Director of Government Affairs and Strategic Grants

Thank you for your interest in employment with our institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. We ask that you keep in mind the following when completing your application:

• Draft applications are saved automatically and can be accessed through your candidate home account.

  • Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

  • Once a recruitment has closed, applications will no longer be accepted.

• Required attachments are listed below on the posting. Your application will not be considered without the required attachments.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our Human Resources department at hr-employment@gbcnv.edu.

The Director of Government Affairs and Strategic Grants provides leadership for the college’s government relations, public policy engagement, and strategic grant development efforts. This position advances Great Basin College’s mission by coordinating advocacy strategies, monitoring legislative developments, and identifying funding opportunities that support institutional priorities.

The Director serves as a key advisor to institutional leadership on federal and state policy matters affecting higher education and works collaboratively with faculty, administrators, and external partners to develop competitive grant proposals. The position cultivates relationships with elected officials, government agencies, foundations, and community partners to strengthen the college’s visibility, influence, and access to external funding.

The Director works closely with the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) and institutional leadership to coordinate legislative advocacy, pursue grant funding, and support initiatives that enhance educational access, workforce development, and community partnerships.

This position reports to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

This is a remote position, but the employee must live in Nevada. Considerable travel is required.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in public policy, public administration, political science, higher education administration, or a related field.

• Progressively responsible experience in government relations, public policy, grant development, or related external affairs work.

• Demonstrated knowledge of federal and state legislative legislative, regulatory, and public policy processes.

• Experience researching funding opportunities and developing or supporting grant proposals.

• Strong analytical, organizational, and written communication skills.

• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities simultaneously.

• Ability to build collaborative relationships with faculty, administrators, policymakers, and community stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in public administration, public policy, political science, higher education administration, law, or a related field.

• Experience working in higher education, preferably a community college, or a complex public organization.

• Experience writing or coordinating federal grant proposals.

• Working knowledge of the Nevada State Legislature, Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS), and the Nevada Electronic Legislative Information System (NELIS).

• Experience working with or through federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation, or Department of Labor.

• Experience coordinating multi-partner initiatives involving educational institutions, school districts, employers, or community organizations.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Ability to align advocacy and funding strategies with institutional priorities.

• Policy Analysis: Ability to interpret legislative and regulatory developments affecting higher education.

• Grant Development: Ability to translate institutional initiatives into competitive funding proposals.

• Relationship Building: Ability to cultivate productive relationships with policymakers, funders, and community partners.

• Communication: Ability to present complex policy and funding information clearly and persuasively.

• Collaboration: Ability to work effectively across institutional departments and with external partners.

Responsibilities:

Government Relations Strategy

• Develop and implement a comprehensive government relations and public affairs strategy that advances the college’s priorities at the federal, state, and local levels.

• Advise institutional leadership on legislative developments, emerging public policy issues, and advocacy strategies.

• Monitor legislation, regulatory actions, budget proposals, and policy developments affecting higher education, workforce development, and student success.

• Prepare policy briefs, legislative summaries, talking points and strategic communications to support institutional decision-making and advocacy.

• Identify opportunities to advance institutional priorities through legislative, regulatory, appropriations, and funding initiatives.

Federal and State Government Affairs

• Coordinate the college’s federal, state, and local advocacy efforts in collaboration with institutional leadership and the Nevada System of Higher Education.

• Support the development and advancement of federal and state legislative priorities, including funding and appropriations initiatives.

• Serve as liaison to federal contract lobbyists and coordinate related advocacy activities, follow-up, and provide strategic communication to leadership.

• Monitor and analyze federal and state legislation, budget actions, and regulatory developments affecting higher education and their implications for GBC.

• Prepare and coordinate legislative testimony, briefing materials, talking points, and policy statements to support GBC’s priorities.

• Coordinate and support meetings with elected officials and policymakers, including visits with congressional and state legislative offices.

Grant Development and Funding Strategy

• Identify and research grant opportunities from federal, state, and private funding sources that align with institutional priorities.

• Serve as the primary writer or coordinator for select grant proposals, particularly federal grants and other strategic funding initiatives.

• Collaborate with faculty, administrators, finance personnel, and program staff to develop project concepts, goals, and measurable outcomes for grant proposals.

• Assist in the preparation, review, and refinement of proposal narratives, budgets, and supporting documentation in accordance with funding agency guidelines.

• Coordinate proposal submissions and ensure applications are complete, compliant, competitive and are submitted in accordance with institutional and funding agency requirements.

Institutional Collaboration and Communication

• Work collaboratively with faculty, administrators, and institutional partners to support grant development and advocacy initiatives.

• Communicate grant opportunities and policy developments to campus stakeholders.

• Provide presentations and updates on legislative and funding initiatives to faculty, staff, and college leadership.

• Maintain organized records of grant proposals, funding opportunities, and advocacy activities.

Community and External Engagement

• Develop and maintain relationships with local, state, and federal elected officials, government agencies, community organizations, and business partners.

• Represent the college at government affairs meetings, policy forums, and community events.

• Foster partnerships that support the college’s mission, workforce development initiatives, and service area communities.

Compensation Grade

Administrative Faculty – D

This is a 12 month “A” contract, 12 month contracts are used for year round programs.

The budgeted salary range for this position is $100,000 to $125,000. Salary is based on relatable education and experience, internal equity and budgets.

Remarkable Retirement

Our retirement plan is beyond compare. Your 19.25% contribution is generously matched by the University.   With the faculty retirement plan, you are 100% vested your first day. Sit back and watch your retirement dollars grow!  All permanent employees on an annual "A" or "B" contract who are employed at least 50% full-time are eligible to participate in the NSHE retirement program unless they are members of PERS of Nevada.

Perks of Working at Great Basin College

• Health insurance options including medical, dental and vision

• 12 paid holidays

• Life insurance, long-term disability

• Generous annual and sick leave with 24 annual leave days, a beginning balance of 30 sick leave days.

• ComPsych supports employees through life's difficult moments.

• No state income tax!

• Free Parking

Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees

Great Basin College is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner. 

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review.  To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact gbc-hr@gbcnv.edu

The following must be attached to your application:

• Resume/CV – List a detailed description of the major duties that you performed as part of each job. You must demonstrate that you qualify for the position and your education and experience must be clearly documented.

• Cover Letter

• Three Supervisory References – Please make a note if you do not want your present employer contacted unless necessary to determine your qualifications for the position.

Additional Information

Transcripts

Newly hired faculty must assure that their official transcripts are sent by the degree granting institution(s) to Great Basin College Human Resources Office within 30 days from the effective date of employment.  Regionally accredited institutions must have awarded academic degrees.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.  Any expense related to the evaluation will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Background Check

An online background check will be required of the selected applicant; a third-party administrator will perform this.

Sponsorship

GBC is not able to support sponsorship for employment. Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.

Open Until Filled

This posting will be posted for a minimum of 30 days from 3/27/2026 or until filled. Applications may be reviewed upon receipt.  Recruitment will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received, or a hiring decision has been made.

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

All document(s) must be received on or before the closing date of the job announcements.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents.

NSHE is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Great Basin College

Located in the high desert of rural Nevada, Great Basin College is a Carnegie classified baccalaureate and associates degree granting institution embracing a comprehensive hybrid mission to deliver a full four-year liberal arts and sciences, community college and applied technical learning curricula.  With its main campus in Elko, a beautiful site with residential housing and state-of-the-art learning technologies, GBC serves the largest geographic area of Nevada’s colleges. Great Basin College serves the citizens residing in ten of Nevada’s most rural counties, covering 86,514 square miles and bordering five states.  This service area includes centers in Battle Mountain, Ely, Pahrump and Winnemucca. Additionally, satellite locations can be found in twenty other frontier communities.

Our vast geography is known for its spectacular mountain ranges and picturesque valleys, providing a myriad of outdoor recreational opportunities. In addition, Elko is home to several well-known western museums and the world renown, National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, begun 35 years ago to honor and share the traditions of Western storytelling, nurturing the expressive culture of the American West.

GBC provides a “private college” experience with public college affordable access to postsecondary education in an environment that embraces and respects all cultures.  It stands among the most innovative colleges in America, integrating many disciplines into single courses and programs, helping students to develop critical thinking and self-directed learning skills.  Graduates of Great Basin College are fully prepared to enter their chosen careers with the knowledge and confidence to succeed in the global marketplace.

For more information visit GBC or the Area website.