Agency Grants Specialist I

State of Maryland; Maryland; On-site; USD 59,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Maryland, Maryland State Department of Education in Baltimore seeks a grants management professional to oversee invoice verification and financial oversight for all grants and contracts within the Office of Early Childhood.

The role coordinates with program managers, specialists, and accounting staff to ensure fiscal integrity, regulatory compliance, timely fund disbursement, and audit-ready records. Strong Excel skills and grant experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• Five years of grant evaluation and monitoring or budget preparation, presentation and execution.
• Possess a Bachelor's degree or higher; substitutions allowed as described.
• Graduate education can substitute for required experience.
• Military budget/financial management service may substitute for experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee grant lifecycle: NOGA routing, tracking, and timely submission.
• Verify NOGA data against grant applications; ensure correct codes.
• Coordinate annual grant cycles for consistency and compliance.
• Respond to inquiries from staff and stakeholders on status and timelines.
• Maintain accurate grant records for audit readiness and policy adherence.
• Manage invoice verification and support timely disbursement.

Skills

Grant evaluation

Budget preparation

Presentation

Monitoring

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate education in accounting or related field

Military service as Budget Officer

Tools

Excel

R*Stars

ADPCS

Job description

Introduction The Maryland State Department of Education is dedicated to supporting a world-class educational system that prepares all students for college and career success in the 21st century. With excellent stewardship from our divisions, we oversee State and federal programs that support the needs of a diverse population – students, teachers, principals, and other educators throughout Maryland.

GRADE

State of Maryland Salary Grade 14

Salary Rrange $59,305 - $84,713 with progression to $93,533

• State Salary Guidelines may apply for current State employees.

LOCATION OF POSITION

Nancy S. Grasmick Education Building

200 W. Baltimore Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

Main Purpose of Job

This position is responsible for managing a collaborative invoice verification process and ensuring comprehensive financial oversight for all grants and contracts within the Office of Early Childhood. This role acts as a primary liaison between program managers, specialists, division directors, and the accounting department to ensure fiscal integrity, regulatory compliance, and the timely disbursement of funds. The position provides ongoing technical assistance, manages high-volume financial correspondence, and facilitates logistical support for grant-related procedures impacting the division.

Grant Lifecycle & Administration

• Manage the full lifecycle of Notice of Grant Awards (NOGA), including routing, tracking, and ensuring timely submission through internal department workflow.
• Verify all NOGA information against grant applications, ensuring correct PCA and Fund codes are utilized in accordance with state budget guidelines.
• Coordinate annual grant cycles and facilitate the application process to ensure consistency and compliance.
• Research and respond to inquiries from MSDE staff, the public, and stakeholders regarding grant status, documentation requirements, and submission timelines.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date records on all grant awards and expenditures to ensure full audit readiness and adherence to agency policy.

Invoice Verification & Financial Tracking

• Execute invoice verification process, working in close conjunction with program managers, specialists, and division directors/executive directors to ensure thorough financial oversight and regulatory compliance.
• Perform multi-faceted validation of incoming financial documentation (invoices, payroll reports, W9s, receipts) for mathematical accuracy, completeness, and adherence to allowable costs.
• Apply strict compliance checks-including the 15% (or $1,000) threshold for budget category variances-to identify when budget amendments are required.
• Validate that food and travel reimbursements align with specific agency standards and prohibit unallowable expenses.

Payment Processing, Oversight & Reporting

• Directly manage the transmission of verified invoices to the accounting department for payment processing, following up regularly to ensure timely disbursement.
• Provide proactive status updates to program staff and grantees regarding payment progress to ensure transparency and operational efficiency.
• Utilize Mainframe and FMIS screens to process payments, monitor grant balances, and track payment history.
• Analyze financial data, including General Ledger reconciliation, to confirm adherence to allowed indirect cost (IDC) amounts and to ensure program budgets are not overspent.
• Prepare accurate statistical data and reports tracking funding and spending, ensuring reliable data for budget projections and agency decision-making.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Five years of experience in grant evaluation and monitoring or budget preparation, presentation and execution.

Notes

• Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and one year of experience in grant evaluation and monitoring or budget preparation, presentation and execution for the required experience.
• Candidates may substitute graduate education from an accredited college or university in accounting, business administration, economics, finance, political science or public administration at a rate of 30 credit hours for the required experience.
• Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in the Budget Officer classifications or Financial Management specialty codes in the Budgeting field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Desired Or Preferred Qualifications

• 1-year Proficient Excel Experience
• Experience with Grant Processing with either State, Federal, and or LocalExperience
• R*Stars, ADPCS

Special Requirements

Applicants are subject to a criminal background investigation in accordance with the federal Family Law Article, Section 5. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 06.01.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs. Person appointed to position in this classification will be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle including a car, five-passenger van, and a 12-passenger van. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland, and their driving records will be subject to investigation.

SELECTION PROCESS

All information concerning your qualifications must be submitted by the closing date. We will not consider information submitted after this date. Successful candidates will be ranked as Best Qualified, Better Qualified, or Qualified and placed on the eligible (employment) list for at least one year. The selected candidate will be subject to a criminal history background check as the final step in the selection process.

Proof of eligibility to work is required in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Any misrepresentation of academic or experience requirements for this position may result in non-selection or termination of employment.

As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity. People with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

We thank our Veterans for their service to our country.