Hybrid Grants & Donor Relations Specialist

Palo Alto University; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto University is seeking a Development Specialist to join PAU's Strategic Partnerships & University Relations team in Palo Alto. This full-time exempt position supports grant writing, donor communications, CRM management, prospect research, annual giving, stewardship, and grant management across PAU's philanthropic program.

Reporting to the Director of Development, you will translate academic program information into compelling narratives, manage multiple priorities, and collaborate with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in English, communications, public policy, nonprofit management, psychology, or a related field.
• Two or more years in development operations, nonprofit fundraising, grant writing, or related role.
• Exceptional written communication and ability to craft proposals and donor communications.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Experience with CRM platforms; HubSpot preferred.
• Attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and compliance.
• Genuine curiosity about behavioral science, mental health, psychology, and PAU's communities.

Responsibilities

• Identify and pursue funding opportunities and write proposals.
• Prepare funder-aligned grant proposals and letters of inquiry.
• Build a priority prospect list of Bay Area and Silicon Valley foundation and corporate funders.
• Monitor state and federal open-proposal programs relevant to behavioral health workforce development, and write competitive proposals.
• Own the full proposal writing process from first draft through final submission.
• Translate complex program information into accessible narratives for funders and reviewers.
• Collaborate with program leaders to gather content, outcomes, and institutional information for competitiveness.
• Develop and maintain an institutional grants library to improve efficiency and quality.
• Track active proposals, deadlines, funder decisions, and follow-up obligations in CRM and grants calendar.
• Support the Director of Development in managing active grant awards and reporting obligations.

Skills

Grant writing

Proposal writing

Fundraising

CRM management

Education

Bachelor's degree in English, communications, public policy, nonprofit management, psychology, or a related field

Tools

HubSpot

Job description

Palo Alto University is seeking a Development Specialist to join PAU's Strategic Partnerships & University Relations team in Palo Alto. This full-time exempt position supports grant writing, donor communications, CRM management, prospect research, annual giving, stewardship, and grant management across PAU's philanthropic program.

Reporting to the Director of Development, you will translate academic program information into compelling narratives, manage multiple priorities, and collaborate with