Position Description  

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) seeks a Grants Management Specialist to lead the day-to-day compliance, monitoring, and financial oversight of NACD’s federal grants and subaward portfolio.  This position also provides administrative support for the full lifecycle of pass-through grants, including pre-award solicitation activities and post-award monitoring and closeout. 

The Grant Management Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with 2 CFR 200 and federal grant requirements, supporting subrecipients in meeting performance and financial obligations, and maintaining strong, proactive relationships with NACD members and partners. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, compliance-driven, and service-minded, with the ability to communicate clearly with grantees. 

Responsibilities  

Federal Grant Compliance & Risk Management 

• Help ensure that NACD and subrecipient budgets and activities are in compliance with all applicable federal regulations and requirements, including 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), agency-specific rules, and award terms and conditions 
• Monitor grant performance, budgets, and expenditures to ensure funds are used appropriately and within approved scopes 
• Maintain complete, accurate, and audit-ready grant files 
• Support audits, monitoring reviews, and close-out activities  
• Identify compliance risks early and work proactively with staff and grantees to resolve issues 
• Review financial and programmatic reports for accuracy, completeness, and compliance   
• Serve as a primary internal resource on federal grants compliance, allowable costs, allocability, documentation, and internal controls 

Financial Oversight 

• Review subrecipient budgets for allowability, allocability, realism and reasonableness 
• Help subrecipients forecast cash flow needs and time requests for advances or reimbursements 
• Review subrecipients’ and contractors’ financial reports, invoices, and supporting documentation  
• Monitor subrecipient financial reports and expenditures to ensure alignment with approved budgets and award terms; flag potential compliance or budgetary concerns 
• Coordinate with NACD finance staff to request, process, reconcile, and track payments 
• Assist with budget revisions, amendments, and no-cost extensions as needed 

Pass-Through Grant Administration (Pre-Award) 

• Support the design and administration of pass-through grant awards using competitive procedures and, when justified, non-competitive procedures in accordance with applicable regulations, policies, and other requirements  
• Support the development and administration of grant solicitations and award packages, including scopes of work, performance outcomes and metrics, application guidelines, timelines, and required forms 
• Coordinate application intake, including eligibility screening, applicant risk assessments, and verification that proposal packages comply with the RFP requirements 
• Assist with reviewer coordination and evaluation procedures, including documentation and justification of award decisions 
• Prepare award recommendation materials and draft pass-through grant agreements in accordance with federal and organizational requirements 

Pass-Through Grant Administration (Post-Award) 

• Support orientation and assist subrecipients with understanding grant requirements, such as reporting, compliance, and addressing corrective actions (as needed). 
• Review and assess subrecipient programmatic progress reports, deliverables, and progress toward outcomes 
• Manage grant amendments, extensions, and closeout activities, ensuring all deliverables and reports are received and approved 
• Track subrecipient obligations, expenditures, milestones, amendments, and closeouts 
• Conduct desk reviews/desk audits to verify performance, documentation, and compliance 

Administrative & Program Support 

• Learn and use grants management systems (e.g., Grant Vantage or similar platforms) 
• Maintain accurate and complete grant files and documentation systems 
• Track deadlines and ensure timely submission of all required reports and deliverables 
• Contribute to the development and refinement of internal grant policies, procedures, and tools 
• Provide training and assistance to NACD staff and external partners as needed 

Member & Grantee Support (Service-Oriented Role) 

• Serve as point of contact for grant and subrecipient questions 
• Provide proactive, clear, and responsive communication to subrecipients 
• Support grantees beyond minimum requirements to help them succeed and remain compliant 

Coordination & Internal Collaboration  

• Collaborate with Operations, Finance, and Communication teams 
• Coordinate with NACD staff and grantees to compile and submit required performance and financial reports 
• Track deadlines, reporting status, and partner deliverables 
• Provide limited input on funding opportunities, solicitations, and proposal development as needed 
• Perform duties as assigned in coordination with the Director of Conservation Programs that advance the mission and purpose of NACD 

Required Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field 
• At least four (4) years of experience managing or supporting federal grants, including compliance and financial oversight 
• Demonstrated understanding of Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) 
• Experience managing subrecipients or pass-through entities 
• Strong fiscal management skills, such as budget development and management, using Excel and other tools, and maintaining internal controls  
• Ability to manage multiple grants and deadlines simultaneously 
• Strong organizational, analytical, and attention-to-detail skills 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Strong leadership skills and ability to coordinate large-scale projects  
• Travel required (up to 10%) 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Familiarity with conservation districts or state government programs 
• Experience with grants management systems (e.g., Grant Vantage) 

Location: This position is a telework/remote position and reports directly to the Director of Conservation Programs.