Contracts and Grants Director

Overview

General Description

Child Trends—an award-winning, nonprofit research organization with more than 250 staff in over 28 states—is seeking a Director of Grants & Contracts to join our team.  This is an exciting opportunity to lend your expertise to help grow a highly regarded mission-driven research organization dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families that values work-life balance for its employees.  Child Trends has an annual revenue of roughly 45 million with consistent growth for over a decade.

 

We are looking for an proven, results oriented Director of Grants & Contracts who can provide a strong leadership with a balanced focus on customer service and performance to oversee the management of close to 200 federal, state, local, and foundation grants and contracts.  Under minimal supervision of the Chief Strategy Officer, the Contracts and Grants director will provide expert guidance on risk mitigation to the departments’  portfolio; senior consultation to the organizations’ executive team;  ensure the application of strong customer-and solution-oriented services with the department 4 member staff; develop and implement the departments’ key performance indicators and system changes;  foster an environment that values collaboration, responsiveness, and excellence;   collaborate with the organizations’ other administrative departments (accounting and finance, proposals, and human resources); and oversee the management of high-risk grants and contracts.

 

The successful candidate has

A demonstrated history of leading high performing departments.
A proven track record of developing and implementing system changes that foster excellence.
A unifying leadership style that values collaboration, performance, and growth.
Extensive experience with government contracting and foundation grants.
A growth mindset to support Child Trends’ strategic growth, mission, and values.
Equity must be at the center of this manager’s approach, and they must prioritize open communication and value transparency. This position is 100% virtual.

 

Responsibilities

Lead the department to provide professional, high quality contracts and grants management services to internal and external clients and that support organizational strategic growth and priorities.  This includes oversee and supervise department staff including provide senior guidance and risk assessment consultation on team member’s portfolios of grants and contracts; update and implement quality review standards and processes; ensure portfolios are adequately and appropriately staffed; work to update and maintain various standard agreement templates’ and ensure departments records are up-to-date, appropriately stored, and databases are regularly maintained and audited for accuracy and completeness; provide consultation and support to team member’s portfolios, as needed;; provide clear, actionable and timely feedforward; and mentor and foster staff’s professional development and growth.
Revise, develop, and implement the department’s risk assessment strategy to guide grant and contract review, negotiation, execution, and management with the goal of supporting and aligning to organizational strategic growth. in collaboration with the organization’s executive team.
Foster an environment of excellence, responsiveness and performance.Develop and implement department’s systems and processes including quality control procedures, key performance indictors (KPIs) and performance outcomes, department manuals and resources, trainings and support for research staff.
Serve as change agent including the integration of preaward review for high-risk, high-value grants and contracts.
Strategic partner  and collaborator with other administrative departments to implement integrated finance and administrative monitoring and reporting systems.
Lead the drafting, reviewing, negotiating, executing and management of a select portfolio of complex grants and contracts, subcontracts/subawards, memoranda of understanding, consulting agreements, and data sharing agreements for programs funded by federal, state direct service and associations, and private sponsors on a varied portfolio of cost reimbursement, fixed price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, time and materials, labor rate. Review terms and conditions proposed by customers, incorporate Company preferred contractual positions, and secure required approvals prior to execution of documents. Process contract requests by reviewing for accuracy and completeness, routing and tracking internal approvals in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.
Other duties include: Serve as main point of contact on organizational contractual matters including IDIQs, BPAs, etc.
Provide strategic consultation to the organization on contractual matters to minimize risk and optimize growth. Provide senior consultation to the team on complex grant and contract issues.
Liaise with outside legal counsel and contracts experts on an as-needed basis
Review and manage incoming copyright requests to ensure compliance with associated contract requirements.
Provide support to project staff in the development and submission of Freedom of Information Act requests.
Keep up-to-date on new laws and communicate internally potential impact on organizational goals and objectives
Qualifications

Minimum requirements include:

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
A minimum of 15 years of progressive experience directly managing contracts and grants operations and teams including a minimum of 5 years leading a high performing contracts and grants department of a similar size and scope.
CFCM or CPCM is strongly preferred.
Domestic federal contracts experience with the federal agencies including Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and Department of Education.
Strong expertise in managing and assessing risk coupled with an outstanding customer-service, problem-solving (monitor, identify, analyze, research, evaluate, resolve) approach to working with research teams and ability to maintain effective working relationships with clients.
Collaborative leader with a successful history of making insightful contributions and influencing decision making.
Experience developing and implementing processes, systems, and KPIs to enhance team performance.
Additional requirements include:

Extensive knowledge of FAR and CFR 200Experience managing FFP, CPFF, CR, T&M/LH, IDIQs/MSAs GSA schedules.
Experience negotiating contracts on the buy and sell side as well as negotiating the terms and conditions of an agreement.
Experience overseeing teams with a focus on mentoring and professional development.
Demonstrated ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities, and providing thorough, complete, and quality results are a must. highly desirable.
Experience working in a research and/or non-profit organization is a plus.
Experience managing grants and contracts in a research industry is strongly preferred.
Ability to work independently, take initiative, set priorities, and see projects through to completion.
Strong organization skills and excellent attention to detail and record storage
Experience executing Data Use Agreements
Pre-award experience is preferred.  Experience negotiating NDAs, TAs, CTAs, advise on pricing strategy, assess the RFPs for risk and determine how to respond to requirements accordingly.
Experience with Oracle or similar finance and accounting systems.
Locations: Flexible Remote Work; Child Trends’ offices are based in Rockville, MD; Chapel Hill, NC; Minneapolis, MN. Many Child Trends staff work remotely, and while we are set up to hire remote staff in many states, we are not yet operating everywhere in the US and do not have any overseas operations. We are currently approved to hire full-time staff in AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, VA, WI, and WV. The organization will require time to assess additional set up requirements (e.g., employment and tax law) for locations outside of areas where we are currently approved to hire. Individuals who would like to work from areas outside of the currently approved states, if offered the position, should indicate this preference as early as possible in the application process.

Benefits:
For all full-time and part-time employees who work a minimum of 20 hours per week, we offer generous vacation + sick leave + paid holidays; optional individual/domestic partner/family medical, dental and vision benefits effective first day of employment; optional pet benefits; pre-tax reimbursement funds (FSA, HSA, Commuter); life insurance; short/long term disability, basic life and AD&D coverage paid for by Child Trends; paid family leave; paid bereavement leave; professional development and tuition reimbursement allowance; and 403(b) retirement plan with immediate vesting and Child Trends contributions after 1 year of employment. To learn more, go to https://www.childtrends.org/about-us/careers and click ” Benefits.”

Background Investigation:

Jobs that involve interactions with children and positions that rely on high levels of trust to perform duties are subject to a background check at the time of hire. Employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. We will always conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check and never inquire into an applicant’s criminal history until interviews have been conducted and offer decisions are being made. Current employees may also be subject to future background checks depending on the nature of their duties. A criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate or current employee from employment, however any convictions related to the responsibilities and requirements of the position may do so.

How to Apply:

Please follow the “apply” link to submit your application. When asked by the system to upload resume, please upload one document that includes your resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references. Materials must be combined into one document in order to be uploaded. If you have any difficulties with this process please email the requested materials to recruitment(at)childtrends.org and make sure to reference the position in the subject line. No phone calls please!

Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center headquartered in Rockville, MD with more than 200 staff in over 28 states that provides valuable information and insights on the well-being of children, youth, and their families. For more than 40 years, policymakers, funders, educators, and service providers in the U.S. have relied on our data and analyses to make better decisions and policies on programs serving children, families, and youth. www.childtrends.org

Child Trends is committed to hiring, retaining, and promoting staff who bring a rich diversity of experience to support our mission of improving the lives and prospects of children and youth, especially those made most vulnerable by the effects of historical and ongoing systemic discrimination. Together, we envision a world in which a child’s race, ethnicity, family income, gender, sexual orientation, disability status or any other social identity does not determine how that child will fare in life. Therefore, we approach every aspect of our work with these ideals in mind and encourage professionals who share in our commitment to apply.

Child Trends is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Protected veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.