ICF seeks an experienced Grants Specialist to provide ongoing, prompt and accurate fiscal assistance to Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) grantees and will support Federal staff with high quality grants management services. This includes preparing and tracking grants through review and funding processes, monitoring receipt and accuracy of grant documents, monitoring, evaluating and resolving grant issues, and preparing grant closeouts. The Grants Specialist will be a critical thinker with outstanding attention to details and an eye towards process improvement.

This position is home-based supporting the Region V Office in Chicago, IL.

Key Responsibilities:

• Review and take action on applications so that they may be funded 30 days prior to a grantee’s refunding date. Prepare continuation Financial Assistance Awards (FAAs) with cover letters for mailing out 30 days prior to a grantee’s refunding date.
• Prepare and track grants through review and funding process. Deliverables include completed grant review checklist, timely contact with grantees to resolve issues, negotiation sheets and FAAs prepared in Grants Solutions software, briefing meetings with program staff and with management, leading to the awarding of annual continuation grant awards, program improvement grant awards, cost-of-living grant awards, and one-time funding awards to grantees.
• Monitor timeliness, receipt and accuracy of grant applications, financial reporting documents and financial draw downs.
• Correspond with grantee staff on a regular basis.
• Monitor ongoing fiscal performance of grantees, evaluation of required fiscal reports, wage comparability study; resolution of audit findings and recommendations; and resolution of community/individual complaints.
• Prepare grant closeouts. Deliverables include completed closeout checklist, assurance that reports and audits have been reviewed for completeness and correctness, a closeout letter that is sent to the grantee, and a closeout award processed in the Grants Solutions software system.

Basic Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university or college, with a preference for a degree in Accounting, Business Management, or a related field.
• 2+ years of progressive professional experience
• 2+ years’ experience related to federal discretionary grants management non-profit or for-profit financial management, and regulatory compliance monitoring and oversight.
• 1+ years’ experience aggregating, analyzing, charting, graphing and reporting on and presenting data gathered from multiple sources.
• 1+ years knowledge and experience with the administration of discretionary grants is required; with a preference for Head Start/Early Head Start Programs.
• 1+ years’ experience with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred Skills/Experience:

• Experience with Grant Solutions.
• Background and training in accounting and/or financial management, including audit resolution activities.

Professional Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Strong team player, with the ability to collaborate and work closely with Regional Office staff and other partners.
• Ability to work with all levels of internal staff, as well as outside clients.
• Superior attention to detail and the ability to meet stringent deadlines.
• Ability to be flexible, multi-task, prioritize, and manage multiple activities simultaneously in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills including courtesy, professionalism, and a cooperative attitude.
• Ability to build productive business relationships.
• Excellent time management and communication skills.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, discretion, tact, and diplomacy.