San Jose Public Library Foundation (SJPLF) is seeking a Foundation & Government Relations, Senior Manager. The Foundation & Government Relations, Senior Manager will help build and manage relationships with foundations and government agencies and be the chief grant writer. This position is an ideal fit for fundraisers who are strong technical writers and can build strong relationships. This position requires a moderate to high degree of sophistication and subject matter knowledge related to literacy and/or education, as the position will be expected to liaise between program/library/development staff and foundations and government agencies. In addition to managing a small portfolio of current relationships, the position will work to identify, cultivate, and steward new foundation and government prospects. Written grant proposals could be emotionally persuasive or technical depending on the funder with a heavy focus on outcomes.

This position reports to the Chief Philanthropy Officer and collaborates with fundraising staff to achieve and exceed annual revenue goals. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in growing the Library Foundation’s programmatic and operating support by creating and writing successful foundation and government grant proposals, and reports, and expanding and stewarding our foundation and government relationships with the primary goal of increasing revenue and outreach results. In addition, this position will collaborate with our Corporate Partnerships Senior Manager in writing corporate foundation grant proposals and reports.

About San Jose Public Library Foundation

The San José Public Library is proud to be one of the nation’s best public library systems with 25 branches across the city. Part of its success is owed to the dynamic and committed Library Foundation, which is a separate 501(c)3 established in 1987 by a group of community volunteers who understood that a great library system needed more than public funding. The San José Public Library Foundation (SJPLF) has raised more than $45 million to enhance the Library above and beyond what tax-based funding provides for buildings, programs, collections, and services. The Foundation takes its fundraising direction from the Library’s identification of persistent and emerging community needs. The mutually respectful and collaborative work will result in more students being prepared for success from kindergarten to college and career; more adults being fully informed and able to participate in civic life; greater access to information in print and digital forms; and for everyone to find the spark that ignites their curiosity, imagination, and wonder.

The Foundation & Government Relations Senior Manager’s top priorities and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Grant Management and Writing (60%)

Prospect for private and public funding opportunities for grants.
Identify funders with the highest potential and develop strategies for gaining foundation and government support.
Lead grant writing and reporting processes for all formal philanthropic and government grants, coordinating efforts with finance and program staff.
Coordinate data collection, processing, and reporting with program and finance team members.
Prepare narratives, budgets, standard required documents, and additional materials, such as logic models and timelines, for institutional grant applications and use by other fundraising staff.
Maintain 65% retention through excellent stewardship and progress reports leading to renewal proposals.
Work with the CEO and fundraising staff to monitor contractual agreements and grant award conditions to ensure compliance with budgets, recognition, and other items as needed.
Maintain, monitor, and update CRM and grants management system that includes a schedule of government and foundation grant inquiries, proposals, and reports.
Oversee the process of application and registration for government grants and contracts.
Schedule and manage logistics for site visits and other stewardship/engagement events.

Foundation and Government Relationship Management (30%)

Responsible for raising $760,000 in restricted and unrestricted grants.
Manage an active portfolio of major foundation and government donors and prospects by creating and implementing personalized cultivation and stewardship plans and gift requests for each donor within the portfolio.
Show donors the impact of their contributions by connecting them to engagement opportunities and maintaining ongoing connections.
Facilitate key donor relationships by leveraging the involvement of the CEO and City Librarian.
Maintain relationships with local electeds including city council, county supervisors, and mayor’s office. This includes cultivation and stewardship of elected support from discretionary funds.

Mentorship (10%)

Support other team members in developing grant writing and impact reporting.
Mentor less experienced fundraising staff in writing and submission of proposals.

Behavioral Competencies Expected:

Strategic Thinking

Considers and analyzes various points of view and pieces of data to form strategies appropriate to a particular context.
Develops creative tactics and approaches to achieve goals.

Interpersonal Skills and Strong Relationship Manager

Uses a variety of techniques, as appropriate, to connect with others to build and nurture positive relationships.
Has a natural ability to form connections and cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships.

Project Management

Identifies the steps of a project and sets appropriate deadlines.
Holds self and others accountable to outcomes and deadlines.
Comfortable taking the lead on projects and figuring out ways to push things forward.

Initiative

Proactively creates and/or follows through on new ideas and strategies.
Anticipates and notices needs (long and short term) and acts to creatively address them.
Enjoys designing a new strategy or implementing a new idea.

Teamwork & cooperation

Is willing to follow or lead based on the organization’s needs.
Is approachable.
Committed to building the spirit of the team.

Integrity & trust

Maintains confidentiality when needed.
Demonstrates credibility through consistency and reliability.
Pursues growth professionally and personally.
Committed to managing all relationships professionally and with a personal touch.

Required Qualifications

5- 8 years of experience in a Development and/or Grants Management role or related field.
Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills.
Demonstrated growth mindset.
Proven track record of prospecting, writing, and securing philanthropic and government grants.
Knowledge of grant management processes and best practices.
Experience successfully coordinating funding and reporting systems with program staff.
Project management and organizational skills with high attention to detail.
Experience with working in Word, Excel, CRM donor databases, and project management software.
Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
Ability to occasionally travel within Silicon Valley to attend in-person events and programs.
Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, or related field. Equivalent experience will be considered instead of a degree.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience securing significant (i.e. six-figure) grants and/or contracts.
Experience with successfully applying to state and federal government funding opportunities and managing compliance.
Comfort and experience working across diverse communities, with the empathy and knowledge to communicate across all constituencies, including partners, staff, donors, and the broader community.
Multi-lingual and/or multi-cultural, previous experience working with public libraries or supporting another government agency, and/or CFRE all a plus.

Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The position requires the ability to sit for sustained periods of time and sometimes travel throughout the city of San José. The vision requirement includes close vision. The employee is occasionally required to lift 20 pounds. There will occasionally be required work on evenings and weekends.

SJPLF currently operates in a hybrid working situation with in-office attendance required at least 40%.

Compensation and Benefits

The compensation and benefits offered reflect the value SJPLF places on attracting and retaining a talented team. This is a full-time, exempt, salaried position with a high degree of autonomy. The salary range is $90,000 to $105,000 dependent upon experience. SJPLF provides health, dental, and vision insurance, 401k with matching contributions, and generous paid time off that increases with longevity in addition to 17 paid holidays, among other benefits. Professional growth opportunities are available.