Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG), a rapidly growing management and social sciences consulting firm based in Bethesda MD, is seeking a Head Start Program 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

Program Specialists perform functions related to the grant award, oversight and programmatic administration of discretionary grants funded through the Health & Human Services Office of Grants Management (OGM), specifically Head Start and Early Head Start grantees. The Program Specialist provides an analysis of applications, reports to include annual and Program Information Reports, ; providing accurate and timely guidance to grantees; conducting site visits and engaging with grantee leadership to include governing boards. Program Specialists also support Head Start grantees in improving their performance, identifying and mitigating grantee risk factors, corrective action to address monitoring findings, and the ability to assess grantee data such as school readiness & program goal analyses.

Responsibilities

• Ensures accurate, timely analysis, and review of funding applications according to established timeframes and procedures such as using approved funding guidance.
• Reviews, analyzes, and processes grantee program performance reports, information, and indicators; grantee waiver requests; and applications for facility construction, purchase and major renovation. Works collaboratively with the Grantee Support Specialist on processing grant applications.
• Provisions accurate and timely regulatory and policy guidance to Head Start and Early Head Start grantees, in consultation with federal staff.
• Participates in onsite monitoring visits, including follow ups, special reviews, desk reviews, and follow up on complaints.
• Ensure adequate documentation on grantee performance and other communication with the Head Start and Early Head Start grantees is documented in the Head Start Enterprise System and other data management systems.
• Provides timely and accurate reports
• Ensures the maintenance of all official electronic grant files for new and continued grant awards.
• Performs activities related to the identification and mitigation of grantee risk factors, correction of compliance issues identified through monitoring and other efforts, review and analysis of school readiness and programmatic goals; community and self-assessment data, and improvement of Head Start/Early Head Start grantee performance.
• 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, preferably in education, early childhood education, child development, public administration, family and consumer science or related fields; master's degree a plus
• 4+ years of relevant progressive professional experience supporting and/or managing programs; preferably early education programs, grants management experience also a plus.
• Project Management Certification a plus
• Demonstrated ability to aggregate, analyze, synthesize, present data gathered from multiple sources.
• Knowledge of the full grant award cycle process and knowledge of the Head Start Program Performance Standards, a plus
• Strong organizational, administrative and project coordination skills, and the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders
• Proven ability to effectively communicate in writing and when speaking,
• Able to, both independently and collaboratively, solve problems, make decisions and support change.
• Computer, Internet and general proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint; demonstrated proficiency in utilizing a variety of web-based and off the shelf data management software packages.

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.