Grants Manager
The Skillman Foundation, located in Detroit, MI, is committed to improving the lives of Detroit children. We are a private, place-based philanthropic organization committed to expanding educational and economic opportunities for Detroit youth. We believe that when Detroit children thrive, Detroit thrives.
The Skillman Foundation is seeking a Grants Manager to ensure our core business of grantmaking is executed with quality and responsiveness, and that all activities are in compliance with legal requirements. The Grants Manager will work collaboratively with fellow staff members to support the organization’s grantmaking efforts.
The Grants Manager is responsible for building collaborative partnerships and providing exceptional service to partners. Qualities necessary for this role include being a thoughtful listener, a creative thinker, and a responsive collaborator.
Principal Responsibilities:
- Creates and enables processes that facilitate effective grantmaking and impact for Detroit children
- Partners with the Program and Evaluation teams to identify key benchmarks and quality indicators that support the Foundation’s strategy
- Ensures integrity of information to foster informed learning and decision making
- Ensures legal compliance
- Designs, administers, and maintains all aspects of the Fluxx grantmaking system including dashboards, forms, cards, templates, reports, and data structure; Oversees grant workflow processes related to data entry to ensure adequate internal controls as well as quality control of data to ensure accurate and efficient reporting of grants data
- Designs, implements, and monitors grants management workflow processes and procedures; transforms and oversees the continual improvement of grants management operational systems, processes, and policies including coding and quality assurance processes; develops, writes, maintains, and implements all grants management policies and procedures
- Responds to grant data requests and inquiries from internal and external audiences, including preparation of data analysis and generation of reports:
- Produces internal data summaries, forecasts, reports, coding verifications, grant statistics, and custom analysis as needed, for the program team, board of directors, evaluation, finance, and communications
- Provides links between program, finance, information technology, communications, and other staff to ensure that all activities related to grant data collection and reporting are smoothly implemented
- Produces periodic reports required by the IRS and/or other regulatory agencies
- Monitors program and management budgets and ensures all grant files are complete and reconciled to finance records
- Maintains electronic Grants Management procedures manual and updates program section of policy and procedures manual; Researches new policies and best practices in grantmaking
- Generates mailing requests and non-standard grant transactions such as refunds, and other grant anomalies, cancellations, and grant amendments.
- Assists and participates in various internal Foundation committees and activities
- Assists in the preparation of docket materials for board of directors’ meetings
- Negotiates and facilitates sensitive issues in the grantmaking process
- Manages Expenditure Responsibility grants by creating procedures, application materials, grant award letters and report materials and processes that comply with IRS requirements
- Works in collaboration with Grants Management Administrator to manage: President’s Discretionary Grants, Matching Gifts, and the grant report monitoring system
- Manages Program Related Investments (PRIs) in partnership with Program team members: Ensures PRI materials meet legal and IRS compliance and that files are complete; tracks PRI reports
Experience, Education and Skill Set:
- Bachelor’s degree required with a minimum of five to seven years of experience understanding the practice of grantmaking, trustee conflict interest/abstention issues, and IRS tax-exempt code
- Experience with FLUXX grants tracking software and digital board books and performing software upgrades
- Strong logic, analytical and problem-solving abilities with a solid understanding of complex data management
- Detail oriented and strong communication skills, including proof reading and writing
- Effective managerial, project management, and customer service skills, with the ability to oversee and prioritize multiple projects and effectively manage workflow to meet deadlines
- Flexibility to adapt to changing environment and ability to respond quickly to immediate needs
- Ability to make decisions based on available information; creative problem solving
- High level of discretion in maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive materials and issues
- Ability to function and interact in a professional level capacity to sustain the mission, culture, and best interests of the Foundation
- Ability to lean into organizational culture and change
- Broad and strategic mindset, creative aptitude, and effective use of independent judgment
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment
This position is a full-time salaried position. The Skillman Foundation offers competitive salary offerings, and excellent benefits that include medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, 401k (with a match), life insurance, and disability coverage. If you are interested, please send a cover letter and resume to hr@skillman.org no later than Friday, March 1, 2019. No phone calls please.
The Skillman Foundation is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.