Open positions: Grant Writer
Diak’s education and RDI (research, development, and innovation) actions aim at promoting sustainable wellbeing and inclusion in communities and service systems in national, European, and global contexts. We have approximately 70 national and international RDI projects ongoing annually, and our main RDI funding sources are the European Social Fund and Erasmus+ programmes. Our RDI actions cover mainly development and innovation projects and applied research.
Diak is now seeking an experienced institutional grant writer with strong technical expertise in designing and writing international RDI project proposals. Your key responsibility is to develop and write project proposals of high quality together with Diak’s experts and our international partners.
In addition to writing grant applications, your key responsibilities include:
- Engaging in identification and design of new projects together with Diak’s experts and our International partners, following Diak’s strategy, and leading proposal design from initial project idea to contracting stage
- Exploiting diverse EU and other funding opportunities, and, in the longer term, identifying new funding opportunities from various other donors such as the UN, foundations, and/or development banks
- Following funding trends among institutional donors in Diak’s fields and translating these into strategic approaches aiming to increase Diak’s external grant funding
- Establishing and maintaining relations with key donors
- Depending on the project, leading or participating in negotiations with Diak’s partners
- Ensuring consistent learning, and strengthening Diak’s grant management process.
Your qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an appropriate field
- Demonstrable evidence of successful grants acquisition from EU and/or international donors
- Ability for strategic thinking and understanding of key project development approaches and tools
- Strong proposal writing skills with attention to detail
- Good understanding of the current trends in RDI funding
- A result-oriented approach, and the capacity to work well under pressure and against tight deadlines
- Strong team-working, problem solving, and cross-cultural communication skills
- Fluency in English; strong proposal writing skills with attention to detail. Practical Finnish/ ability to work in a Finnish-speaking organisation. Other languages are an asset.
We offer you an opportunity to work as part of a nationwide university of applied sciences with a strong value-based orientation towards a world that is good for everyone. The Grant Writer will work in close collaboration with Diak’s experts and our international partners, as part of Diak’s international team in our innovation department. We offer you an inspiring opportunity to actively participate in Diak’s on-going developing and diversifying international RDI work in Europe and globally.
We promote workforce diversity, and applications from all qualified candidates are encouraged. You can present your salary request in the application form. The location of this post is negotiable. Contact: Suvi Äärilä, Head of International Affairs, tel. +358 50 505 6960, 11 Mar at 9–10 and 18 Mar at 9-10, email: suvi.aarila@diak.fi.