National Grants Writer

Role: National Grants Writer

Organisation: MND Australia & MND State Organisations

Location: Remote/Hybrid, depending on location

Employment Type: Full-time, 12-month contract (with view to extend)

Applications Close: Wednesday, 25 November

Enquiries: maddie.catlin@mndaustralia.org.au

To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria to maddie.catlin@mndaustralia.org.au.

MND Australia is the national peak body for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in Australia and works closely with six State-based MND organisations to improve outcomes for people living with and impacted by MND. Together, these seven organisations form the MND Network – a group of independent organisations united by a shared purpose and commitment to improving the lives of people affected by MND.

The MND Network is seeking an experienced National Grants Writer to join us in a newly created shared role supporting organisations across the Network. Employed by MND Australia on behalf of the Network, you will work collaboratively with national and State-based teams to strengthen funding opportunities and outcomes.

This is both a strategic and hands-on role. You will help shape a coordinated approach to grants and funding across the Network, identify significant funding opportunities and partnerships, and manage the practical work required to take opportunities from identification through to submission, reporting and acquittal. As a largely self-sufficient role, you will be equally comfortable developing strategy and building relationships as you are writing proposals, coordinating documentation and maintaining grant records.

Working collaboratively across the Network, you will manage the end-to-end grants process, including identifying and assessing opportunities, coordinating stakeholder input, developing compelling, high-quality applications, and managing reporting and acquittal requirements for successful grants.

You will work with teams across all seven organisations to understand their priorities, programs and funding needs, proactively match these with suitable opportunities, and identify where collaboration or a multi-State approach could deliver greater impact. A key part of the role will be building strong relationships and working transparently with stakeholders to prioritise opportunities and focus your efforts where they can add the greatest value, guided by agreed criteria.

Key Responsibilities

The National Grants Writer will:

• Work collaboratively across the MND Network to understand organisational and shared priorities, programs and funding needs, and proactively identify suitable funding opportunities.
• Research and identify government, philanthropic, corporate, trust and foundation funding opportunities relevant to priorities across the Network.
• Develop and maintain a strategic grants pipeline and annual work plan, providing visibility of priority opportunities, applications, deadlines, outcomes and reporting requirements.
• Assess and prioritise opportunities against agreed criteria, including funding value, strategic alignment, likelihood of success, level of effort, potential impact and opportunities for broader Network benefit or replication across jurisdictions.
• Work transparently with stakeholders to manage competing priorities and determine where dedicated grant-writing support will deliver the greatest value.
• Lead the development of high-quality, compelling grant applications and funding proposals, with a particular focus on significant, collaborative and multi-organisation opportunities, while providing practical support for priority organisation-specific applications.
• Identify opportunities to scale or replicate suitable funding applications across jurisdictions, including where similar funding programs are available through multiple local or State government bodies.
• Work closely with teams across the Network to gather program information, budgets, evidence, data, outcomes and impact stories, coordinate stakeholder input and manage applications through to submission.
• Facilitate collaboration on joint applications, ensuring participating organisations are appropriately involved in shaping proposals, delivery approaches and outcomes.
• Lead and coordinate reporting and acquittal processes for grants managed through the shared grants function, including gathering required evidence, financial information and outcomes.
• Develop and maintain a practical grants manual and shared grants library, including organisational information, evidence and impact data, case studies and stories, template project plans and budgets, letters of support, standard responses and other commonly required grant materials.
• Maintain accurate and accessible records of applications, outcomes, funding commitments, reporting requirements and key grant obligations.
• Monitor funding trends and share relevant opportunities, insights and learnings across the Network to strengthen collective grant capability and outcomes.
• Provide regular reporting against the agreed work plan and KPIs, including pipeline activity, applications submitted, funding secured, success rates and upcoming opportunities, and identify opportunities to continually improve the effectiveness and value of the shared grants function.

About You

We would be interested in hearing from you if you have all or most of the following:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications and demonstrated experience in grant writing, fundraising, business development, communications or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated success developing high-quality grant applications and funding proposals, ideally including government, philanthropic or multi-partner opportunities.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, concise and compelling submissions.
• Strong knowledge of the end-to-end grants process, including opportunity identification, application development, reporting, acquittals and compliance.
• Experience within, or a strong understanding of, the not-for-profit, health, disability or community sectors.
• The ability to think strategically while remaining highly hands-on, with strong research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to interpret funding guidelines, eligibility requirements and assessment criteria.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills, with the ability to build trust and work effectively across multiple teams, independent organisations, funders and external partners.
• The ability to manage multiple applications, stakeholders and competing deadlines, applying sound judgement to prioritise opportunities based on value, impact and available capacity.
• A collaborative and consultative approach, with the ability to work independently, take initiative and actively engage others to ensure applications reflect the right expertise and input.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, including the ability to establish work plans, track performance and report against agreed priorities and KPIs.
• A commitment to transparency, shared ownership and building capability across the MND Network.

Position Details

This is a new, full-time, 12-month contract position, with a view to extension, and is subject to a six-month probation period.

The National Grants Writer is a shared MND Network resource, employed by MND Australia and working collaboratively across the seven Network organisations.

The role will operate against an agreed work plan and performance measures, with regular reporting on activity, progress and funding outcomes. As a new shared function, its effectiveness and future requirements will be reviewed during the initial 12-month period.

Given the deadline-driven nature of grants, some flexibility in working hours will be required from time to time, with appropriate time off in lieu applying where relevant.

This is an opportunity to use your grant-writing expertise to strengthen funding capability across the MND Network and help secure funding for initiatives that improve support, services and outcomes for people living with and impacted by MND across Australia.

Application and Selection Process

Your application should include:

• a current resume (CV); and

• a brief cover letter outlining your interest in the role and your relevant grant-writing experience.

We would particularly welcome examples of successful grant applications or funding proposals you have developed and an explanation of your role in securing that funding.