Grants Compliance Audit Lead

Federal Management Systems, Inc; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Federal Management Systems, Inc. is seeking a Grants Compliance Audit Lead to plan, conduct, and lead recipient desk reviews and audits for a major federal grants program.

You will oversee staff, review financial records, and ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200 and program-specific rules, presenting findings to senior agency officials. The role requires strong analytical skills, experience communicating with executives, and the ability to manage multiple audits simultaneously while guiding a team

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Degree in Accounting, Finance, Public Policy, or related field.
• Federal grants compliance experience, including leading recipient reviews or audits.
• Knowledge of the full federal grants lifecycle and 2 CFR 200 requirements.
• Experience with eligibility analysis, subrecipients, and cost allowability.
• Strong auditing, financial regulation, and accounting knowledge.
• Experience evaluating internal controls to prevent fraud and improper payments.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute desk reviews of federal grant recipients.
• Lead desk review/audit engagements and interface with recipient personnel and senior officials.
• Audit financial statements, records, and supporting documents.
• Interpret 2 CFR 200 and program requirements for compliance and allowability.
• Draft formal reports and memoranda detailing findings objectively.
• Prepare audit reports outlining findings, risks, and recommendations.
• Review team work products to ensure quality and provide guidance.
• Collaborate with engagement manager to improve operational excellence.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Project management

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or related field

Professional Accounting or Audit Certification

Tools

Excel

Power BI

SQL

Tableau

Job description

The Grants Compliance Audit Lead will be responsible for planning, conducting, and leading recipient desk reviews and/or audits for a multi-billion dollar federal grants program. This position will also be responsible for reviewing and overseeing the work of several compliance specialists and testers. This role will entail examining financial records, assessing allowable costs, and ensuring compliance with 2 CFR 200 and program-specific rules and regulations. This role requires experience communicating with senior leaders, engaging directly with program recipients, experience planning and executing audits and/or desk reviews, strong analytical skills, experience overseeing the work of others, and the ability to communicate findings professionally and effectively.

The Grants Compliance Audit Lead will also work closely with senior subject-matter experts and executives at Federal Management Systems, Inc. (FMS) to help advise on matters related to FMS' grants management practice as a whole and on client success initiatives.

About FMS

For over three decades, Federal Management Systems, Inc. (FMS) has provided high quality, mission focused grants management, accounting, financial management, information technology, and security solutions to clients that include federal and state agencies, local municipalities, and private entities. We serve as a trusted partner for many large-cabinet level agencies to assist them in responsible stewardship of well over $500 billion in federal assets and investments. FMS' success is driven by its people, and we pride ourself in being a collaborative organization where professionals can grow their skills through meaningful and challenging hands‑on experience working alongside other driven and experienced colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Planning and executing desk reviews of federal grant recipients
• Serving as lead reviewer for desk review and/or audit engagement with direct responsibility for interfacing with recipient personnel and presenting findings to senior agency officials
• Conduct reviews and/or audits of financial statements, accounting records, supporting financial and transaction documents and operational processes
• Reviewing and interpreting 2 CFR 200 and program-specific requirements to assess compliance with program requirements and cost allowability
• Drafting formal reports, memoranda and other documentation for agency review, detailing desk review and/or audit findings in a professional and objective manner
• Prepare audit reports detailing findings, risks, and recommendations
• Drafting formal reports, memoranda and other documentation for agency review, detailing desk review and/or audit findings in a professional and objective manner
• Review the work product of other team members, including compliance specialists and testers to ensure quality of work product and provide guidance on strengthening analysis and documentation
• Review and analyze review processes to identify and propose efficiencies
• Collaborate with engagement manager to continuously improve operational excellence for the FMS team

Minimum Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship required
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Public Policy, or a related field
• Federal grants compliance experience, including leading recipient reviews or audits.
• Knowledge of full federal grants lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of 2 CFR 200 grants requirements, including work analyzing eligibility, subrecipient, and allowable costs
• Strong knowledge of auditing standards, financial regulations, and accounting principles
• Internal controls expertise, including evaluation of whether internal controls are adequate to prevent fraud, waste, abuse, and improper payments
• Ability to interpret financial records, payment documentation, reconciliations, and expenditure reports
• Excellent document review and analytical skills to assess policies, procedures, transaction files, supporting documentation, and recipient responses.
• Ability to distinguish between technical findings, significant deficiencies, and best practice recommendations
• Proficiency using Microsoft Excel
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience providing written and verbal presentations, summaries, and memoranda to senior officials and/or executives
• High attention to detail and ethical standards
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines

Preferred Skills

• Professional Accounting or Audit Certification (e.g, CPA, CFE, CIA, ACCA)
• Experience using Power BI, SQL, Tableau, or similar tools to analyze expenditures, identify trends, and select samples improves review quality.

Location

• Washington, DC, metro‑area preferred, but will consider fully remote candidates located within the United States.