Fiscal Specialist, ACF/OHS

BCT Partners

We are a national, multi-disciplinary consulting firm that delivers a full range of research, consulting, training, technology and analytics services. We combine subject matter expertise with industry experience to help public, private, and nonprofit organizations achieve lasting results. We partner with our clients to identify their most critical challenges, offer expert advice, and deliver real-world solutions that transform business and society. BCT is a minority-owned and operated, small disadvantaged business enterprise and one of the leading firms in the country with expertise in the following industries: housing and community development, economic development, workforce development, health, children and families, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, education, diversity and inclusion, and energy.

We invite and welcome to our team people who share our values and goals; those with a passion for making the world a better place, who see strength in our diversity, seek equal opportunity access for all communities and are motivated to create a more equitable and just society. We appreciate the knowledge, abilities, and ideas of each individual and embrace his/her/their positive contributions to our collaborative and dynamic work environment.

Our Client

This position supports BCT’s client, the US Department of Human Services, Administration of Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS). OHS’ mission is to promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of low-income children through health, educational, nutritional, social, and other services, as necessary. The Head Start Regional Office is the funding agency to grantees that provide Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) services to pregnant women and children from birth to age 5. OHS provides oversight of these grantees through monitoring and technical assistance, often with the support of partners like BCT. BCT takes great pride in supporting our clients: the OHS Regional Office, its grantees and the communities they serve.

Position Summary:

The Grants Support Specialist will complete tasks related to the award, oversight and financial administration of discretionary grants funded through OHS. These activities provide necessary support to OHS Region III staff in managing Head Start and Early Head Start grant programs and require the Grants Support Specialist to communicate effectively with Federal staff, external partners and contractors, and Head Start program governing bodies and executive management. These activities include the budgetary and financial analysis of funding applications, review and analysis of grantee financial reports, information and indicators, provision of regulatory and fiscal policy guidance to Head Start grantees, review and analysis of grantee waiver requests, review and analysis of applications for facility construction, purchase and major renovation, and activities related to the identification and mitigation of grantee risk factors, correction of regulatory compliance issues, and improvement of Head Start grantee performance.

Key Responsibilities[1]:

These functions provide necessary support to the client’s staff in managing Head Start and Early Head Start grant programs.

• budgetary and financial analysis of funding applications,
• review and analysis of grantee financial reports, information and indicators, provision of regulatory and fiscal policy guidance to Head Start grantees,
• review and analysis of grantee waiver requests,
• review and analysis of applications for facility construction, purchase and major renovation,
• activities related to the identification and mitigation of grantee risk factors, correction of regulatory compliance issues, and improvement of Head Start grantee performance
• communicate effectively with Federal staff, external partners and contractors, and Head Start program governing bodies and executive management

Grants Support Specialists will be assigned specific grantee workloads of individual Head Start or Early Head Start grants totaling no more than 50 grants and perform the following:

Grant Applications and Awards: provide financial and cost analysis and grants administration activities related to the OHS grant funding application and award process. This includes comprehensive financial and budgetary review of funding applications, timely completion of follow up contact with grantees and/or applicants to consult and obtain required information and modifications, and timely completion of all required administrative activities related to the grants award process.

Grants Management and Monitoring: provide support services related to the financial administration of Head Start and Early Head Start grants. This includes activities related to supporting OHS and Office of Grants Management (OGM) goals and objectives to ensure the effective stewardship of federal funds and provide accurate and timely guidance, technical assistance and direction to grantees in improving their ability to meet the fiduciary, oversight, and regulatory compliance requirements for Head Start and Early Head Start grants.

Audit Resolution Support: perform activities designed to ensure the complete, timely resolution of all audit findings contained in independent audit reports of Head Start grantees referred to OGM for resolution. This includes activities related to supporting OGM efforts to resolve outstanding audits, such as:

• Utilizing existing electronic data and other management systems to monitor and ensure the timely receipt of grantee financial audits and supporting documents, developing and transmitting delinquency notification letters for overdue responses from grantees and conducting necessary follow up contact with grantees to ensure timely submission of required reports.
• Within the timeframes identified by OHS and OGM, performing detailed analyses of audit reports to determine the nature of the report’s findings and the grantee’s response; Includes researching applicable regulations and statutes, reviewing both current and prior official records, and communicating and coordinating with OGM and OHS staff, auditors, audit resolution staff, and grantee representatives to determine the specific nature of audit findings and management letter concerns.
• Within the timeframes specified by OHS and OGM, develop written recommendations on actions needed to resolve any audit findings or management letter concerns and communicate these recommendations to the appropriate OGM and OHS staff.
• With direction from OHS, complete administrative actions to resolve audit findings and management letter concerns including completion of audit clearance documents, audit resolution and disallowance letters and completion of official record requirements and data entry and maintenance in OHS and OGM electronic data management systems.

Coordination and Collaboration: includes activities to improve and promote coordination and collaboration between OGM and various internal and external parties.

• Review and develop accurate and timely responses and resolutions to external inquiries and complaints under the direction of the Regional Office and ensure that information related to inquiries and complaints are documented in required electronic data systems in coordination with the relevant OHS and OGM staff.
• Participate in and facilitate meetings at Federal, State and local levels to improve and promote partnerships, collaboration and coordination among a variety of entities that support the OHS and ACF mission, goals, strategies and initiatives.
• Facilitation and coordination of meetings, work groups and training events, development of written recommendations and responses as well as other related activities.

Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• A minimum of a baccalaureate degree in a field related to task activities from an accredited university or college, with a preference for a degree in accounting, business management, or a related field.
• Seven years of progressive professional experience related to the task activities including federal discretionary grants management, non-profit or for-profit financial management, and regulatory compliance monitoring and oversight.
• Demonstrated experience in providing subject matter expertise related to the regulatory compliance with federal financial management regulations including the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality written products such as memoranda, presentations and correspondence.
• Strong organizational, administrative and project coordination skills, and the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the proven ability to collaborate and build relationships with staff, clients, remote colleagues and supervisors, and others.
• Proven ability to effectively communicate (both orally and in writing), exercise sound judgment, ask questions and be open to the input and decisions of others.
• Able to, both independently and collaboratively, solve problems, make decisions and support change.
• Computer, Internet and general proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word and PowerPoint; demonstrated proficiency in utilizing a variety of web-based and off the shelf data management software packages

[1] Job descriptions serve to provide guidance and information regarding position responsibilities and job expectations. BCT Partners reserves the right, where permitted by law, to modify position responsibilities, sometimes without notice or written updates to the job description documents.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit their resumes and cover letters to BCT Partners via https://bit.ly/BCTJobOpportunities . BCT Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We appreciate the diversity of our communities and encourage candidates of all races, colors, ages, religions, sex, sexual orientations, gender identities, national origins, veteran or disability statuses to apply for BCT positions. No phone calls or in-person applications, please.

About Our Company
We are a national, multi-disciplinary consulting firm that delivers a full range of research, consulting, training, technology, and analytics services.  Our mission is to provide insights about diverse people that lead to equity. BCT works with government agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and foundations, and is one of the leading firms in the country with expertise in the following markets: housing and community development, economic development, workforce development, children and families, health, education, and diversity & inclusion.  BCT has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms, Manage HR Magazine as a Top 10 Company for Diversity & Inclusion, CIO Techie as one of the Most Trusted Government Technology Firms, and the Black Enterprise BE 100 list as one of the nation’s largest African American-owned businesses.

We invite and welcome to our team people who share our values and goals; those with a passion for making the world a better place, who see strength in our diversity, seek equal opportunity access for all communities and are motivated to create a more equitable and just society.  We appreciate the knowledge, abilities, and ideas of each individual and embrace his/her/their positive contributions to our collaborative and dynamic work environment.