Head of Grantmaking Operations

About the role

We are hiring a Head of Grantmaking Operations to build and lead the operational backbone of CEA’s rapidly growing grantmaking. Reporting to the COO, you will oversee the Grants Operations Team and serve as the in‑house authority on US charitable grantmaking.

Key responsibilities

• Own the full grant lifecycle across all funds, setting standards, controls and risk posture for intake, diligence, approval, payment, monitoring and closeout.
• Partner with Program Officers and Finance to align workflows, risk ownership and decision rights, and track committed versus disbursed grant funds.
• Serve as CEA’s authority on US charitable grantmaking, handling compliance, OFAC/sanctions screening, audit‑ready recordkeeping and cross‑border grantmaking.
• Lead and grow the Grants Operations team, developing staff into seasoned grant professionals.
• Design and implement scalable grantmaking systems, SOPs, templates and reporting structures.

Required profile

• Deep hands‑on experience in US charitable grantmaking from a foundation, large nonprofit, regranting organization or DAF sponsor.
• Strong judgment and ability to operate in a fast‑moving, high‑stakes environment.
• US residency with authority to act on behalf of the organization (e.g., open financial accounts).

Required skills

• Expertise in US charitable grantmaking compliance and regulations.
• Experience with OFAC/sanctions screening and audit‑ready recordkeeping.
• Ability to design and manage grantmaking workflows and risk frameworks.