Government Contracts Manager

More Than Words•Boston, MA

15h

About The Position

More Than Words (MTW) is a social enterprise that empowers young people ages 16–24 who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school. Through managing a retail and online used-book business and community space, youth develop employment skills, leadership, and self-confidence to support their transition to adulthood. MTW emphasizes accountability and seeks a staff and board that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity and lived experiences of the young adults it serves; people of color are highly encouraged to apply. The Government Contracts Manager is an organized, proactive leader who manages deliverables for government contracts. Reporting to the Director of Grants, the role manages a portfolio of $2.1 million in youth-enrollment-based contracts from local, state, and federal sources and supports the Director’s management of an additional $1.2 million in program grants. The position is heavily administrative, with a focus on invoicing, managing grant enrollments for a youth team of 70–100 people, and updating state databases. It also calls for strategic thinking and interpersonal skills to optimize enrollments, engage youth, build systems, and manage relationships. The role is part of an eight-person Advancement team and collaborates with admissions and finance staff. The position’s responsibilities are divided among government fee-for-service contracts (60%), managing deliverables and reconciling (30%), and department support (10%). The schedule is Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional evening or weekend work possible with advance notice and planning. Compensation is $56,000–$60,000, commensurate with skills and experience. MTW offers medical and dental insurance, a 401(k), generous paid vacation and sick time, significant growth opportunities and professional development, and employee discounts. All MTW sites are commuter friendly and conveniently located near public transportation. Staff are required to undergo background checks; MTW reviews CORIs on a case-by-case basis and is a CORI-friendly organization.

Requirements

Passion for MTW’s mission and motivation to achieve results and meet goals.
Strong desire to learn.
Strong attention to detail and a strong preference for organization.
Meticulous attention to deadlines; appreciation for data and tracking; strong planning and follow-through skills.
Responsible, flexible, hardworking, ethical, trustworthy, and sincere.
Commitment to personal growth in racial equity.
Ability to sit and work at a computer for long periods of time.
Availability for a Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. schedule and occasional evening or weekend work with advance notice and planning.
Undergo a background check as required for MTW staff.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in an administrative role in a nonprofit setting.
Experience working with contracts or financial systems.
Experience performing data analysis.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of 8 or more government fee-for-service contracts, including contracts with the Department of Children and Families, Department of Mental Health, Department of Transitional Assistance Young Parents, Safe & Successful Youth Initiative, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, SNAP E&T, Neighborhood Jobs Trust, and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Pay for Performance.
Track invoicing, enrollments, outcomes, relationships, and youth affiliations in Salesforce across contracts.
Collaborate with admissions and youth development teams to secure service referrals for youth and communicate proactively with agencies, including the Department of Children and Families and Department of Mental Health.
Complete enrollment paperwork and record keeping for enrollment-based contracts, maintain files, and enter information into state databases such as MOSES, PATH, and LACES.
Prepare invoices, reconcile with government partners, secure and document payment outcomes, and communicate with admissions, youth development, and career services about needed support.
Work with the Director of Grants to review the youth team strategically and maximize fee-for-service funding opportunities for individual youth and MTW; recommend programs to add or exit to optimize funding.
Maintain and regularly audit youth files for government-contract compliance, including SNAP E&T, DTA, NJT, and WIOA.
Work with the Senior Grants & Giving Manager and Director of Grants to track and manage government grant deliverables, including invoicing, annual reviews, and narrative and financial reporting.
Draft reports and coordinate resources within development, evaluation, and finance teams to meet deliverables.
Prepare regular or monthly reports reconciling government funding in Salesforce with financial tracking in QuickBooks for fee-for-service contracts and grants; work with finance to identify and correct errors and follow up on outstanding payments.
Work with the Director of Grants, CFO, and finance team to review and update government budgets, keep staff billing current, and ensure full spend-down on government cost-reimbursement contracts.
Provide flexible support to the Director of Grants and department for institutional engagement, potentially representing MTW at events, completing grants and deliverables, tracking event RSVPs, attending meetings, scheduling youth, and supporting youth participation.
Participate in development department special projects, meetings, and public-facing opportunities that support community engagement and fundraising goals.
Stay engaged with the organization as a whole to inform conversations.