Manager, Grants and Operations

McLean Foundation; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused foundation in Toronto is looking for a Manager, Grants and Operations. This full-time role includes managing grant processes, communications, and operational support. Candidates should have extensive administrative experience and proficiency in grants management software, ideally Foundant GLM. The position offers a hybrid work environment with four weeks of vacation and compensation in lieu of benefits.

Benefits

4 weeks paid vacation

Sick days and personal days

Flexible work environment

Additional compensation in lieu of retirement and health benefits

Qualifications

• Extensive experience providing support to boards and senior leadership.
• Experience directly managing funding applicants and grant recipients.
• Skilled at initiating process improvements and anticipating needs.

Responsibilities

• Conduct funding application reviews and assessments.
• Manage proposal review processes with internal and external reviewers.
• Oversee financial and record-keeping requirements.
• Develop communications materials and manage outreach efforts.

Skills

Administrative and operational support experience

Managing granting processes

Experience with grants-management software

Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Involvement in charities or non-profits

Tools

Foundant GLM

Job description

The McLean Foundation

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Hybrid

Salary: CA$80,000 / year

Seniority: Senior Level

Employment: full_time

4 weeks paid vacation, sick days, personal days; additional compensation in lieu of retirement and health benefits

Deadline: Friday October 31, 2025, by 5pm ET

Apply: Please submit your resume and cover letter combined in one document to the email with the subject line "Manager, Grants and Operations"

About the role

Position: Manager, Grants and Operations

Location: Toronto, ON

Start Date: January 5, 2026 (flexible)

Salary: $80,000 a year, full-time (37.5 hours / week)

Deadline: Friday October 31, 2025, 5pm ET

How to Apply: Please submit your resume and cover letter combined in one document to the email with the subject line "Manager, Grants and Operations"

ABOUT The McLean Foundation

The McLean Foundation is a private family foundation that supports charitable organizations in Canada that help make life more fulfilling, communities more vibrant and our environment more durable. The Foundation was established in 1945 by James Stanley (J.S) McLean and is one of the oldest private family foundations in Canada. It funds projects that may be harder to fund or lack broad public appeal, and it provides funding for local arts and culture, economic and social wellbeing, and environmental stewardship and conservation. In 2023, the Foundation began dedicating a minimum of 20% of its annual granting towards Climate Action.

THE POSITION

The Foundation is in a time of renewal and strategy development, expanding its grantmaking approaches, strengthening its partnerships with grantees and enhancing its internal and external communication strategies. The Manager, Grants and Operations is a new full-time position that will join the Executive Director as part of the core staff team, working with a highly engaged Board of Directors and committees. The Manager will work closely with the Executive Director to help ensure smooth granting processes and operations, as well as exploring new approaches to the Foundation’s work.

The Manager is responsible for implementing the Foundation's grant management processes, communications strategies and supporting internal operations. They are the first point of contact for the public, stakeholders, and potential grantees. They are responsible for implementing and monitoring grant management processes including tracking grant inquiries and responses, processing applications, processing approvals, and ensuring compliance with the Foundation's policies and regulatory standards. The Manager oversees the financial and record-keeping requirements of the Foundation and provides operational support to the Foundation.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

• Grants Management

• Conduct the initial review and assessment of funding applications for alignment with Foundation priorities
• Manage expression of interest and proposal review processes, including working with internal and external reviewers, preparing meeting materials, facilitating review meetings and taking minutes
• Manage the online grant portal, including creating application and evaluation forms, supporting applicants, staff and volunteers with the grant portal
• Ensure timely communication of funding decisions with applicants
• Prepare grant agreements
• Prepare grant payment requests and track payments
• Ensure all grant files are up to date and meet legal and audit requirements
• Review grantee reports and updates, supporting continual learning at the Foundation

• Communications

• Respond to general emails and inquiries from potential applicants
• Oversee website, social media and newsletter for the Foundation
• Develop communications materials for Foundation
• Assist with the planning and execution of the annual general meeting and the annual report
• Assist with planning events and site visits
• Represent the Foundation at external meetings, grantee events and site visits as appropriate

• Operational Support

• Assist with general office administration
• Assist with annual audit, coordination with bookkeeping, IT and other service providers
• Assist with the preparation of Board and Committee meeting packages
• Assist with budget management
• Assist the Executive Director in other tasks as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

• We are looking for :

• Extensive experience providing administrative and operational support to boards, committees, and senior leadership
• Extensive experience managing granting processes in private, corporate or public funding organizations, working directly with funding applicants and grant recipients
• Experience working with grants-management methods and grants management software (ideally with Foundant GLM, the tool we use)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other digital tools
• A skilled generalist, comfortable working in a small team, taking initiative, filling gaps, recommending process improvements and anticipating needs
• Involvement in charities, non-profits and / or your community

Work Environment

We are a hybrid organization that works remotely and out of Foundation House at 2 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 300 in Toronto. Staff will have the ability to use this office space as often as they wish, with the expectation of 1 day / week in the office. We trust our team to get their work done and offer a flexible work environment. Some travel, weekends and evening work may occasionally be required.

Compensation and benefits

We provide additional compensation in lieu of retirement and health benefits. We provide 4 weeks of paid vacation, as well as sick days and personal days.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted until October 31, 2025, 5pm ET. Please submit your resume and cover letter combined in one document to the email with the subject line "Manager, Grants and Operations". We thank everyone who applies and will only contact those under consideration for the role.