Executive Director

School District of Philadelphia; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 102,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

The School District of Philadelphia seeks an Executive Director, Grant Development to lead the Office of Grant Development and advance the District’s funding strategy.

You will oversee the full grant lifecycle from opportunity identification to post‑award stewardship, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and strict compliance. The role requires building multi‑level partnerships, supervising staff, and driving capacity building across the district.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Education, Public Administration, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Ten years of full-time, paid, progressively responsible experience in grant development or related fields, with at least five in leadership.

Responsibilities

• Leads the grant development strategy aligned to the District’s plan and priorities.
• Oversees identification, pursuit, and management of external funding opportunities.
• Builds relationships with government agencies, funders, and partners to maximize resources.
• Chairs governance processes and supervises Grant Development staff.
• Develops training, guidance materials, and capacity-building for schools and offices.
• Monitors grant performance, compliance, and reporting obligations.

Skills

Strategic funding planning

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Grant strategy

Communication

Program oversight

Education

Master’s degree in Education or related field

Ten years of senior-level experience in grant development

Job description

Title: ExecutiveDirector, Grant Development

Department: Grant Development

Reports To: Chief of Staff

Salary Range: $101,889 - 132,713

The School District of Philadelphia is committed to becoming the fastest improving District in the country and transforming the educational opportunities it offers to our city’s more than 198,000 students. The District seeks leaders who have a passion for working with schools and communities who are committed to ensuring all students achieve. Serving a population as diverse as ours requires creativity, commitment and vision. Will you join us?

Job Summary

Provides strategic leadership and management for the Office of Grant Development (OGD). Leads the District’s comprehensive grant development, grant management, and funding strategy efforts in support of the School District of Philadelphia’s Strategic Plan and other priority initiatives. Oversees the identification, pursuit, acquisition, stewardship, and monitoring of external funding opportunities from federal, state, local, foundation, and corporate sources. Serves as the District’s lead resource on grant strategy and administration, providing technical assistance, guidance, and capacity-building support to schools and central offices. Ensures external funding pursuits are strategically aligned, operationally feasible, fiscally responsible and compliant with all applicable requirements. Collaborates with District leaders, the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, and external partners to maximize resources that improve student outcomes and advance educational equity. Provides strategic leadership and management for the Office of Grant Development (OGD).

Essential Functions

• Develops and implements a comprehensive grant development strategy aligned to the District’s Strategic Plan and annual priorities.
• Advises District leadership on funding opportunities, emerging trends, funding risks, and sustainability considerations.
• Establishes annual goals, priorities, and performance measures for the Office of Grant Development.
• Evaluates funding opportunities based on strategic alignment, implementation capacity, sustainability, and anticipated impact.
• Oversees the identification, cultivation, and pursuit of competitive grant opportunities from public and private sources.
• Develops and maintains relationships with governmental agencies, foundations, corporations, and other funding organizations to support District priorities.
• Collaborates with the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia and the Office of Strategic Partnerships to coordinate external funding efforts and maximize resource development opportunities.
• Establishes and maintains District-wide grant governance, policies, protocols, and procedures.
• Oversees the development, review, and submission of competitive grant proposals.
• Provides strategic and technical support to schools and central offices seeking external funding opportunities
• Develops and delivers training programs, workshops, and guidance materials related to grant development and resource acquisition.
• Oversees the School Resource Academy and other capacity-building initiatives designed to increase grant-seeking effectiveness across the District.
• Coordinates cross-functional teams in the development of high-quality grant proposals and funding strategies.
• Oversees systems and processes to monitor awarded grants and ensure compliance with all grant requirements, reporting obligations, and funding restrictions.
• Provides guidance and support to program managers to ensure successful implementation of grant-funded initiatives.
• Monitors grant performance, implementation progress, and expenditure patterns to identify risks and support corrective actions as needed.
• Oversees timely submission of grant reports, renewals, amendments, and other required documentation.
• Develops and implements processes to strengthen post-award monitoring, stewardship, and funder engagement.
• Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and private funding requirements.
• Supervises and evaluates Office of Grant Development personnel and establishes staffing structures that support District funding goals.
• Develops performance measures and accountability systems to assess the effectiveness and impact of grant-funded initiatives.
• Oversees the development and maintenance of a comprehensive grants management system and funding opportunity database.
• Chairs the District Grant Oversight Committee and facilitates strategic decision-making regarding grant opportunities and funding priorities.
• Prepares reports, presentations, and recommendations for the Superintendent, Executive Cabinet, Board of Education, public officials, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Oversees the publication of annual reports highlighting external funding secured, programmatic impact, and return on investment.

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Education, Public Administration, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Ten years of full-time, paid, progressively responsible professional experience in grant development, resource development, public administration, education, nonprofit management, or a related field, at least five of which have been in an administrative, supervisory or executive leadership capacity.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge of:
  • grant development, proposal writing, grant administration, compliance, monitoring, and reporting.
  • successfully securing competitive funding from federal, state, local, foundation, and corporate sources.
  • grant lifecycle management, including pre-award and post-award functions.
  • public education systems and applicable federal, state and local funding programs, including ESEA, Titles I-V, IDEA, and related legislation.
  • the challenges and opportunities associated with serving students in a large urban school district.
  • supervisory methods and techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to:
  • develop and implement strategic funding plans that advance organizational priorities.
  • align external funding opportunities with organizational goals and operational capacity.
  • build and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
  • lead cross-functional teams and influence decision-making without direct authority.
  • manage professional staff and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
  • present complex information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
  • analyze problems, recommend and implement workable solutions.
  • interpret financial, programmatic, and compliance data to support decision-making.
  • establish systems, processes and performance measures that improve organizational effectiveness.
  • manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • exercise sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism in all aspects of work.
  • communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
  • establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Nondiscrimination

The School District of Philadelphia provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, age, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, disability, pregnancy, marital status, gender identity, or genetic information. Please refer to Board Policy 348 for further information regarding the District's commitment to Nondiscrimination in Employment Practices.