Senior Grants Manager & Policy Specialist

Westwood Professional Services•New Orleans, LA

About The Position

The Senior Grants Manager & Policy Specialist supports the development, management, and compliance of federally and state-funded programs in a consulting environment. The role oversees grant management activities throughout the grant lifecycle and develops, interprets, and implements policies and procedures to ensure compliance with requirements such as HUD CDBG-DR, EPA, EDA, DOT, FEMA, and other public funding programs. The position serves as a subject matter expert in grant administration, compliance monitoring, risk mitigation, and policy development, providing strategic guidance and technical assistance to municipal, state, tribal, nonprofit, and institutional clients working on disaster recovery, resilience, and infrastructure initiatives. The role translates federal and state grant regulations—including OMB Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200)—into operational practices. It manages grant-funded projects and their deliverables, budgets, financial reporting, compliance reviews, documentation, and audit readiness. It also advises and trains clients, coordinates internal and external stakeholders, manages project administration and team performance, mentors junior staff, and supports proposals and business development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as public administration, finance, or business management.
Proven experience managing federal grants, preferably in a contracting or consulting environment.
In-depth knowledge of federal grant regulations, policies, and procedures, including OMB Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).
12 or more years of experience managing grants; examples include CDBG-DR or CDBG-MIT, FEMA HMGP, FEMA BRIC, and grants from EPA, EDA, the Department of Education, HRSA, ARPA, and IIJA.
Working to proficient knowledge of current federal grant application portals.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Strong financial acumen and experience in budget development, financial analysis, and reporting.
Understanding of benefit-cost analysis approaches for multiple state and federal agencies.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple grants and deadlines.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to anticipate challenges and propose solutions.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to explain complex information to diverse stakeholders.
Proficiency with grant management software and financial management systems.
Ability to manage and mentor teams and work effectively with peers, independently, and in a team setting.
Ability to manage contracts and invoices and to prepare accurate work products and reports by project deadlines.
Ability to define and produce deliverables and execute initiatives across a range of grant management programs.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a relevant field.
Familiarity with program evaluation methodologies and performance measurement frameworks.
Professional certifications.

Responsibilities

Manage the full lifecycle of federal and state grants, from funding research and proposal development through award acceptance and post-award administration.
Oversee grant-funded programs to ensure alignment with award terms, program objectives, and regulatory requirements.
Manage projects and coordinate grant applications, compliance documentation, reimbursement packages, data analysis, and performance reports.
Guide clients through funding agency processes, including reimbursement, documentation, and program implementation requirements.
Research federal, state, and nongovernmental grant opportunities and advise on competitive funding pursuits.
Support or lead proposal development, compliance reviews, and coordination of supporting materials.
Monitor and interpret regulatory changes and develop, update, and maintain grant policies, procedures, SOPs, policy frameworks, and program guidelines.
Support implementation of grant policies through written guidance, training, and change management.
Conduct compliance reviews and readiness assessments covering financial management, procurement, documentation, and reporting.
Support subrecipient oversight, financial monitoring, procurement compliance, domestic purchasing requirements, and resource recovery processes.
Develop compliance tracking tools, templates, and documentation systems to support audit readiness and funding retention.
Help clients resolve monitoring findings and audit issues and implement corrective actions.
Identify grant compliance, financial management, and program implementation risks; develop mitigation strategies and internal controls; and investigate potential policy or compliance issues.
Contribute to quality assurance initiatives and strengthen grant management practices across projects and teams.
Manage project administration, including contracts, risk management, staff forecasting and level-of-effort estimates, billing, accounts receivable, invoices, and project budgets.
Communicate with clients and stakeholders, conduct formal project reviews, and manage team-member and sub-consultant performance.
Develop and monitor grant budgets; analyze finances, reconcile expenditures, and assess cost eligibility, allowability, and compliance.
Prepare and review narrative and financial reports and maintain grant records for oversight, reporting, and audits.
Advise clients on grant compliance, funding strategies, eligibility, procurement standards, cost reasonableness, and implementation challenges.
Design and deliver training sessions, workshops, and reference materials on grant policies, compliance, and regulatory updates.
Build and maintain client relationships and serve as a point of contact for grant inquiries and technical assistance.
Collaborate with finance, legal, program management, and technical teams to coordinate grant program delivery.
Mentor junior staff, contribute to knowledge sharing and internal process improvement, and support firm-wide policy and training initiatives.
Support business development through proposal development, client engagement, and guidance on resilience, recovery, and infrastructure funding opportunities.
Define project scope and develop program objectives, plans, requirements, estimates, schedules, and budgets; review deliverables for quality and adjust plans as needed.
Coordinate program and project communications with internal and external stakeholders and manage consultant and sub-consultant performance, invoices, and accounts payable.
Track project time and budgets against the as-bid baseline and review and approve assigned project budget expenditures.
Perform other duties as assigned.