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Grants Director
- Company: Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Date Posted: May 07, 2026
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About Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
Honoring the legacy of Virginia Galvin Piper, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust supports organizations that enrich health, well-being, and opportunity for the people of Maricopa County. The Trust concentrates its grantmaking and efforts in the areas of Arts and Culture, Children, Education, Healthcare and Medical Research, Older Adults, and Religious Organizations.
Piper Trust strives to be a vital part of the community—not only as a source of investment and leadership, but as a neighbor sharing a lasting stake in its long-term future.
Learn more about Piper Trust at https://pipertrust.org/.
The Opportunity
The Grants Director plays a critical role in ensuring the integrity, effectiveness, and continuous improvement of Piper Trust’s grants administration and tracking functions. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this position provides senior operational leadership across the full grant lifecycle, from initial inquiry and application review through approval, payment, reporting, and closeout. The role helps ensure that grantmaking practices are efficient, compliant, well-documented, and reflective of Piper Trust’s commitment to thoughtful partnership with grantee organizations.
Serving as Piper Trust’s internal expert on grants administration, the Grants Director oversees policies, processes, systems, regulatory compliance, and data integrity related to grantmaking operations. The position partners closely with colleagues across program, finance, communications, and executive leadership teams to support sound fiduciary oversight, informed decision-making, and mission-aligned philanthropy.
This is an opportunity for a detail-oriented, systems-minded professional who brings both operational rigor and a collaborative approach to their work. The ideal candidate will have an affinity for technology and process improvement, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity with sound judgment and adaptability.
Equally important is the ability to serve as a thoughtful advisor and partner to colleagues across the organization, balancing technical expertise with strong communication and relationship-building skills.
The Grants Director will thrive in an environment that values collaboration, continuous improvement, responsiveness, and shared accountability in support of meaningful community impact.
This is a fully in-office position based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Depending on the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate, this position may be filled at either the Manager or Director level.
Candidate Profile
Description
We recognize that there is a spectrum of lived and professional experience that will set candidates up for success in this role. While no one candidate will have every experience outlined in the position description, ideal candidates will display the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
Grants Administration & Operational Excellence
Demonstrates deep expertise in grants management operations across the full grant lifecycle, ensuring processes are efficient, accurate, well-documented, and aligned with organizational priorities. Brings strong systems orientation, attention to detail, and a commitment to continuous improvement in grants administration, reporting, and data integrity.
Policy, Compliance & Fiduciary Stewardship
Maintains a strong understanding of private foundation regulations, compliance requirements, and governance practices. Ensures grantmaking activities adhere to internal policies, IRS regulations, audit standards, and reporting requirements while supporting sound fiduciary oversight and risk management.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Thought Partnership
Builds effective partnerships across program, finance, communications, and leadership teams to support informed decision-making and mission-aligned grantmaking. Serves as a responsive thought partner and trusted resource, balancing technical expertise with strong communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.
In Addition, Strong Candidates Will Offer
- Demonstrated knowledge of grants administration processes and private foundation compliance requirements.
- Experience administering or serving as a primary user of a grants management database or CRM system. Experience with akoyaGO preferred but not required.
- Strong understanding of accounting concepts related to grantmaking and payments.
- Exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, and organizational skills.
- Ability to plan strategically, set realistic objectives, and manage competing priorities.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills including flexibility and capacity to work in a collaborative environment; active meeting participation; timely identification and resolution of conflicts; objectivity and openness to others’ views.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively in a high-accountability, mission-driven environment.
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in grants management, foundation operations, or a related nonprofit field.
Compensation And Benefits
The salary range for this position is $110,000 to $160,000, commensurate with experience. The role may be filled at either the Manager or Director level, depending on the qualifications and seniority of the selected candidate, accompanied by a generous benefits package. Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust is open to hearing from the market and encourages candidates to express interest, even if their compensation expectations fall outside of the stated range.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Alicia Salerno. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NPSIpractice@dsgo.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust is an equal opportunity employer. Employment with the Trust is contingent upon satisfactory completion of applicable background checks and verification of eligibility to work in the United States.
About DSG | Koya
DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.
Learn more about DSG | Koya via the firm's website.
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