Grants And Contracts Specialist

State of Connecticut - Office of Early Childhood; Hartford (CT); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Office of Early Childhood (OEC) in Connecticut seeks two Grants and Contracts Specialists to manage agency procurements and contract administration. The role covers monitoring contract performance, developing RFAs/RFPs, and ensuring compliance with state procurement standards.

Responsibilities include evaluating proposals, providing technical assistance to grantees, and preparing quarterly/annual program reports. The position is full-time, located in Hartford with a hybrid telework option.

Qualifications

• Seven years of grant program management experience.
• Experience with contracts, including drafting and reviewing documents and knowledge of state procurement.
• Strong knowledge of grant preparation and administration.
• Experience with CORE-CT and CTSource is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Performs specialized grants management duties.
• Develops and evaluates RFAs/RFPs per policy.
• Monitors grant funds and ensures compliance with terms.
• Prepares contracts and agreements related to grant activities.
• Analyzes programs and prepares reporting.

Skills

Grant management

Program evaluation

Research methods

Budgeting

Interpersonal skills

Oral and written communication

Computer software

Supervisory ability

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Tools

CORE-CT

CTSource

MS Office Suite

Job description

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Office of Early Childhood (OEC), is accepting applications for two (2) Grants and Contracts Specialist positions, within the Grants and Contracts Unit.�

WHAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO OFFER YOU

• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees

THE ROLE

The Grants and Contracts Specialist role is within the Grants and Contracts Unit.�The Grants and Contracts Unit manages all agency competitive procurements for services and oversees the execution of agreements, including Purchase of Service (POS) contracts, Personal Service Agreements (PSAs), and Memoranda of Understanding/Agreement.

• Facilitating the execution of agreements and providing monitoring and oversight throughout the contract period to ensure effective service delivery and responsible stewardship of state and federal resources
• When needed, the role will also lead the development, publication, and evaluation of competitive Requests for Applications/Proposals (RFAs/RFPs) in accordance with agency policies and state procurement standards. OEC contracts deliver critical services to children and families across the state

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• Monday - Friday
• Full-time (40 hours per week)
• First shift (8:00 AM - 4:30 PM)
• Location: Hartford, CT
• Hybrid position (telework and in office)

ABOUT US

OEC is a unique state agency in CT that helps families with young children achieve better life outcomes. As a relatively new state agency, OEC is mandated in its enabling statutes to be data � driven, human-centered, and results-focused. We touch the lives of over 200,000 young children, parents, and caregivers annually through our integrated focus on early care and education programs and safety supports, our home visiting programs, and other critical early childhood services. By scale of funding,�OEC is one of the largest departments of CT state government, deploying and leveraging approximately half a billion dollars each year in service of vulnerable families and communities. CT is a leader in the coordination of early childhood programs throughout the country. Whereas early childhood programming in most states is fragmented across multiple programs families must navigate, only a handful of states have created agencies dedicated to integrating support families with young children require and only CT has a clear data- driven mandate. New parenthood and early childhood are extremely important moments in a person's life and experiences during this time can have significant and long-lasting impacts. OEC acts on the overwhelming evidence that intervention early in life is the most promising way to break the cycle of poverty.

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT employee, who has worked for the state for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for performing as a specialist in planning, implementation, management and evaluation of a large complex grant program or group of programs in one field where responsibilities are assumed for program development, liaison and coordination with federal, state and community agencies and organizations, program implementation and administration, program monitoring and assessment.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Performs specialized related duties in the area of grants management;
• Performs research to support the application for or the disbursement of grants including needs analysis, literature review and regulations critique to identify problems and determine priorities;
• Develops alternatives;
• Gathers information related to program area;
• Develops goals and objectives, evaluation standards, timetables, other program components and department policy for program area and individual projects;
• Prepares grant proposals;
• Monitors use of grant monies awarded to agency to ensure adherence to all terms and conditions;
• Facilitates direct grant process;
• Provides technical assistance and acts as resource person to grantees;
• Evaluates program proposals and applications for conformance with regulations and state goals;
• Recommends funding; prepares contracts and agreements related to grant activities;
• Monitors and assesses ongoing programs for conformance to reporting requirements, general budget and timetable guidelines and program effectiveness;
• Prepares quarterly and annual reports and statewide annual plan or section of plan related to program local area;
• Attends meetings of appropriate state, local and regional organizations and performs other liaison functions to coordinate efforts in program area;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Considerable knowledge of grant preparation and administration;
• Program evaluation and monitoring functions;
• Knowledge of research methods and techniques;
• Budget preparation and monitoring;
• Considerable interpersonal skills;
• Oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to utilize computer software;
• Supervisory ability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Seven (7) years of experience in planning, implementation and/or management of grant programs on a community, state or federal level.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.

A Master's degree in a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience preparing and administering contracts, including drafting, reviewing, and interpreting contract language and financial documents as well as knowledge of the Attorney General review process.
• Experience with RFP/RFA development and the state procurement process
• Experience working in state systems such as CORE‑CT (e‑procurement and contract modules) and CTSource
• Experience analyzing processes to identify inefficiencies or technical assistance needs and developing tools and training materials to address those needs
• Experience with budgets and fiscal reviews
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite, including Teams, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.�

QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Sharon McIntosh, at [e-mail].

Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updates—such as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling links—please check your Personal Status Board regularly. For added convenience, you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this, log in to your Personal Status Board and select “Update My Contact Information.”

Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).

Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!

Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

This employer may participate in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm work authorization.