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NEOGOV · 4 months ago

Program Contracts and Grants Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4)

Thurston County – Lacey, WA

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$68K/yr - $91K/yr

9+ years exp

NEOGOV is part of the State of Washington's Department of Ecology, dedicated to protecting and enhancing Washington's environment. The Program Contracts and Grants Specialist will manage the grant application process, provide administrative assistance to grant recipients, and ensure compliance with grant and contract requirements to support clean air initiatives in Washington communities.

GovTechHuman ResourcesInformation TechnologySoftware

No H1B

Responsibilities

Manage and coordinate grant application process and pre-application announcement, including resolving issues, for assigned grant programs so that potential applicants are well informed, final awards are as equitable and as widespread as possible, and grant spending can begin in a minimal amount of time. Provide administrative assistance to regional offices and recipients on budgetary design/planning and contractual requirements, including but not limited to: grant agreements, payment request / progress reports, amendments, and close-out process

Provide applicants, recipients, and project managers with administrative assistance and direction in the interpretation of grant agreement and guidelines, state and federal statutes and rules, AQP and Agency policies and procedures, as well as audit requirements and grantee relationships

Participate in the pre-award, grant application, and loan agreement review process. Develop recommendations to management for final proposed applicant award list/rankings and grant award amounts so that grant funds can be awarded to recipients most likely to provide the most effective clean air programs in the most vulnerable communities

Communicate award decisions to applicants, management, and program staff

Develop and negotiate grant agreement amendments with Ecology program management, Ecology project managers, and grant recipients so that recipients can implement effective programs that reduce health and environmental threats from smoke and motor vehicle emissions or achieve overall cleaner air in Washington communities. Independently review and approve requests for grant payments by determining eligibility of recipient costs for consistency with the grant regulations, program guidelines, and agency requirements outlined in Ecology’s Administrative Requirements for Ecology Grants and Loans (Yellow Book), Ecology Publication No. 91-18 and that costs are billed to the correct task and fund source

Verify recipient has correctly and completely updated required information in Ecology’s Administration of Grants and Loans (EAGL) system and provide technical assistance and direction regarding EAGL

Monitor grant activities and accomplishments and ensure compliance and fulfillment of grant and contract timeline and deliverables prior to reimbursement or closing the grant to ensure that grant funds have produced the most productive and credible clean air initiatives

Conduct tracking and analysis of grant activities, including generating and reviewing active grant status reports to ensure compliance with grant agreement, regulations, policies and procedures

Qualification

Grant managementEnvironmental regulationsTechnical assistanceProject managementData analysisEnvironmental justiceNegotiation skillsAnalytical thinkingProblem-solvingCommunication skills

Required

Nine years of experience and education performing environmental-based work, OR work which includes two or more of the following: Experience developing or managing grants, contracts, or loans; Experience interpreting policy and providing technical assistance; Experience overseeing contractor or consultant services for compliance and performance; Experience negotiating agreements and/or drafting and editing contract language; Experience interpreting and explaining environmental regulations and requirements; Experience with Electric Vehicles (EV) and EV charging technology, charging infrastructure installation projects, utility infrastructure planning or implementation, land use planning or land use permitting, or other related fields; Project management experience; Experience in analyzing and synthesizing complex information, including environmental regulations, program guidance, and technical documents, and applying findings to decision-making and program implementation; Familiarity with environmental justice concepts and practice

Using critical / analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to make decisions or determine a course of action

Reviewing / assessing information and data to draw conclusions and recommending decisions or actions

Conducting research and performing data analysis on both qualitative and quantitative data

Preferred

Expert-level knowledge of the following policy areas: air quality, transportation decarbonization and emissions reduction, fleet charging infrastructure planning, climate, and energy

Experience incorporating environmental justice considerations into environmental or government work

Experience working with people on complex or controversial environmental issues

Advanced research skills to collect, synthesize, and evaluate information, including documentation of sources

Government to Government consultation and/or experience working with Tribes