Job Description

The City of Raleigh’s Budget and Management Services Department is seeking a skilled and experienced Grants Program Manager. This position will report directly to the Budget Director. An ideal Grants Program Manager will share a passion for local government, prioritize problem solving and collaboration, and thrive in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment. The successful candidate should also have a team-oriented approach, extremely strong analytical and writing skills, a proven record of excellent customer service, and a desire to innovate.
The position is high-visibility and produces work products and recommendations that guide the Budget Director and City Manager’s Office on policy, compliance, and monitoring for the City of Raleigh’s grants program. The City’s grants program provides grant funding to not-for-profit agencies through three programs: Arts, Human Services, and Community Enhancement. The Grants Program Manager’s work involves working closely with the Budget Director, the Finance Department’s Grants Fiscal Manager, Budget and Management Services analysts, and Citywide grants staff in developing a holistic citywide grants strategy that applies to grants the City receives (grantee) and awards (grantor). This will involve revamping the City’s current grants program to ensure consistency and a clear definition of roles and responsibilities for oversight of city grants to community agencies. This process will involve developing and administering the application and funding processes for community organizations applying for funding from the City’s grants program. The Grants Program Manager will review current grant capacity concerns to ensure that organizations receiving City grant support do so in a strategic and credible manner. Finally, this position will also oversee the City’s grant’s management process and maintain a grants monitoring system to ensure grant compliance and reporting requirements established through federal, state and local regulations.
The Grants Program Manager will have considerable contact with other departments, requiring the exercise of initiative, judgment and tact, and will require training department personnel on the policies, procedures, and grants program processes. The Grants Program Manager will be responsible for monitoring, evaluating, analyzing, and tracking compliance with City policy and procedures for the award and administration of the City’s specialized intergovernmental grants programs. This position requires considerable independent professional judgment and initiative in resolving problems based on a comprehensive knowledge of Citywide policies and various intergovernmental grant program regulations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Establish City of Raleigh policies and procedures collaboratively for grants to include:
  • Assisting in the development of procedures to improve existing programs, services and reports.
  • Ensuring improved conveyance of information, leading to increased compliance.
  • Developing queries, reports and other tracking tools to improve quality of grant management.
  • Serving as functional project lead for implementation of new information systems to improve Citywide grants management.
• Develop and implement targeted grants administration training and program communication tools.
• Publish reference guides, handbooks, and grants newsletter to keep City personnel informed of processes, procedures, and opportunities.
• Coordinate and collaborate with Budget Office and Finance staff to integrate City grants into the Budget Office and Finance Department’s policies, plans, practices and procedures.
• Ensure grants are integrated in the following publications and communication tools: 1) Annual Budget, 2) Adopted Capital Improvement Program, 4) Council Budget Notes, 6) City of Raleigh website and CORECON, 7) Executive Work Budget, 8) City of Raleigh Annual Grant Report, and various publications.
• Lead the City’s Grants Committee to review and approve grant applications.
• Identify grant opportunities for the City and provide grant writing assistance.
• Coordinate response to any areas of risk for audit findings.
• Build professional network internally and externally with agencies and organizations that award grants or provide professional development opportunities (e.g., National Grants Management Association).
• Oversee special projects as required.

Typical Qualifications

Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business or public administration, six years of professional finance, budget analysis or accounting experience which includes experience with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and/or public sector accounting and budgeting and two years of supervisory experience.
OR
An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above, unless otherwise subject to any other requirements set forth in law or regulation.
Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with pandemic-related funding sources available to support local recovery and growth, including the American Rescue Plan Act funds, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, FEMA, and other related funding sources.
• Previous supervisory experience.

Additional Information

Knowledge of:

• Supervisory principles, practices and techniques.
• Practices and methods of coaching and leading the work of others.
• Techniques and methods for organizing, prioritizing, assigning and monitoring work.
• Principles and practices of general accounting and financial management.
• Business methods, principles and practices.
• Project management principles and practices.
• Principles and practices of program administration, coordination and management.
• Best practices, trends and emerging technologies.
• Principles and methods of qualitative and quantitative research.
• Principles and applications of critical thinking and analysis.
• Principles and practices of budget development and administration.
• Principles and practices of procurement.
• Principles and practices of group facilitation and building consensus.
• Principles and practices of conflict resolution
• Applicable federal, state and local laws, codes, regulations (based on assignment).
• Customer service principles.
• Specialized equipment relevant to area of assignment.
• Modern office technology.

• Supervising and evaluating staff performance.
• Training and coaching staff.
• Overseeing the implementation and adherence to quality assurance and standards.
• Providing project/program management, organization and logistics coordination.
• Interpreting, monitoring and reporting financial information and statistics.
• Managing budgets and allocating resources to achieve strategic objectives.
• Providing consultation and serving as a department liaison.
• Monitoring compliance with applicable plans, standards, regulations and contracts.
• Facilitating group discussions and building consensus using persuasive reasoning.
• Identifying fiscal-related program deficiencies and implementing solutions.
• Researching industry trends, solutions and best practices.
• Reading, analyzing, evaluating, interpreting and summarizing written materials and statistical data.
• Exercising political acumen, tact and diplomacy.
• Managing and overseeing fiscal projects, processes and functional operations.
• Interpreting and applying applicable laws, codes, regulations and standards (based on assignment).
• Providing customer service.
• Utilizing a computer and relevant software applications.
• Utilizing communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisors, the general public and others to sufficiently exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.