Program Coordinator II - Municipal Aid and Partnerships Specialist

Program Coordinator II – Municipal Aid and Partnerships Specialist (250008BW)

Position Summary

The Municipal Aid & Partnerships Specialist works for the Chief of Municipal Aid & Partnerships to perform contract and financial management for transportation project earmarks and community grants administered by the Highway Division, as well as administration related to the Division’s involvement in state, regional, and national affiliations. This individual will interface with various municipal partners and elected officials to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and compliance throughout the contract lifecycle.

The Assistant will also collaborate with staff across different MassDOT departments and divisions to accomplish their duties. Using knowledge obtained in their role, the Specialist will develop reports and recommendations for improvement of operations within the Municipal Aid & Partnerships team.

The Municipal Aid & Partnerships Specialist is skilled in organizing large datasets, has strong attention to detail, and is committed to building partnerships with the municipalities the Highway Division serves.

• Interface with municipal partners and internal/external stakeholders regarding the contracting and payment process of transportation earmark projects or community grant agreements.
• Provide excellent service by answering questions and providing information efficiently.
• Assist with contract creation and administration, including:
  • Compile necessary documents for new award agreements from both internal and external partners.
  • Distribute contract documentation for review and signature by all required parties.
  • Ensure all parties receive a copy of an executed contract.
  • Ensure executed contracts and associated information are stored accurately on Grant Central and/or SharePoint.
• Conduct administration throughout the lifecycle of a contract, including:
  • Maintain record of upcoming contract expirations and perform internal or external outreach to determine whether a contract extension is needed.
  • Monitor project progress, including spending, to inform whether changes to the contract are needed.
  • Lead the contract amendment process as it pertains to time extensions or changes in scope or budget for earmark and grant agreements, including initiating contact with local officials and following up after amendments are executed to ensure municipalities are knowledgeable about next steps.
  • Close-out projects and gather post‑construction data when applicable.
• Manage financial aspects of contractual agreements, such as:
  • Set up or edit funding encumbrances.
  • Review reimbursement requests or invoices for completeness and accuracy before processing.
  • Obtain any required backup documentation and approvals.
  • Ensure that funds were spent in compliance with the scope of work approved in the funding agreement.
• Process payments, including circulating for approval.
• Coordinate with Fiscal Operations and Capital Budget as needed to accomplish these tasks.
• Conduct activities in Adobe e‑sign, MMARS/Mosaic, and Project Info as needed to accomplish the above tasks.
• Work closely with the Community Grants Group to ensure that agreed upon milestones are being met as they pertain to external communications, grant agreement creation, contract administration, and payment processing.
• Monitor and report on the rate at which different project types spend down their funds by tracking payments to inform on grant program or earmark health as well as potential improvements to program operation.
• Track cash flow trends for Highway Division Grant Programs and report on findings.
• Recommend to the Chief of Municipal Aid & Partnerships opportunities to improve funding agreements or aspects of the agreement’s lifecycle.
• Update and create webpages on mass.gov in collaboration with MassDOT’s digital services for transportation earmark information.
• Assist with ongoing development and implementation of a record‑keeping system and dashboard to track the Highway Division’s involvement in various state, regional, and national committees or associations to ensure equitable, transparent, and meaningful participation.
• Develop narrative and financial reports to…