Grants And Contracts Specialist

State of Connecticut•Hartford, CT

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The State of Connecticut, Office of Early Childhood (OEC) is seeking to fill two (2) Grants and Contracts Specialist positions within the Grants and Contracts Unit. This unit is responsible for managing all agency competitive procurements for services and overseeing the execution of agreements, including Purchase of Service (POS) contracts, Personal Service Agreements (PSAs), and Memoranda of Understanding/Agreement. The role supports OEC program teams by facilitating the execution of agreements and providing monitoring and oversight throughout the contract period to ensure effective service delivery and responsible stewardship of state and federal resources. When needed, the role will also lead the development, publication, and evaluation of competitive Requests for Applications/Proposals (RFAs/RFPs) in accordance with agency policies and state procurement standards. OEC contracts deliver critical services to children and families across the state.

Requirements

Current State of CT employee with at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language
Seven (7) years of experience in planning, implementation and/or management of grant programs on a community, state or federal level
Considerable knowledge of grant preparation and administration
Considerable knowledge of program evaluation and monitoring functions
Knowledge of research methods and techniques
Knowledge of budget preparation and monitoring
Considerable interpersonal skills
Considerable oral and written communication skills
Ability to utilize computer software
Supervisory ability

Nice To Haves

Experience preparing and administering contracts, including drafting, reviewing, and interpreting contract language and financial documents as well as knowledge of the Attorney General review process
Experience with RFP/RFA development and the state procurement process
Experience working in state systems such as CORE‑CT (e‑procurement and contract modules) and CTSource
Experience analyzing processes to identify inefficiencies or technical assistance needs and developing tools and training materials to address those needs
Experience with budgets and fiscal reviews
Experience using Microsoft Office Suite, including Teams, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word

Responsibilities

Performs specialized related duties in the area of grants management
Performs research to support the application for or the disbursement of grants including needs analysis, literature review and regulations critique to identify problems and determine priorities
Develops alternatives
Gathers information related to program area
Develops goals and objectives, evaluation standards, timetables, other program components and department policy for program area and individual projects
Prepares grant proposals
Monitors use of grant monies awarded to agency to ensure adherence to all terms and conditions
Facilitates direct grant process
Provides technical assistance and acts as resource person to grantees
Evaluates program proposals and applications for conformance with regulations and state goals
Recommends funding
Prepares contracts and agreements related to grant activities
Monitors and assesses ongoing programs for conformance to reporting requirements, general budget and timetable guidelines and program effectiveness
Prepares quarterly and annual reports and statewide annual plan or section of plan related to program local area
Attends meetings of appropriate state, local and regional organizations and performs other liaison functions to coordinate efforts in program area
Performs related duties as required