Grant Writer & Grant Compliance Administrator

NJ TRANSIT; Newark (NJ); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Flexible Spending Account

Life Insurance

Paid Leave

Tuition Assistance

Commuter Benefits

Retirement Plans

Job summary

NJ TRANSIT is seeking a grant administrator to draft high‑quality competitive grant applications for federal and state funding and ensure compliance with all requirements. The role supports the agency’s Capital Program and performs grant administration tasks.

The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration and has at least three years of grant management and technical writing experience, with strong Word/Excel skills and excellent communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration with three years grant administration/management or equivalent experience.
• Experience in technical/business writing.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; strong Word/Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal and external partners to develop proposal strategies and gather relevant information for grant application narrative and supporting materials.
• Incorporate understanding of current agency services, assets and needs into compelling business case, capturing both the quantifiable and non-quantifiable characteristics of a proposed project.
• Review federal and state required documentation/reports and provide technical assistance and guidance to ensure completeness and compliance with federal requirements. Coordinate and draft correspondence and reports required by funding agencies.
• Monitor federal and state websites for new or revised rules and regulations, draft compliance guidance and notify appropriate NJ TRANSIT personnel as needed.
• Assist with state and federal procedural audits and aid in conducting reviews of policies and procedures, recommend corrective action as appropriate, and provide compliance guidance to NJ TRANSIT personnel to ensure that procedures and documentation align with federal and state requirements.
• Assist in post‑award grant administration, obligation, and reconciliation.
• Aid in establishing and revising funding in NJ TRANSIT in applicable funding databases. Assist with entering quarterly reports into federal and state databases and perform other grant‑related functions.
• Assist with the annual transfer or “flexing” of federal funding. Coordinate with senior‑level NJ Department of Transportation staff to develop obligation strategy to flex funds to state and federal funding agencies.
• Assist with the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) amendment process and Year End Obligation Report.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by management.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Research

Technical writing

Business writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or Public Administration

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Move forward with us! At NJ TRANSIT, you'll join us in transforming the third‑largest transportation agency in North America. We are committed to delivering safe, reliable service that gets customers to their destinations on time–and we’re looking to hire talented folks with a love of learning to make it all possible.

Summary

Candidate will be responsible for drafting high‑quality, comprehensive competitive grant applications for submission to federal and state funding agencies and ensuring that statutory and administrative requirements are met prior to application submission. The position includes assembling information on project scope, objectives, outcomes, deliverables, implementation, methods, timetable, staffing, budget, standards of performance, and evaluation. Additionally, the candidate will support NJ TRANSIT executives on aspects of the agency’s Capital Program as well as grant administration.

Roles & Responsibility

• Collaborate with internal and external partners to develop proposal strategies and gather relevant information for grant application narrative and supporting materials.
• Incorporate understanding of current agency services, assets and needs into compelling business case, capturing both the quantifiable and non-quantifiable characteristics of a proposed project.
• Review federal and state required documentation/reports and provide technical assistance and guidance to ensure completeness and compliance with federal requirements. Coordinate and draft correspondence and reports required by funding agencies.
• Monitor federal and state websites for new or revised rules and regulations, draft compliance guidance and notify appropriate NJ TRANSIT personnel as needed.
• Assist with state and federal procedural audits and aid in conducting reviews of policies and procedures, recommend corrective action as appropriate, and provide compliance guidance to NJ TRANSIT personnel to ensure that procedures and documentation align with federal and state requirements.
• Assist in post‑award grant administration, obligation, and reconciliation.
• Aid in establishing and revising funding in NJ TRANSIT in applicable funding databases. Assist with entering quarterly reports into federal and state databases and perform other grant‑related functions.
• Assist with the annual transfer or “flexing” of federal funding. Coordinate with senior‑level NJ Department of Transportation staff to develop obligation strategy to flex funds to state and federal funding agencies.
• Assist with the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) amendment process and Year End Obligation Report.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by management.

Education, Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration and three (3) years of grant administration/management, technical/business writing experience, or any combination of the above. One year of closely related experience can be substituted for each year of education required.

Knowledge & Skills

• Knowledge of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state rules and regulations is desired. Familiarity with grant application development is preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, superior research capabilities, and strong proficiency in Word/Excel are required.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Family Health Insurance – Medical, Prescription, Dental, Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Life Insurance
• Paid Leave
• Tuition Assistance
• Pre‑Tax Commuter Benefits Plan
• Retirement Plans
  • 401(a) – Retirement plan with a 6% employer contribution
  • 401(k) – Retirement saving plan with up to a 3% company match
  • 457(b) – Deferred Savings Plan

Equal Opportunity Employer

NJ TRANSIT is an Equal Opportunity Employer.