Description
Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG), a rapidly growing management and social sciences consulting firm based in Bethesda MD, is seeking a Head Start Grants Support Specialist to support the Office of Grants Management (OGM). MSG provides consulting services across the federal government in the areas of: 1) Research & Evaluation, 2) Marketing & Communications, 3) Information, 4) Technical Assistance and Training, and 5) Program Management. Our federal clients include the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and the Treasury, and the National Science Foundation.
Description
Grants Support Specialists provide grants management services that comply with federal regulations for Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) grantees. This includes managing grantee contract requirements, maintaining accurate grants records, and activities that support the full award life-cycle, , monitoring, evaluating and assisting with addressing grant issues, and collaborating with other OHS staff such as the Program Support Specialists. These activities may also include review and analysis of grantee financial reports, grant amendments or changes in scope, waiver requests, applications related to facility needs, and providing regulatory and fiscal policy guidance to HS & EHS grantees.
Responsibilities
- Ability to provide technical assistance and expertise to Head Start and EHS grantees on fiscal matters and grant applications
- Ability to communicate effectively with Head Start or Early Head Start grantee staff to include funding letters, memos or written correspondence in an electronic data management system
- Perform fiscal analysis of financial reports; assist in tracking draw-downs and other timelines, and monitor funding levels
- Ability to assess grant applications to align proposed expenditures with program goals and the allowability of budgetary items
- 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
- Possess knowledge of the Office of Management and Budget regulations
- Review grantee annual financial audits to determine each organization's financial stability and vitality, and report on how grantee audit findings have been corrected
- Monitor OHS Risk Management and prepare information for executive review on grantees identified as having issues
- Support, as requested, the evaluation, tracking and resolution of grantee applications to purchase, construct and/or complete major facilities renovations
- 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
- Perform other reasonable tasks as assigned by management in support of MSG's goals and objectives.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university or college, with a preference for a degree in accounting, finance, public administration, business management, or a related field
- Background and training in accounting and/or financial management, including knowledge of audits, budget administration, 990 taxes, and contract management
- At least 3 years' experience related to federal discretionary grants management, and federal regulatory compliance monitoring and oversight
- Knowledge and experience with the administration of discretionary grants is required; experience with Head Start/Early Head Start program grants desired
- Experience aggregating, analyzing, charting, graphing and reporting on and presenting data gathered from multiple sources
- Strong organizational and project management skills; experience managing multiple priorities
- Strong interpersonal skills, with the proven ability to collaborate and build relationships with staff, clients, remote colleagues and supervisors, and others
- Able to implement data-driven decision making
- Experience with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Access and PowerPoint; advanced knowledge and experience with Microsoft Excel, SharePoint is required
- Experience with Head Start Enterprise System (HSES), Head Start Funds Planning System (HSFPS), Office of Head Start Aligned Monitoring System (IT-AMS), GrantSolutions and Payment Management System (PMS) is preferred
We are committed to creating a diverse environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Applicants can learn more about the company's status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the federal "EEO is the Law" poster at https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.
Employment will be contingent on the outcome of a background investigation and reference checks. While all applications are appreciated, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.