Grant Accounting Specialist

Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency•Cincinnati, OH

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Grants Accounting Specialist is responsible for the timely and accurate preparation of monthly financial reporting for CAA’s grant portfolio, with particular emphasis on Head Start and related early-childhood programs. The position performs monthly grant reconciliations, analyzes budget-to-actual results, validates transaction coding and period assignment, forecasts grant expenditures, and identifies financial or compliance risks. The Specialist works closely with Finance, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and program leadership to resolve discrepancies, support funder reporting, maintain audit-ready documentation, and promote the effective use of grant resources. The ideal candidate will use their skills to embody our values and contribute to our vision of a thriving, self-sufficient community.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent; additional education or training in office administration is a plus
Strong computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, Outlook).
Experience working with diverse populations, including low to moderate-income families

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in a receptionist or customer service role preferred
Experience working in a social services environment and familiarity with energy assistance programs is a plus
Bilingual skills (e.g., English/Spanish) preferred but not required

Responsibilities

Manage monthly financial reporting and close activities for assigned grants, ensuring reports are accurate, timely, and compliant with funder requirements.
Prepare and reconcile grant financial reports, including expenditures, budgets, commitments, available balances, and projected balances.
Review grant transactions, payroll allocations, and related expenses for accuracy, appropriate coding, documentation, and compliance with approved budgets and grant requirements.
Investigate and resolve discrepancies, accounting errors, unusual transactions, and other financial reporting issues.
Prepare and coordinate required financial and grant closeout reports in accordance with established deadlines and approval procedures.
Monitor grant expenditures, revenues, and available funding against approved budgets, funding restrictions, and applicable grant requirements.
Prepare forecasts and analyze spending trends to identify projected balances, overspending, underspending, unspent funds, and potential funding shortfalls.
Communicate significant budget variances, financial risks, compliance concerns, and recommended corrective actions to Finance and program leadership.
Assist with budget development, revisions, re-budgets, funding requests, and corrective-action plans.
Ensure grant expenditures are allowable, reasonable, properly allocated, adequately documented, and incurred within the applicable grant period.
Maintain accurate, organized, and audit-ready grant financial records and supporting documentation.
Provide financial reports, reconciliations, schedules, and documentation for audits, monitoring reviews, leadership reporting, and other compliance requirements.
Support preparation of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) and other annual compliance reporting, as assigned.
Partner with program staff and Finance to align grant spending, staffing, activities, and financial projections with program and organizational goals.
Coordinate with Accounts Payable, Payroll, Procurement, Human Resources, and other departments to resolve financial, coding, allocation, and documentation issues.
Communicate financial information, reporting deadlines, risks, and recommendations clearly to financial and non-financial stakeholders.
Support the development and improvement of grant-management procedures, internal controls, reporting tools, and effective use of NetSuite and other financial systems.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.