Grants & Compliance Specialist – Federal Programs

Grants & Compliance Specialist – Federal Programs

The Early Childhood Specialist I provides grant management support and delivers customer service for Head Start, Early Head Start, and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant recipients. The Early Childhood Specialist I is a subject matter expert that leads a team supporting regional and national initiatives, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant execution of grant management activities. As lead expert for their assigned region, this position coordinates daily activities to ensure grant recipients comply with grant agreement terms and federal regulations and oversees continuous improvement in grant recipients’ operations and processes in alignment with federal policy, practice, and programs.

• Oversee review of grant applications, budget modifications, supplemental applications (including change in scope and facilities requests), waiver requests, and post-award requirements.
• Ensure grant-related analysis and documentation is accurately recorded in federal data management systems.
• Execute grant awards and related administrative actions.
• Aggregate, analyze, and present data gathered from multiple sources.
• Monitor and identify performance or compliance concerns and support development of risk mitigation strategies that inform customer service.
• Lead and guide a team that provides accurate guidance and customer service support aligned to support grant recipients’ compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards and grant requirements.
• Develop, refine, and implement standard operating procedures, guidance documents, training materials, and webinars.
• Support grant recipients in developing and implementing targeted improvement strategies.
• Monitor grant recipients’ progress in improving performance, compliance, and accountability of staffed programs.
• Apply a continuous quality improvement (CQI) approach to ensure oversight mechanisms evolve to support grant recipients and promote positive outcomes for children and families.
• Produce high-quality written products such as memoranda, presentations, and correspondence.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, human services, public administration, or related field, from an accredited university or college.

Experience:

• 5 years of progressive professional experience directly related to early childhood programs, with a preference for Head Start/Early Head Start programs, including experience with federal discretionary grants management, non-profit or for-profit program and/or financial management, and regulatory compliance monitoring and oversight.
• 2 years of supervisory experience.

Skills:

• Experience using federal information systems including HSES, AMS, and Grant Solutions.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating a larger team.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Ability to write clearly and concisely with attention to detail and target audience focus.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.

Language: English fluency (oral and written).

Software Proficiency: Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Power BI), Smartsheet.

• Experience or training in federal interest, fiscal reporting, in-kind contributions, cost allocation, budgeting, and/or internal controls for Head Start programs.
• Experience in designing, purchasing, constructing, renovating, and/or maintaining facilities that operate Head Start programs.
• Experience in addressing sensitive subject matter such as child abuse and neglect.
• Experience in budget analysis.
• Relevant experience in federal monitoring of early childhood programs, fiscal management of early childhood programs, facilities and/or early childhood learning environments, child health and safety, and Head Start program options, the Full Enrollment Initiative (FEI) and changes in scope (CiS).

This position description should not be construed to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position, nor will it be the sole basis for any subsequent employee evaluations. Incumbents will follow any other instructions and perform any other related duties as may be…