Manager, Grants & Partnerships (Fractional)

Manager, Grants & Partnerships

Location: Flexible, Remote

Type of Vacancy: Fractional / Contractual

ABOUT EDFUEL

EdFuel is a national boutique consulting nonprofit with a nimble, collaborative team. Our mission is to support schools, districts, networks, and nonprofits in recruiting and retaining a diverse and highly qualified staff by building equitable and inclusive talent systems. We believe that these systems create the conditions necessary for staff and, therefore, students to thrive. We do this by supporting organizations to implement talent systems, including but not limited to: competency mapping, recruitment, hiring, onboarding, professional development, performance evaluation, and compensation and benefits.

In your work with the EdFuel team, you can expect flexibility, a high level of ownership and autonomy in your work, a team-wide commitment to sustainability, and the opportunity to work with smart, values-driven people in an environment where everyone seeks to make each other better. EdFuel is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has remote staff across the country. Please read more about EdFuel and our commitment to anti-racism on our website.

JOB OVERVIEW

EdFuel is seeking a fractional Manager, Grants & Partnerships to lead the organization’s growing grants and partnerships function. This role calls for a strategic and detail-oriented leader who can drive EdFuel’s grant strategy, manage complex funding relationships, and cultivate mission-aligned partnerships. This role will oversee the full lifecycle of grants and partnerships management—from sourcing and applying for funding opportunities to overseeing active grants and strategic partnerships—and will work cross-functionally with internal and external stakeholders to support EdFuel’s mission.

Grants Management & Strategy

• Grant Research & Prospecting: Proactively identify, research, and pursue grant opportunities that align with EdFuel’s mission and areas of expertise.
• Strategic Leadership: In partnership with the Managing Partner, lead the strategy, design, and execution of EdFuel’s grants management function.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Work closely with internal stakeholders (e.g., Finance, Operations, Program, and Leadership teams) to ensure grant pursuits are well-aligned with organizational strategy, capacity, and programming.
• Reporting & Documentation: Maintain a robust grants tracking and reporting system, providing regular updates to stakeholders, and ensure timely submission of all required materials.
• Grants Oversight: Monitor the financial and programmatic progress of active grants, ensuring compliance with deliverables, budgets, and timelines.

Strategic Partnerships Development

• Opportunity Sourcing: Identify and cultivate a pipeline of strategic partnership opportunities, including philanthropic foundations, public and private funders, and mission-aligned organizations.
• Strategy Implementation: Support the development and implementation of EdFuel’s partnership strategy, ensuring alignment with long-term impact and sustainability goals.
• Due Diligence: Conduct due diligence and landscape research on prospective partners, including assessing alignment, capacity, and potential risks.
• Co-Creation: Collaborate with new and existing partners to co-develop proposals and shared initiatives that advance mutual goals, including ecosystem-level change in the education sector.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Learning

• Budget Alignment: Partner with the Finance team to align grant budgets with organizational forecasts and to support financial reporting and audits.
• Narrative Development: Collaborate with the Partner team to develop compelling proposals and impact narratives that reflect EdFuel’s vision and outcomes.
• Evaluation & Learning: Work with internal staff to capture and share insights and lessons learned across grants and strategic partnerships.
• Communication: Ensure effective coordination and communication with internal and external stakeholders to foster transparency, accountability, and innovation.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Risk Monitoring: Monitor for and proactively manage risks associated with grants and partnerships, including political, operational, or reputational risks.
• Funder Compliance: Ensure EdFuel is in compliance with all relevant funder requirements, including ethical standards, financial controls, and data privacy.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND MINDSETS

• 5+ years of experience in grants management, philanthropy, fundraising, or strategic partnerships, preferably in the nonprofit or public sector.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Demonstrated success in securing and managing institutional grants and complex partnerships.
• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional projects across multiple teams, time zones, and stakeholders, with a focus on results, learning, and strategic alignment.
• Knowledge of federal and foundation grant guidelines and regulations, budgeting, compliance, audits, and financial reporting, with experience aligning grants to organizational goals.
• Demonstrated ability to stay adaptable, take initiative, navigate ambiguity, and thrive in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a solution-focused mindset.
• Actively seeks and provides feedback, using it constructively to enhance performance and drive better outcomes.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Passion for education and commitment to the mission of EdFuel (see below).

BENEFITS AND SALARY

The Manager, Grant & Partnerships, is a fractional role, hired on a contractual basis. The compensation is up $8,000/month, assuming up to 20 hours/week. Benefits will not be offered, given the contractual nature of the role.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT POLICY

At EdFuel, we believe that diversity makes us stronger and challenges us to think differently every day. EdFuel is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

OUR HIRING PROCESS

Our hiring process consists of the following steps:

1. Application form and document submission
2. Phone interview
3. Team interview
4. Partner team interview
5. Reference check

TO APPLY

To apply for this position, please fill out the application form here. A submitted form is required to be considered for this position.

We will continue to accept applications through June 27th, 2025.In the application form, note that you will be asked to submit your resume and respond to the following prompt:

The Manager, Grants & Partnerships at EdFuel plays a key role in advancing our mission by securing and managing funding, building strategic partnerships, and ensuring strong alignment between grant deliverables and organizational impact.

Describe a time when you led a successful grant or strategic partnership initiative that required cross-functional coordination and strategic decision-making. What challenges did you encounter, how did you address them, what was the outcome and ultimate impact? In your response, highlight how your communication, collaboration, and strategic thinking contributed to success.

If you have any questions, please reach out to jobs@edfuel.org.