Manager, Grants Stewardship (Apply by 10/3)

About JFF:  

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life, our goal is to align education, workforce, and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: By 2033, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.   

To achieve that goal, we design solutions, scale best practices, influence policy and action, and invest in innovation. With a staff of more than 300 people across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters), Washington, DC, and Oakland, California, we operate at the national, state, and local levels, forging deep partnerships with employers, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine what’s possible.   

We’re on a path of ongoing growth and expanding impact. We have an operating budget of $105 million, and we’re funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.   

Equal Employment Opportunity at JFF   

Inclusion, belonging, and well-being are core to JFF’s North Star and mission, and we seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve as it is important to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care, well-being, and success of the employee through flexible work hours, balanced workloads, professional development, and career advancement opportunities for all.  

JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to our North Star, we strongly encourage individuals whose highest level of education attained is less than a 4-year degree; People of Color; and people with records to apply to our open roles. 

About the position:  

Reporting to the Director, Grants Stewardship, the person in this role will serve as a champion of our Grants Management process by educating and training stakeholders on effective budget management, supporting technical project leaders across JFF to track expenditures, manage budgetary issues, address award compliance questions, and ensure project teams remain informed and supported. Specifically, they will be a foundational member of the Grants Stewardship team, working to implement and maintain a holistic and timely workflow from the project kickoff to grant/contract closure. They will support and collaborate with the Grants Stewardship team as well as across the Finance department including partnership with Accounting, Financial Planning & Analysis, and Contracts teams, as well as programmatic stakeholders across JFF. 

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys translating complex budgets and grants terms into clear, actionable plans for stakeholders. The Manager will bring a customer service mindset, thrive on project ownership and have experience embracing new tools and systems like NetSuite, Adaptive Planning, Salesforce or Excel (among others). They’ll also be energized by data analysis, forecasting and reporting, process improvements and seeking new ways to create efficiencies. 

What you'll do:   

Grant Management  

• Maintain and manage grants administration processes on federal grants and contracts to ensure a smooth workflow from award through grant/contract closure, with support and guidance from Director, Grants Stewardship 
• Manage internal and external reporting, including the calculation and drafting of funder reporting on program expenditures and analysis for technical program leaders 
• Manage financial systems, including NetSuite Planning and Budgeting, to develop, track, and maintain accurate project budget forecasts 
• Provide guidance and education to project leads on effective budget management, partnering with the Grant Stewardship team and budget owners to track expenditures, address budgetary issues, and ensure project teams remain informed and supported 
• Review and report on award revenue, cash balances, and subaward/subcontract activity, partnering with Finance stakeholders to strengthen management processes—including encumbrance review, delinquent invoicing, and timely closeout of contracts and subawards 

Relationship Building & Management  

• Partner with Finance Business Partners and FP&A to resolve project-level issues and enhance forecasting and budgeting processes in NetSuite Planning and Budgeting  
• Collaborate with Accounting and Contracts teams to review funder invoicing, resolve vendor payment issues, cost reclassifications, and award-level contracting resolution 
• Collaborate with program team and Grants Stewardship team to ensure that all grant and contract transactions are reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the project budget, and are recorded properly in the accounting system in accordance with budget terms of the grant/contract, specifically subaward and subcontractor spending 
• Provide support and guidance to program budget owners and seek to improve the budget management experience 
• Serve as a liaison between the grant stewardship team, finance business partners and project leaders to ensure timely and efficient management of project budgets  
• Partner internally on process flows that impact Grants Stewardship and participate in departmental and team activities to support the overall financial wellbeing of the organization 

Who You Are:  

The qualifications listed within the job description are intended as a guide and we do not expect candidates to bring all experiences and skills listed. Research supports that self-selecting out of potential professional opportunities is particularly common among individuals with identities that are marginalized in professional spaces. So, if you believe that you can meet the overall expectations of the position, we encourage you to apply so that we have an opportunity to learn more about you and the unique strengths you would bring to the work.  

• You have demonstrated experience in grants management and contracts administration with familiarity of best practices (New hires at the Manager level at JFF typically bring 3-5 years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions)  
• You bring advanced working knowledge of financial systems like NetSuite, Adaptive Planning (Oracle), and other systems like Microsoft Excel, Asana, Salesforce 
• You have strong financial, budgeting, and analytical skills and can translate complex data, reports, budgets and grants into clear, digestible information for stakeholders 
• You have experience building the capacity of others, including internal and external stakeholders, around effective budget management 
• You take ownership of your projects by keeping yourself and others focused and accountable to the work, deadlines, and intended outcomes 
• You possess strong interpersonal, active listening, and communication skills to support others in a way that promotes psychological safety 
• You seek out opportunities to find new ways of doing things, make meaningful contributions, and support your team and organization’s mission  
• You are a curious and adaptive learner, with a willingness to learn new systems and take in new information, perspectives and data to inform your work   
• You seek to provide excellent customer service to internal and external partners, with a collaborative and solution-oriented mindset 
• You are detail oriented, well-organized, self-motivated, and dedicated to working in a collaborative working environment 
• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and North Star, and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work    
• You are energized by stewarding JFF’s inclusion, belonging, and well-being values and practices within your day-to-day work, including embracing and celebrating the differences that each individual brings to JFF  
• You value building positive and collaborative relationships with others, including people whose identities and backgrounds differ from your own 

What We Offer   

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values in order to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers.   

JFF has offices in Boston, Oakland, and Washington, DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid, or completely remote. To improve the employee experience and promote productivity while working remotely, JFF offers an annual home office stipend to all regular full-time and part-time employees. In addition, new employees receive office equipment as needed.    

The hiring range for this role is $68,000 - $80,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Manager salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.   

To Apply 

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Nicole D'Alessandro Giroux, Director, Grants Stewardship outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.  

Applications submitted by 11:59pmEST on Friday, October 3rd will be prioritized for review. We encourage interested candidates to apply by that date in order to be considered with the first slate of candidates, early on in the hiring process. Applications submitted after that date may not be prioritized for review, depending on the strength of the pool. We will ensure that all candidates will receive updates on their candidacy before the search is closed.    

At JFF, we’re also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process, please contact us at hiringaccommodations@jff.org. 

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.