Manager, Grants Administration

Position Summary:

Oversees grants management staff.  Directs all components of grants processing, including structure of grants, regulatory compliance, and sharing of grants information with program, finance, communications and technology staff. Ensures quality and timeliness of all aspects of grants processing and management. Trains Federation staff in compliance, internal processes and technology for efficient use of Federation resources. Enhances JCF's long-range planning, strategy implementation and communications efforts with knowledge of grantees, Federation history and pertinent regulations.

Essential Functions of the Position:

• Develops clear and concise grants administration policies and procedures.  Communicates policies to staff, grantees and applicants.  Trains staff on grants procedures and grants management software. Drafts and updates grants management manual.
  • Keeps abreast of best practices regarding grant administration policies and procedures.
  • Works with relevant stakeholders to determine optimum procedures to follow given constraints
  • Utilizes knowledge of GIFTS and FIMS systems in developing procedures
  • Documents procedures as necessary
  • Informs all affected staff about procedures
  • Ensures compliance with procedures
  • Keeps abreast of new features and best practices in our database systems, GIFTS and FIMS
  • Shares knowledge and trains staff in proper use of systems
• Develops and oversees funding applications and reporting systems
  • Keeps abreast of industry best practices regarding applying for and reporting on grants
  • Partners with program team(s) to determine data desired in applications and reporting – utilizes knowledge of data management systems and ultimate reporting goals to advise on formatting of data collection questions
  • Utilizes knowledge of grantmaking procedures and grants management database to create, manage and maintain online application and reporting systems
  • Enhance grant management procedures with processes for ensuring review of applications and reports by appropriate program team members
• Develops and oversees funding applications and reporting systems
  • collecting funding applications and compiling the data
  • Run funding model scenarios
  • Work closely with the program team to determine optimum funding scenarios
  • Work closely with finance team to keep informed of fluctuating amounts available to grant
  • Determine split of available funding over our funding areas
  • Ensure completion of final recommendations and recording those recommendations in grant management database
  • Develop eye pleasing recommendation docket for board review
  • Record board decisions in database
  • Processing recommendations through FIMS system
  • Prepare accounting grant expense entries
  • Ensure timely payment of grants
• Develops and oversees standard terms and conditions for grant award letters, agreements and contracts
  • Keeps abreast of industry best practices regarding grant terms and conditions
  • Consults with program staff regarding desired changes to terms and conditions
  • Works with legal team to adjust terms and conditions as appropriate
  • Oversees production and distribution of grant award letters / reporting schedules
• Implements and maintains grants management software; assures integrity of data
  • Adjusts grants management database to reflect processes and procedures of JCF
  • Builds systems to watch for data entry errors or processing errors
  • Audits data on yearly basis to ensure integrity
  • Oversees entry of historical data
• Provides links between program, finance, information technology and other staff so that all Federation activities are smoothly implemented
• Contributes to foundation publications, including the annual report and Web site
  • Mines and compiles data from various systems (GIFTS / FIMS) to provide needed reports
  • Reports yearly on total grantmaking
  • Helps program staff, committee members and board members understand grant making activities
  • Provides data and reports in most effective method – visually or textually, depending on situation
  • Knowledge of and interaction with audience key to providing most effective reports
• Ensures compliance with IRS regulations and Federation policies for all grants and programs
  • Keeps abreast of IRS regulations, other Federation policies and uses that knowledge in all aspects of responsibility
  • This knowledge is key given the numerous grantmaking arenas of Federation, each one different from the next
• Participates in strategic planning of Federation
  • Uses knowledge of all aspects of JCF grantmaking to advise on strategic planning goals of federation.  Suggests courses of action and adjust systems and processes appropriately
• Creates program and management budgets and periodic financial reports and IRS schedules
• Identifies professional development and training opportunities for staff and self

Education or Experience Equivalent to:

• 5 Year's equivalent experience
• Master's Degree Preferred

Special Qualificiations (Skills, Abilities, License):

• Demonstrated experience in formulating and implementing effective workflow processes, policies and procedures
• Ability to think and act decisively about program and operational issues
• Knowledge of best practices in grant making and experience in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector
• Knowledge of grants management software and information technology skills
• Analytical capabilities with accounting procedures and processes for structuring projects
• Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to manage and motivate a team