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

The Grants Management Project Director will lead the implementation and execution of MSG's transition to providing OGM with high-quality grants management services for all HHS/ACF/OHS Regions. The Project Director is responsible for overall management of the project including liaising with the Client; supervising members of the project team; and overseeing project implementation, financial and administrative oversight, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation of the project. This position will also oversee the operations and delivery of grants support management activities and manage interactions with the Client. The Grants Management Project Director will be responsible for process management, process improvement, and quality assurance by analyzing the effectiveness of existing practices and ensuring the quality, effectiveness, efficiency in meeting the Client's needs. This position is responsible leading the team, capacity building, and collaboration among Client and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Project Standup

• Create metrics and progress reports detailing the status, outputs, progress associated with the OGM project standup
  • Implement project management and project oversight, ensuring activities are managed in an effectively through control policies and procedures, that follow GAAP, and standard industry practices for project administration, execution and tracking of deliverables and work-related activities
  • Process Management to ensure deliverables meet the needs and expectations of the clients

Supervisory Leadership

• Ensure staff understand their duties and are aware of performance expectations and deadlines
• Monitor staff productivity and work quality; provide regular on-going and constructive feedback, and supportive coaching; build capacity where needed
• Lead, motivate, and inspire staff, support staff development activities
• Participate in the staff hiring, training and performance evaluation processes
• Perform other reasonable tasks as assigned.

• Ensure staff understand their roles and responsibilities and provide supervision to ensure adequate high quality grants management services
• Provide regular on-going and constructive feedback, coaching; ensure appropriate professional development and training for staff
• Lead performance management activities to include evaluations and the creation of improvement plans when needed
• Perform other reasonable tasks as assigned by management in support of the MSG's goals and objectives.

Qualifications

• Experience and knowledge in the administration of federal discretionary grants management experience desired; preferably Office of Head Start grants management experience
• Bachelor's degree Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, or Accounting from an accredited university or college, with a strong preference for a Master's degree in one of these areas.
• 8 years' experience managing projects with experience in change management, process management, and stakeholder management
• 5 years' experience supervising direct reports
• Project Management Professional or Grants Management Certification a plus
• Demonstrated ability/experience in successfully managing government contracts and projects

• Demonstrated ability to review, synthesize, aggregate and present data reliably and accurately with the ability to identify trends and risks
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively when speaking and in writing,
• Experience in computer software applications including Microsoft Office Suite (including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Head Start Enterprise System, Payment Management System, and Grants Solutions, preferred
• Experience and capacity to work effectively in web-based systems, databases and tracking systems
• Experience effectively managing multiple priorities and negotiating necessary changes with stakeholders
• Ability to travel as needed to support project; estimated at 30% specifically during start up.

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.