Grants Manger and Councils Coordinator

University System of Maryland Office • Hyattsville, MD

11h • $77,000 - $87,000

About The Position

The Grants Manager and Councils Coordinator is responsible for identifying, pursuing, securing, administering, and monitoring external grant funding in support of Education and Engagement Office initiatives within the Academic & Student Affairs division. The position oversees the full grant lifecycle, from opportunity scouting and proposal development through award management, compliance, reporting, financial management, and closeout. In addition, the role provides comprehensive operational management for several system-level and state councils, including agenda development, communications, participant and stakeholder coordination, records management, and relationship-building.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in education, public administration, business administration, nonprofit management, finance, or a related field.
• 3 years of experience in grants administration, program administration, nonprofit development, or a related role involving reporting and compliance.
• Experience with grant proposal development, including coordinating submissions, preparing narrative and budget materials, and working with multiple stakeholders to meet deadlines.
• Experience supporting committees, councils, boards, or advisory groups, including meeting logistics, agenda preparation, communications, and records management.
• Knowledge of grant administration principles, including funder guidelines, compliance requirements, reporting obligations, and financial stewardship.
• Ability to interpret and apply grant terms and conditions, policies, and regulatory requirements and translate them into clear tasks and timelines.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple grants, deadlines, and complex tasks simultaneously.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and documentation practices.
• Strong written communication skills, including experience preparing reports, proposals, summaries, and meeting materials.
• Strong verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey information to diverse audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of budgeting and basic fund accounting concepts, including tracking and reconciling financial information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Skill in using spreadsheets, dashboards, or data‑tracking systems to monitor milestones and performance.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and prioritize tasks in a fast‑paced, deadline-driven environment.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in education, public administration, business administration, nonprofit management, finance, or a related field.
• Experience with state, federal, or foundation grants in education.
• Experience collaborating with higher education institutions, school districts, or education nonprofits on grant‑funded projects.
• Success in publishing professional academic products (i.e. articles, summaries, program books, etc.).
• Advanced knowledge of Excel (pivot tables), experience with database management, and knowledge of information visualization techniques are strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with grants management or sponsored programs systems and basic data visualization or reporting tools.

Responsibilities

• Manages the full administrative lifecycle of MCCE grants, from award setup through closeout, including developing grant processes and application procedures, overseeing the grant award process, maintaining official grant files, tracking key milestones, monitoring deliverables and outcomes, overseeing all financial and reporting processes, and ensuring timely closeout.
• For all Education and Engagement Office grants, reviews grant terms and conditions and coordinates with finance, legal, research, and program staff to ensure activities and expenditures align with approved budgets and comply with sponsor and USMO policies.
• Maintains strong internal controls and documentation to support audits, site visits, and internal reviews, ensuring all agreements, approvals, and reports are complete and current.
• Proactively identifies and monitors external funding opportunities (federal, state, foundation, and private) aligned with Education and Engagement Office priorities and division initiatives.
• Coordinates and supports the development, drafting, assembly, and submission of competitive grant proposals, including project narratives, budgets, timelines, logic models, evaluation plans, and required attachments.
• In collaboration with the Office of Research and Development, manages internal routing, approvals, compliance checks, and submission logistics, ensuring proposals meet institutional and funder requirements and deadlines.
• Maintains a centralized pipeline of prospective and active funding opportunities and prepares regular updates for leadership on grant development activity and strategy.
• Coordinates and prepares required narrative and financial reports for funders, working with program leads, finance staff, and external partners to gather accurate and timely information.
• Develops and maintains tracking tools (e.g., spreadsheets, dashboards) to monitor grant milestones, outcomes, reporting schedules, and compliance obligations.
• Ensures data quality and alignment with approved performance indicators; supports data organization, validation, and summarization for reporting and evaluation purposes.
• Provides end-to-end operational management for assigned councils, committees, and advisory bodies, including annual planning, meeting schedules, and workflow coordination.
• Develops and manages meeting agendas, briefing materials, and action-item tracking in collaboration with council leadership and division staff.
• Manages council communications, including meeting notices, follow-up communications, document dissemination, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintains organized, accessible records and files, including agendas, minutes, membership lists, reports, and historical documentation.
• Builds and sustains strong relationships with council members, institutional partners, and external stakeholders to support effective engagement and continuity.
• Serves as a primary point of contact for grant- and council-related inquiries from internal staff, system partners, campuses, and external funders.
• Schedules and supports grant and council meetings, ensuring clear documentation of decisions, next steps, and accountability.
• Prepares concise summaries and briefings for leadership on grant portfolios, council activities, emerging opportunities, and strategic considerations.

Benefits

• 22 days of annual leave, 15 days of sick & safe leave, 16-17 holidays, 3 personal leave days, 12 weeks paid parental leave
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with flexible spending accounts.
• Mandatory and supplemental options with major providers like Fidelity and TIAA.
• Optional term life and AD&D benefits through MetLife.
• Tuition remission for employees and their families.
• Free professional development conferences and unlimited LinkedIn Learning access.
• Membership eligibility for SECU, Maryland’s largest credit union.
• Free counseling, legal, financial, and work-life support services.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager