Grants Support Specialist

The Grants Support Specialist provides ongoing, prompt and accurate fiscal assistance to Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) grantees and supports Federal staff with high quality grants management services. This includes preparing and tracking grants through review and funding processes, monitoring receipt and accuracy of grant documents, monitoring, evaluating and resolving grant issues, and preparing grant closeouts. Though this position does not directly supervise staff, the Senior Grants Support Specialist is expected to take a leadership role in managing projects and overseeing the work of others, as needed. He/she/they will be a critical thinker with outstanding attention to details, strong collaboration and organizational skills, and an eye towards process improvement.    

Key Responsibilities:

• Design activities to ensure complete, timely review of grant applications, review and respond to client fiscal team requests including finalizing memos, decision letters, and maintaining tracking databases; perform basic review of audit reports, financial statements and budget worksheets.
• Perform fiscal analysis of Federal financial reports; assist in tracking the overall fiscal/budget plan, financial reports and timelines; track certified grants and monitor funding levels.
• Receive and review all grantee financial reports for assigned projects; use appropriate resources to verify accuracy and grantee compliance with Federal grant award terms and conditions.
• Research, as needed, statutes, legislation, regulations and directives that govern the financial aspects of government grant-funded programs, identifying trends and tasks to communicate with the broader team.
• Support official grant file maintenance of new and continuation grants for current and all prior years, in accordance with the grant administration manual, until grants are closed out.
• Review grantee annual financial audits to determine each organization’s financial stability; report on: findings, current ratio, revenue verses expenditures analyses, and any depreciation.
• Monitor ARTMS and prepare information for Executive review on grantees identified by OHS Risk Management as having issues. 
• Support, as requested, the evaluation, tracking and resolution of grantee applications to purchase, construct and/or complete major renovations of facilities.
• Maintain the official facilities files and data tracking systems that record the amount of Federal Interest in facilities purchased, renovated, or constructed with Head Start grant funds.
• Routinely monitor grantee data management systems, including financial, property and reporting; analyze data for reconciliation and anomalies, report anomalies and trends monthly to financial staff. Track and report carry-over-balances to program and financial staff.
• In collaboration with the Program/Project Manager, provide leadership support and coaching to fellow Grant Support team members.

Perform other reasonable tasks as assigned by management in support of BCT’s goals and objectives.

Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university or college, with a preference for a degree in accounting, finance, business management, or a related field.
• Background and training in accounting and/or financial management, and audit resolution activities.
• At least 3 years’ experience related to grants accounting, and non-profit or for-profit financial management and reporting; knowledge of the federal grant life cycle is a plus.
• Knowledge and experience with the administration of discretionary grants with a preference (not requirement) for Head Start/Early Head Start Programs.
• Experience working in a nonprofit, social service or government consulting environment a plus.
• Proven ability to effectively communicate (both verbally and orally), exercise sound judgment, ask questions and be open to the input and decisions of others. 
• Experience aggregating, analyzing, charting, graphing and reporting on and presenting data gathered from multiple sources.
• Strong organizational, administrative and project coordination skills, and the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities; excellent attention to details.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the proven ability to collaborate and build relationships with staff, clients, remote colleagues and supervisors, and others. 
• Able to, both independently and collaboratively, solve problems, make decisions and support change;
• Able to provide positive coaching and support to colleagues regarding work quality and deliverables.

Computer, Internet and general proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word and PowerPoint; advanced knowledge and experience with Microsoft Excel is required; experience with Grant Solutions and Payment Management System preferred.

BCT Partners’ mission is to provide insights about diverse people that lead to equity.

We are a national, multi-disciplinary consulting firm that delivers a full range of research, consulting, training, technology, and analytics services. BCT works with government agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and foundations, and is one of the leading firms in the country with expertise in the following markets: housing and community development, economic development, workforce development, children and families, health, education, and diversity, equity & inclusion.

We invite and welcome to our team people who share our values and goals; those with a passion for making the world a better place, who see strength in our diversity, seek equal opportunity for all communities and are motivated to create a more equitable and just society. We appreciate the knowledge, abilities, and ideas of each individual and embrace his/her/their positive contributions to our collaborative and dynamic work environment

Our Clients

The US Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS). OHS’ mission is to promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of low-income children through health, educational, nutritional, social, and other services, as necessary. The Head Start Regional Office is the funding agency to grantees that provide Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) services to pregnant women and children from birth to age 5. OHS provides oversight of these grantees through monitoring and technical assistance, often with the support of partners like BCT. BCT takes great pride in supporting our clients: the OHS Regional Office, its grantees and the communities they serve.