Grant Manager

Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, the Grant Manager will contribute to achieving high quality programming by ensuring effective grants management to include compliance requirements, reporting, and internal and external communication. Responsible for informing program and support teams of relevant donor compliance regulations and Native Forward Scholars Fund procedures, manages donor and other external reporting, and remains current on all grant revisions. Supports donor relations by ensuring effective channels of internal and external communications relating to grants are established and respected.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Adherence to Native Forward Scholars Fund policies, guidance, and procedures;
• Support overview and maintenance of all grants, donor requirements, rules and regulations, and internal and external deadlines;
• Support the development of donor reports, as well as ensuring donor compliance and quality control;
• Contribute to the development and revision of funding proposals, budgets, and donor reports;
• Be updated on donor priorities and track and share relevant calls for proposals;
• Contribute to continuously improve internal grant management systems;
• Provide an internal help-desk on donor related issues, including donor rules and regulations;
• Coordinate the development and distribution of internal reports;
• Build positive working relationships with the Development Team to support the development of high-quality proposals;
• Work closely with the Development Team and Finance as well as other stakeholders to ensure accurate and timely reports and maintain compliance;
• Review donor contracts, flag any points that might challenge Native Forward Scholars Fund procedures, and support contract negotiations;
• Work with finance team to support them in development of internal budgeting and communication with the Development Team on allocated budget;
• Monitor project budgets, track expenditures, review allowable costs, and process financial reporting alongside the accounting department;
• Organize key reporting and compliance requirements (compliance checklist) including potential issues;
• Coordinate with the development team and finance to ensure budgets are correctly allocated and aligned;
• Coordinate and review donor reports ensuring consistency between narrative and financial reports and that they meet quality standards;
• Highlight critical financial issues such as under/overspends to Finance and the Development teams;
• Provide technical support to Development and Finance teams regarding monitoring issues and budget revisions (as required);
• Collaborate with the finance team to ensure donor budget lines as per the contract are in line with the financial system (i.e. amounts have not changed as a result of new income installments at different rates being received);
• Monitor grant payment schedules and income requests for respective portfolio, working closely with finance to ensure this is done in a timely manner;
• Ensure all grant-funded activities and expenditures comply with specific grantor terms, conditions, and applicable government statutes;
• Be familiar with all Native Forward Scholars Fund organizational and donor portfolio compliance requirements and ensure high quality management of grants;
• Support and advise Native Forward Scholars Fund Managers with queries related to donor compliance on grants within portfolio;
• Work with other departments (i.e. Student Programming, Finance, Scholarship Operations) to ensure all documentation required is ready and available for audits
• Coordinate close out of grants in respective portfolio;
• Assist in training and capacity building related to grants management/donor compliance as required;
• Ensure all documentation required to be kept by donors is available by maintaining high standard information management/filing systems;
• Monitor project budgets, track expenditures, review allowable costs, and process financial reporting alongside the Finance department;
• Manage the timely submission of required interim and final narrative and financial reports to development department;
• Evaluate subrecipients or subcontractors for risk of noncompliance and implement monitoring procedures accordingly;
• Inform program directors and internal staff on grant policies, time-and-effort reporting, and procurement regulation;
• Maintain meticulous records and supporting documentation to prepare for internal and external grant audits;
• Maintains strict student confidentiality and compliance with the Family Education Right to Privacy
• Embodies Native Forward Scholars Fund Core Values and promotes the Native Forward organization in a positive and professional manner.
• Contributes to team effort and accomplished related results.
• Perform other duties as required. 

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree required, plus four (4) years experience in grant compliance and/or administration, reporting, and donor relations.

Valid Driver’s License required. Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment drug/alcohol screen and background investigation.

Knowledge, Abilities, Skills and Certifications:

• Knowledge of American Indian History, culture and tribes
• Knowledge of modern office practices, procedures and equipment
• Knowledge of business English, proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, and basic arithmetic
• Ability to communicate effectively in the English language, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with individuals of varying social and cultural backgrounds and with coworkers at all levels.
• Ability to make solid decisions and exercise independent judgement
• Ability to analyze situations and adopt appropriate courses of action 
• Proficiency with office technology and information systems
• Skills in operating business computers and office machines, including various software applications, specifically Word, Excel, Access, presentation software (such as PowerPoint).

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly is required to sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk. The employee, occasionally, is required to stand, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must, occasionally, lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Work Environment:

Work is generally performed in an office setting, with a moderate noise level. Extended hours and irregular shifts may be required. Tight time constraints and multiple demands are common. Travel will be required for training, meetings, conferences, presentations, and other events.