainability.

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        Reasons to join our team

        Join a missiondriven, globally engaged team that values collaboration, learning, and meaningful impact. We offer competitive compensation, a flexible remote work environment, and opportunities for professional growth in an inclusive and supportive setting.

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        Relevant details before applying for this vacancy

        • International or regional experience.
        • Located in Latin America or the Caribbean.
        • The ideal candidate should be available for extensive team and solo travel and flexible to work across time zones with a geographically dispersed team.
        • Fluent English and Spanish are a must.

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