What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Grants Specialist position at School District U-46?
Position / Title: Senior Grant Specialist
Bargaining Unit: NON-UNION
Department/Location: Financial Services
Calendar Days: 260
Reports To: Director of Grants
JD Revision Date: 12/1/2023 Draft C
Supervises: N/A
Function / Position Summary
Perform a range of duties required to coordinate the management and execution of the District’s more comprehensive grants such as but not limited to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) grants and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The coordination efforts should be in line with promoting U-46 learning goals, ensuring equity, and complying with federal and state regulations. This work involves collaborating with the assigned Grant Manager, administrators at participating schools, Director of Grants and other stakeholders, as appropriate, in order to prepare and submit grant applications, monitor and track all activities associated with the grant including budgets and timelines; and submit required programmatic reports in a timely fashion.
Job Duties / Responsibilities
Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance or equivalent knowledge through a combination of education and public-sector work experience preferred.
Experience / Knowledge
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment, with the ability to lift up to 20 lbs. with proper technique.
Terms of Employment
This is a 12-month position. Salary and benefits as established by the Board of Education.
Evaluation
Performance will be evaluated in accordance with Board policy.
Salary Range
The full salary range for this position is $60,243.00 and $90,353.00. It is our typical practice to hire between the minimum and the midpoint ($75,298.00)
Bargaining Unit: NON-UNION
Department/Location: Financial Services
Calendar Days: 260
Reports To: Director of Grants
JD Revision Date: 12/1/2023 Draft C
Supervises: N/A
Function / Position Summary
Perform a range of duties required to coordinate the management and execution of the District’s more comprehensive grants such as but not limited to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) grants and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The coordination efforts should be in line with promoting U-46 learning goals, ensuring equity, and complying with federal and state regulations. This work involves collaborating with the assigned Grant Manager, administrators at participating schools, Director of Grants and other stakeholders, as appropriate, in order to prepare and submit grant applications, monitor and track all activities associated with the grant including budgets and timelines; and submit required programmatic reports in a timely fashion.
Job Duties / Responsibilities
- Pre-application
- Keep abreast of changes in state and federal grant requirements.
- Review grant policies and procedures at least annually with all relevant school and district administrators.
- Provide orientation and on-going technical assistance to the schools/departments who are grant beneficiaries
- Gather statistical information required for grant applications, including student service data and staffing data.
- Consult with eligible nonpublic schools as required by the terms of the grants.
- Write and submit the assigned grant’s portion of the Consolidated District Plan.
- Application
- Draft grant budgets in consultation with school principals and district administrators. Schedule and lead budget meetings. Ensure budget items are compliant with terms of the grants. Share draft applications with the instructional cabinet.
- Complete and submit grant applications and amendments in ISBE Web Application Security System (IWAS).
- Implementation
- Review and approve job requisitions for grant-funded positions to ensure compatibility with budget.
- Maintain an accurate list of associates who are being funded by the assigned grant.
- Provide direction to Grant Specialists (if assigned) regarding grant activities such as supply ordering, budget reconciliation, and grant appropriate/approved expenditures.
- Develop subrecipient contracts and ensure accuracy.
- Monitoring
- Review spending trends as expressed in monthly expenditure reports to ensure grant is being used efficiently and in compliance with state and federal regulations, including nonpublic share requirements and are approved by ISBE.
- Continuously consult with school/district staff and other stakeholders to ensure assigned spending is occurring.
- Amend the budget as needed.
- Communicate with Grant Accounting Specialist to obtain needed reports and complete necessary grant functions (journal entries, account string budgets, etc.)
- Organize and manage required documents for grant auditing.
- Reporting
- Complete ISBE required grant programmatic reports associated with assigned grant(s).
- Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual expenditure reports for ISBE associated with the assigned grant.
- Provide monthly updates on expenditures versus budget to various stakeholder groups to include but not limited to Grant Director, Building Principals, and other Administrators.
- Other duties
- Develop written procedures and guidelines for grant administration; update at least annually.
- Maintain confidentiality of staff and student information.
- Perform special projects and other duties as assigned that are allowable per grant funding.
Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance or equivalent knowledge through a combination of education and public-sector work experience preferred.
Experience / Knowledge
- Minimum of four years accounting experience with specific duties managing state and federal grants preferred.
- Knowledge of applicable laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures preferred.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite with high degree of knowledge in Excel.
- Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
- Strong analytical skills, ability to analyze data and reach conclusions.
- Ability to set goals, establish priorities, multi-task and maintain organization.
- Excellent problem-solving aptitude.
- Strong attention to detail and timelines.
- Self-starter with the ability to work independently on multiple projects and to meet strict deadlines.
- Display responsible and professional leadership.
- Excellent recordkeeping and organizational skills.
- Ability to provide a high level of customer service.
- Outstanding professional ethics.
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment, with the ability to lift up to 20 lbs. with proper technique.
Terms of Employment
This is a 12-month position. Salary and benefits as established by the Board of Education.
Evaluation
Performance will be evaluated in accordance with Board policy.
Salary Range
The full salary range for this position is $60,243.00 and $90,353.00. It is our typical practice to hire between the minimum and the midpoint ($75,298.00)
Salary : $60,243 - $90,353
