Senior Manager of Institutional Relations

Bridge Over Troubled Waters; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous time off

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Retirement contributions

Flexible spending accounts

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Commuter benefits

Career development

Job summary

Bridge Over Troubled Waters in Boston seeks a Senior Manager of Institutional Relations to own the government grants portfolio (roughly $6 million annually) and drive strategy across federal, state, and city funders. You will translate program work into funder-ready proposals and manage deadlines with program, finance, and development colleagues.

You will nurture relationships with agencies, monitor NOFOs/RFPs, and help lead the $40 million campaign for 25 West Street while advancing Bridge's

Qualifications

• 5+ years managing government grants and/or government relations.
• Strong writing ability to translate programs into funder-ready proposals.
• Proactive partner who builds relationships with government agencies.

Responsibilities

• Own Bridge's government grants portfolio across federal, state, and city funding.
• Write compelling, strategic grant narratives for existing programs and new initiatives.
• Monitor opportunities, RFPs, NOFOs, and procurements to assess fit and capacity.
• Lead development and submission of grant and contract applications with teams.
• Manage government grants calendar and ensure timely reports and renewals.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with city, state, and federal partners.

Skills

Grant writing

Proposal writing

RFP/NOFO experience

Relationship building

Govt funding relations

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Blackbaud

Job description

Founded in 1970, Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Bridge) is Boston's foremost agency providing effective, innovative services for youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Each year, Bridge serves more than 2,000 young people ages 14–24 through a comprehensive continuum of care, from street outreach and healthcare to behavioral health support, education and career development, emergency shelter, and supportive housing. For more than five decades, Bridge has helped youth move beyond crisis and build fulfilling, meaningful futures.

Bridge is in a period of significant growth. Guided by a new strategic plan, the organization is expanding its capacity and strengthening its ability to prevent and address youth homelessness, including the transformation of a recently acquired historic building, 25 West Street, into a new residential and supportive services facility for youth.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

The Senior Manager of Institutional Relations will be a key member of Bridge's Development team, reporting to the Chief Development Officer. This role owns Bridge's government funding portfolio — roughly $6 million annually across federal, state, and city sources, including funders like HHS/ACF, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the City of Boston — and will play a key role in securing funding from other institutional funders, including the $40 million capital campaign for 25 West Street. Specifically, this team member will:

• Serve as the primary owner of Bridge's government grants portfolio, managing the full cycle from prospecting through reporting for current funding, including housing and youth services grants at the federal, state, and city levels.
• Write compelling, strategic grant narratives and tailored content for both existing programs and new programmatic initiatives, translating Bridge's work into competitive, funder‑ready proposals.
• Monitor funding opportunities and analyze RFPs, NOFOs, and procurements to assess fit, competitiveness, and organizational capacity.
• Lead the development and submission of grant and contract applications, partnering with program, finance, and development colleagues on narratives, budgets, and supporting materials.
• Manage the government grants calendar, ensuring timely, high-quality submissions, reports, and renewals.
• Build and maintain relationships with city, state, and federal agencies and partners, and represent Bridge at meetings, briefings, and site visits.
• Move Bridge from a reactive to a proactive posture on government funding, building a pipeline of prospective opportunities, agencies, and partnerships, particularly as Bridge grows its state funding relationships (e.g., Department of Mental Health, Department of Children and Families).
• Stay current on government funding priorities and policy shifts that could affect Bridge's programs or revenue.

Support strategic initiatives that further Bridge’s fundraising goals and priorities

• Help lead grant writing and funder research for special initiatives, with the $40 million campaign for 25 West Street as a top priority, including large institutional RFPs and new funder partnerships in support of the campaign.
• Support other strategic priorities as they arise, such as Bridge's family reunification and complex case management initiatives.
• Develop proposals, briefing materials, and other written resources that help tell Bridge's story in new and compelling ways.
• Partner with the CDO on research, planning, and funding strategy for organizational priorities.

WHO YOU ARE

You may be the right candidate if you are:

• An experienced government funding professional. You bring 5+ years managing government grants and/or government relations, including hands‑on experience with NOFOs, RFPs, and procurements.
• A strong, versatile writer. You can take complex program information and turn it into a clear, compelling proposal, and you write well across formats and for different audiences.
• A relationship‑driven partner who builds trust with government agencies. You represent the organization confidently and proactively cultivate relationships with city, state, and federal partners across meetings, site visits, and community settings.
• A proactive opportunity seeker. You steward an established grants portfolio while identifying new funding opportunities and partnerships through thoughtful, mission‑aligned approaches.
• A collaborative partner who works effectively across teams. You gather information, align priorities, and move projects forward while respecting program expertise and organizational dynamics.
• An organized and accountable operator. You manage multiple deadlines and relationships simultaneously and use CRM systems (e.g., Raiser's Edge/Blackbaud or similar tools) to track activity and maintain strong follow‑through.
• A proactive, hands‑on contributor who thrives in community‑based organizations. You are solutions‑oriented and willing to step in wherever needed to support funders, programs, and initiatives.
• A values‑driven team member committed to supporting youth experiencing homelessness. You approach your work with empathy and respect, collaborate effectively with colleagues and partners, and are motivated by connecting Bridge to the resources it needs to change young people's lives.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary for this position is $100,000–$110,000, depending on experience. Benefits include:

• Generous time off, including up to 10 vacation days, 8 sick days, 3 personal days, and 13 holidays each year
• Medical and prescription drug coverage, with Bridge covering up to 50% of the first deductible for employees working 20+ hours/week and their dependents up to age 26
• Up to $1,500 in coverage for qualifying dental procedures
• Matched contributions to retirement savings for eligible employees
• Flexible spending accounts with pre‑tax earnings for health care and dependent care
• Up to $125,000 in life insurance coverage, paid in full by Bridge
• Short‑and long‑term disability coverage
• Commuter benefit accounts with pre‑tax earnings
• Career development and networking opportunities

Bridge Over Troubled Waters has retained DH Search to support the hiring of a Senior Manager of Institutional Relations. DH Search is a national search firm that works exclusively with nonprofits and mission‑driven organizations to recruit and hire extraordinary people. Learn more at www.dhsearch.net