Senior Manager of Institutional Relations

Association of Fundraising Professionals; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Bridge Over Troubled Waters in Boston seeks a Senior Manager of Institutional Relations to own the government funding portfolio, overseeing roughly $6 million annually across federal, state, and city sources. The role leads grant writing, narratives, and proposals for new programs and the large capital campaign for 25 West Street.

You will build relationships with government agencies, manage reporting, and move Bridge toward a proactive funding posture while supporting a $40 million capital

Qualifications

• 5+ years managing government grants and/or government relations, including NOFOs, RFPs, and procurements.
• Strong, versatile writer capable of turning complex program info into compelling proposals across formats.
• Relationship-driven partner who builds trust with government agencies at various levels.
• Proactive opportunity seeker identifying new funding opportunities and partnerships.
• Collaborative across teams, gathering information and moving projects forward while respecting program expertise.
• Organized and accountable operator managing multiple deadlines and relationships; uses CRM to track activity.

Responsibilities

• Lead government funding, grants management, and agency relations for Bridge.
• Write grant narratives and tailored content for existing and new programs.
• Monitor opportunities, analyze RFPs/NOFOs/procurements for fit and capacity.
• Develop and submit grant and contract applications with program, finance, and development teams.
• Manage government grants calendar ensuring timely submissions, reports and renewals.
• Build and maintain relationships with city, state, and federal agencies; represent Bridge at meetings.

Skills

Government funding

Grant writing

Relationship building

Proposal writing

Cross-team collaboration

Organization & accountability

Tools

Raiser's Edge/Blackbaud

CRM software

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:

Lead government funding, grants management, and agency relations

• 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.

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.