Agency Grants Specialist I

State of Maryland•Baltimore City, MD

11d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for managing a collaborative invoice verification process and ensuring comprehensive financial oversight for all grants and contracts within the Office of Early Childhood. This role acts as a primary liaison between program managers, specialists, division directors, and the accounting department to ensure fiscal integrity, regulatory compliance, and the timely disbursement of funds. The position provides ongoing technical assistance, manages high-volume financial correspondence, and facilitates logistical support for grant-related procedures impacting the division.

Requirements

Five years of experience in grant evaluation and monitoring or budget preparation, presentation and execution.
Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and one year of experience in grant evaluation and monitoring or budget preparation, presentation and execution.
Graduate education from an accredited college or university in accounting, business administration, economics, finance, political science or public administration (30 credit hours) may substitute for experience.
U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in the Budget Officer classifications or Financial Management specialty codes in the Budgeting field of work on a year-for-year basis may substitute for experience.
Criminal background investigation.
Substance abuse testing.
Possession of a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.
Driving records will be subject to investigation.

Nice To Haves

Proficient Excel Experience (1-year)
Experience with Grant Processing with either State, Federal, and or Local
Experience with RStars, ADPCS

Responsibilities

Manage the full lifecycle of Notice of Grant Awards (NOGA), including routing, tracking, and ensuring timely submission through internal department workflow.
Verify all NOGA information against grant applications, ensuring correct PCA and Fund codes are utilized in accordance with state budget guidelines.
Coordinate annual grant cycles and facilitate the application process to ensure consistency and compliance.
Research and respond to inquiries from MSDE staff, the public, and stakeholders regarding grant status, documentation requirements, and submission timelines.
Maintain accurate, up-to-date records on all grant awards and expenditures to ensure full audit readiness and adherence to agency policy.
Execute invoice verification process, working in close conjunction with program managers, specialists, and division directors/executive directors to ensure thorough financial oversight and regulatory compliance.
Perform multi-faceted validation of incoming financial documentation (invoices, payroll reports, W9s, receipts) for mathematical accuracy, completeness, and adherence to allowable costs.
Apply strict compliance checks-including the 15% (or $1,000) threshold for budget category variances-to identify when budget amendments are required.
Validate that food and travel reimbursements align with specific agency standards and prohibit unallowable expenses.
Directly manage the transmission of verified invoices to the accounting department for payment processing, following up regularly to ensure timely disbursement.
Provide proactive status updates to program staff and grantees regarding payment progress to ensure transparency and operational efficiency.
Utilize Mainframe and FMIS screens to process payments, monitor grant balances, and track payment history.
Analyze financial data, including General Ledger reconciliation, to confirm adherence to allowed indirect cost (IDC) amounts and to ensure program budgets are not overspent.
Prepare accurate statistical data and reports tracking funding and spending, ensuring reliable data for budget projections and agency decision-making.