SUMMARY: The Staff Grant Specialist plays a key role in administering CFSC’s grant programs by managing a portfolio of state, private, and federal subrecipients, ensuring compliance with grant requirements, and supporting program development. This position exercises independent judgement and discretion over matters of significance, including evaluating subrecipient performance, conducting financial and compliance risk assessments, recommending actions to mitigate risks, developing compliance procedures, designing stakeholder training content, and making recommendations that impact organizational grant administration practices. The role requires a balance of independent work and collaboration with Senior Grant Specialists and leadership to strengthen grant operations and improve efficiency.

This role provides technical assistance and guidance to subrecipients, ensuring adherence to grant policies, procedures, and reporting requirements. The Staff Grant Specialist monitors project progress, assesses financial accountability, and ensures grant funds are spent in compliance with regulations.

The Staff Grant Specialist reports to the Grants Manager and contributes to the ongoing success of CFSC’s grantmaking efforts.

This position is remote with some travel, applicants must reside in California. See “OTHER REQUIREMENTS” section for more information on travel responsibilities.

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Grant Management & Administration (50%):

• Manages a portfolio of complex grant, contract, and sub-awards including pre-award, submission, and post-award compliance and reporting.
• Assists with new grant program openings, including notices of funding, grant training manuals and resource materials, communications with applicants, setup in grant software portal, review committee, tracking and documentation of processes.
• Conducts pre-award risk assessments and documentation reviews.
• Understand the structure and intent of funding programs and master grant agreements.
• Monitors subrecipient performance and conducts compliance monitoring.
• Monitors and evaluates subrecipient payment requests and performs financial assessment of project progress.
• Analyzes quarterly grantee reports, checking for timely submittals, complete and accurate data, and supporting documentation which demonstrates project performance and allowable expenditures.
• Performs on-site and remote monitoring of project progress, financial records, and grant documentation, including desk reviews.
• Assists with reports of grant accomplishment narratives and data for funding organizations.
• Supports the planning, reporting, and oversight of site visits and desk audits.
• Assists with grant closeouts, checks that final reports and documentation are submitted and that unused grant funds are returned.

Compliance and Reporting (40%):

• Builds a working knowledge of grant regulations, policies, and guidelines to ensure adherence to funder requirements.
• Independently develops and recommends grant compliance policies, monitoring procedures, and corrective action strategies to leadership.
• Maintain Grant Clearinghouse master grant calendars and schedules.
• Keep Grant Clearinghouse file and time management systems up to date.
• Compile invoices, source documents, and files to submit to finance.
• Track pending subrecipient payment requests.
• Prepare quarterly, semi-annual, final and closeout master grant reports, applying discretion in interpreting data, assessing performance risks, and advising management on findings
• Work with Senior Grant Specialists to design and update monitoring protocols for non-compliant subrecipients, incorporating best practices and lessons learned.

Community Outreach, Capacity Building and Training (10%):

• Design and deliver educational resources/activities for fire safe councils, Firewise communities, fire adapted communities and community wildfire mitigation groups, exercising discretion on training needs and content development to enhance program effectiveness.
• Attends training and conferences on federal grants management, wildfire prevention, and other relevant subjects as a representative of CFSC.
• Conducts planning, logistics, development, and facilitation of educational webinars, trainings, and workshops.
• Builds knowledge relating to community outreach, fire safe council development, and fire safe council education.
• Coordinate with the Communications team on communications, outreach and resource development.
• Leads outreach initiatives and makes independent decisions regarding priority areas and targeted stakeholder engagement to support grant program outcomes.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position has no supervisory duties.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required:

• 2-4 years' experience in grant application, grant management, and/or wildfire mitigation project management.
• Associate or bachelor’s degree in management, planning, finance, administration, or another field relevant to the job tasks.
• Strong and effective verbal and written communication skills
• Strong computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite, including SharePoint, One Drive, PowerPoint and Excel, and online grant management software.
• Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with CFSC staff and board of directors, local fire safe councils, grantees, funding agencies, and other organizations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding organization and subgrantee information.
• Ability to comply with policies and procedures of CFSC and grant programs.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills that demonstrate an ability to work productively with a variety of people and groups with varying interests.
• Must be available for out-of-town monitoring visits, meetings and other events, evening, and weekend work on occasion.
• A strong personal connection and commitment to the mission and goals of CFSC.
• Strong understanding of grant management processes.
• Strong work ethic and ability to work independently and meet deadlines.

Preferred:

• Strong project management skills.
• Knowledge of and experience with California’s issues surrounding wildfire.
• Knowledge of non-profits, state, special district and other organizations.
• Successful completion of at least two major courses in federal or state grant certification courses, such as 2 CFR 200 certification.
• Past participation in mitigation measures to reduce the threat of wildfire.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Willingness and ability to travel to conferences, events, trainings, site visits, and meetings, including occasional evening and weekend work and travel; this may be needed up to 3-4 times per quarter depending on the individual's level of experience. Travel to our office in Sacramento, CA several times per year for staff meetings, trainings, and workshops is also likely. Reliable transportation is required to drive to meetings and events, including to remote locations (mileage is reimbursable).

COMPENSATION: Annual salary range is $62,385 – $74,056, depending on experience.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

To apply, please use the following web address http://hrtogo.agilehr.com/CareerPortal/JobDetail.aspx?RequisitionId=79703&SourceId=1300 to complete your job application and upload your cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please describe how your prior work experience meets the responsibilities and qualifications of the position. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

If you experience any technical issues, please email Cassey@hrtogo.com.