Grants Management and Compliance Officer

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

18h • Onsite

About The Position

The Grants Management & Compliance Officer serves as the Department of Planning & Development’s lead authority on fiscal grants compliance. The position oversees adherence to financial regulations, internal controls, and reporting requirements across all federal, state, and philanthropic funding sources, with particular emphasis on HUD programs, including CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, ESG, and special allocations. The role ensures accurate interpretation of financial regulations, strong internal controls, timely reporting, and consistent documentation practices across the department.
The Grants Management & Compliance Officer develops and maintains the department’s fiscal grants compliance framework, including policies, procedures, controls, and training. The position designs and delivers training on fiscal allowability, eligibility, source documentation, and cost principles to support accurate accounting, audit readiness, and consistent financial practices. The role works closely with Accounting, Budget, Contract Management, the Monitoring and Compliance Unit, and program divisions to assess fiscal risks, support reporting, review financial components of compliance findings, and implement process improvements. This role may also supervise subordinate staff.
This role also serves as the primary fiscal point of contact supporting the Compliance and Monitoring Unit in their interactions with HUD. The position provides financial documentation, reconciliations, and regulatory interpretation to ensure grant-funded fiscal activities meet federal requirements. The Grants Management & Compliance Officer elevates and helps resolve HUD-related financial issues in coordination with the Monitoring Unit, while maintaining strong fiscal control systems and improving procedures, reports, and trainings that reinforce compliant, accurate grant accounting practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required in Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, Business, Government, or related field
• 5 or more years of grant management and compliance experience, preferably within a governmental agency or managing federal awards; and experience in education or adult learning
• Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying 2 CFR Part 200, HUD program regulations, and federal cost principles a plus
• Additional years of highly relevant experience may be substituted for the education requirement
• Experience with federal grants, grant audits, accounting, budgeting and training
• Familiarity with City accounting and budgeting systems and processes preferred, but not required
• Ability to work independently and with a team to achieve goals
• Ability to problem-solve and think creatively to produce solutions
• Proven track record in establishing and sustaining collaborative and effective working relationships with leadership, direct supervisor(s), peers, staff, consultants, service providers, and vendors
• Ability to communicate effectively – verbally and in writing – with a variety of stakeholders
• Strong public presentation skills and experience, strategic thinking, and high professional ethics
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple deadlines in a high-volume environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other financial or grant reporting tools
• The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Nice To Haves

• Experience in education or adult learning

Responsibilities

• Oversee fiscal compliance for all grant-funded activities, ensuring adherence to 2 CFR 200, HUD regulations, and internal policies.
• Serve as the internal expert on fiscal operations and post-award grant compliance best practices.
• Interpret regulatory requirements and provide guidance to staff and program divisions.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, checklists, templates, and documentation standards for grants management.
• Identify and implement process improvements to strengthen controls, increase consistency, and improve workflow efficiency.
• Design and execute monitoring processes, including file audits and assessments, and document results for Department-wide improvements.
• Coordinate fiscal components of federal and state grant reporting, including IDIS drawdowns, accomplishment reporting, and closeouts.
• Work with Accounting to reconcile grant expenditures, program income, and cash management requirements.
• Collaborate with program staff to ensure timely and accurate grants reporting.
• Review monitoring results from the Contracting and Monitoring teams and ensure fiscal findings are addressed.
• Provide training and technical assistance on grant-related fiscal requirements, including proper accounting of grant expenditures, reconciliation of grant-funded activities, required source documentation, cost allowability, and the financial controls needed to ensure accurate, compliant reporting.
• Prepare documentation for internal and external audits and serve as a point of contact for grant-related audit inquiries.
• Track monitoring findings for the fiscal unit, corrective actions, and compliance risks to ensure timely resolution.
• Elevate significant financial compliance risks to leadership and recommend strategies to mitigate them.

Benefits

• Unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program.
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Eligibility into the discounted medical plan through the wellness program.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Generous retirement savings options.
• Eligibility to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• Access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships (10% to 40%) from over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities, extending to spouse and dependents in some cases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees