Specialist, Grants

Capital Area Food Bank; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

The Capital Area Food Bank seeks a Grants Specialist to manage the financial administration of restricted grants, including setup, reporting, and variance analysis. You will own grant calendars, ensure cost allowability, and coordinate with program teams to maintain accurate records.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Grant Management and Financial Planning, you will work with RPA/AI tools in accounting and support funder inquiries as a point of contact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience, including internships)
• 2-4 years in nonprofit grants management or grants accounting
• Solid understanding of accounting principles and nonprofit grant funding processes
• Excel proficiency and comfort learning new technology/systems
• Experience with ERP or accounting systems (NetSuite, QuickBooks, or similar) preferred; willingness to learn CAFB's systems

Responsibilities

• Review and set up restricted grants in NetSuite based on funder forms
• Prepare and submit grant financial reports and invoices
• Reconcile restricted grants monthly during reporting periods
• Prepare Budget vs. Actuals reports and analyze variances
• Support grant management calendar and documentation
• Assist with grant budgeting, revenue and expense projections
• Maintain grant records and data inputs for dashboards and reports
• Assist with audit responses and funder communications

Skills

Strong analytical mindset

Excellent written and verbal comms

Cross-team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance or related field

Tools

NetSuite

QuickBooks

Job description

Job Details

• Job Location: Washington, DC 20017
• Position Type: Full Time
• Education Level: 4 Year Degree
• Salary Range: $66,700.00 - $85,800.00 Salary
• Job Shift: Day
• Job Category: Accounting

About the Organization

The Capital Area Food Bank works to address hunger today and create brighter futures tomorrow for more than a million people across the region experiencing food insecurity. As the anchor in the area’s hunger relief infrastructure, the food bank provided more than 60 million meals to people in need last year, by supplying food to hundreds of nonprofit organizations as well as directly to the community. Creating long-term solutions to food security requires more than just food: it includes addressing the root causes of food insecurity by partnering with organizations that provide critical services like job training programs, health care, and education. To learn more, visit Food Bank for the Washington, DC, Region | Capital Area Food Bank.

Description

The Capital Area Food Bank works with an umbrella of donors- federal, state and local governments and private funders- to provide funding for the purchase and distribution of healthy food to communities throughout the Washington Metro Area. Reporting to the Senior Director, Grant Management and Financial Planning, the Grants Specialist independently manages the financial administration of an assigned portfolio of restricted grants, including grant setup, monthly reconciliations, financial reporting, and variance analysis. The Specialist exercises judgment on cost allowability and reporting accuracy, owns the organization's grant reporting and deliverables calendar, and serves as a point of contact for routine funder matters. This role requires a solid understanding of nonprofit accounting principles, familiarity with federal grant regulations, strong technology skills, and a passion for supporting our mission. Applicants with interest in gaining experience with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and/or AI tools in accounting are strongly encouraged to apply.

Essential Functions

Grants Management

• Review and set up restricted grants in NetSuite (ERP system) based on the funding source/grant setup form submitted by Development and/or the Programmatic team.
• Prepare and submit grant financial reports and invoices for assigned portfolio, ensuring accuracy and allowability of reported costs.
• Reconcile assigned restricted grants monthly during the reporting periods, as requested or assigned.
• Prepare Financial Performance reports (Budget vs. Actuals) for assigned restricted grants, analyzing variances and identifying compliance or spend-down risks, and recommending corrective actions to program leads.
• Support the Grants Management team during Financial Performance Report review meetings with project and program leads, including scheduling, preparing standard meeting packets, and documenting follow-up items.
• Collaborate with Programmatic team members to ensure the completeness and accuracy of grant accounting records.
• In partnership with the Programmatic and Food Resourcing teams, assist with allocating food purchasing and distribution costs, as needed.
• Assist with maintaining the grant reporting schedule module in NetSuite.
• Support the maintenance of the Level of Effort (LOE) Management System.
• Support the integration of grant budgets into the corporate budget, including preparing grant revenue and expense projections for assigned portfolio and assisting with mapping restricted funding to departmental budgets.

Grant Calendar, Records & Lifecycle Coordination

• Own and maintain the master grant reporting and deliverables calendar, managing the reporting deadline process with program leads and the Grants team to ensure on-time submission of financial and programmatic deliverables.
• Coordinate the logistics of grant kick-off meetings and close-out checklists using standard tools and templates developed by the Grants team.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date grant records and documentation, including:
• Grant agreements
• Internal and external budgets
• Funder communications
• Scopes of work
• LOE files (if applicable)
• Financial reports
• Other relevant documentation
• Provide support for the grant management platform (e.g., Submittable), such as generating reporting exports and assisting with records upkeep, in coordination with the Regional Operations team, which owns platform administration and data entry.
• Assist with maintaining data inputs for grant-related financial dashboards and routine report refreshes

Audit Support

• Assist the Senior Director, Senior Manager, and Controller in responding to internal and external audit requests.

Relationship Management

• Support and maintain positive relationships with grantors and funding agencies, serving as a point of contact for routine grant-related matters.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships within the Grants, Finance, Development and Program teams.

Miscellaneous

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

QualificationsRequirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience, including internships)
• 2-4 years of experience in nonprofit grants management or grants accounting
• Solid understanding of accounting principles and nonprofit grant funding processes
• Ability to interpret and apply grant agreement terms, budgets, and funder requirements to day-to-day accounting and reporting decisions
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and overall comfort learning new technology and systems.
• Exposure to an ERP or accounting system (e.g., NetSuite, QuickBooks, or similar) preferred; willingness and ability to learn CAFB's systems is essential
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and professionally across departments and with external stakeholders
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive financial and personnel information (e.g., employee salaries) with discretion and professionalism

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with federal grant regulations, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), is a plus
• Experience supporting grant management or application platforms (e.g., Submittable) is a plus
• While not required, candidates with strong technology skills and an interest in learning Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and AI technology are strongly encouraged to apply

Other Skills, Abilities

• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to make sound, well-documented decisions independently
• Consistently demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; seeks ways to improve performance and workflows and incorporates feedback to enhance quality
• Builds and maintains effective working relationships across teams and departments
• Strong commitment to the Capital Area Food Bank's mission, vision, and values

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

The physical demands and working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sitting: 80% of the time
• Keyboarding: 80% of the time
• Ability to travel to sites, as needed, throughout the metropolitan area
• As required by the duties and responsibilities of the position

Reporting

Reports to Senior Manager, Grants & Budget

Compensation

• $66,700 to $85,800 annually

Schedule

• Hybrid schedule: In-office on Mondays, with two additional flexible in-office days and two remote workdays per week.
• Office locations in Washington, DC or Lorton, VA.

NOTE

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Learn More

Please access our website at Food Bank for the Washington, DC, Region | Capital Area Food Bank to learn more about Capital Area Food Bank and our employee benefits.