Grants Management Systems Specialist II

Grants Management Systems Specialist II

Location:

Montpelier, VT, US

Schedule:

Full Time, Permanent

The Grant Management Systems Specialist II serves as the Vermont Agency of Education's (AOE) primary operations and support specialist for the electronic Grants Management System (GMS) overseen by the Grants Management Division. This position supports the agency’s mission as a pass‑through entity for federal funds to local education agencies by serving as the first point of contact for grant applicants, subrecipients, and agency staff requiring technical or functional assistance.

This role collaborates closely with agency program staff, fiscal staff, and software vendors to identify, investigate, and resolve issues affecting grant administration operations. It also serves as the agency’s subject‑matter expert on GMS operations and grant administration processes, providing technical assistance, developing training materials, facilitating training sessions, coordinating user communications, and supporting system enhancements and operational improvements. The specialist exercises independent judgment in troubleshooting, diagnosing, and resolving issues at the intersection of system and business processes, and communicates with internal and external users.

• Serve as lead specialist providing first‑level GMS technical and business‑process support to internal and external users.
• Assess, prioritize, and resolve or route incoming requests from the ticketing system to appropriate staff or vendors.
• Maintain detailed support logs and issue histories in compliance with agency change‑management and system‑administration practices.
• Provide clear guidance on system functionality, issue status, escalation timelines, and available resources to foster strong user relationships.
• Develop and deliver training curricula, coaching sessions, and webinars for diverse stakeholders.
• Maintain updated user manuals, SOPs, FAQs, and quick‑reference guides; distribute timely updates regarding system maintenance or grant requirements.
• Participate in annual grant rollovers, system upgrades, implementation projects, and business‑process analysis to improve operational efficiency.
• Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for new grant applications and coordinate technical resolutions with vendors and staff.
• Maintain shared operational manuals by transcribing technical system updates and documenting workflow modifications.

Bachelor’s degree or higher in business management, accounting, public administration, or related field AND at least three (3) years of experience with managing grants, public administration, or related field.

OR five (5) or more years of experience with managing grants, public administration, or related field.

OR one (1) year or more of experience as a Grants Management Specialist I.

• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills to independently diagnose and resolve complex technical and business‑process issues.
• Understanding of grants‑management systems, software support workflows, and modern customer‑service principles.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and timelines simultaneously with minimal supervision.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, with a proven ability to translate complex system logic into clear training materials and user manuals.
• Experience developing diverse learning curricula and facilitating engaging, effective training experiences for statewide audiences.
• Skilled in perspective‑taking and collaborative analysis, leveraging insights from diverse stakeholders to drive consensus and inclusive outcomes.
• Ability to work creatively on a diverse team to meet shared objectives while building strong professional relationships across the education community.
• Sound professional judgment paired with a strict commitment to continuous operational improvement and exceptional customer service.

• 80% state‑paid medical premium and a dental plan at no cost for employees and their families.
• 11 paid holidays and a generous leave plan.
• State‑Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI).
• Two…