Businesses, Compliance & Grants Manager

Businesses, Compliance & Grants Manager

Job Description

The Business, Compliance & Grants Manager is a key member of the organization's administrative and operational infrastructure. This position strengthens the systems, processes, and compliance practices that allow a $3M nonprofit organization with approximately 40 employees to operate effectively, responsibly, and sustainably.

Working closely with the Executive Director and Finance Director, this position provides organizational leadership in grant compliance, cost allocation, business operations, contracts, internal controls, technology projects, and special initiatives.

The Finance Director retains primary responsibility for accounting, financial reporting, payroll, and grant financial reporting. The Business, Compliance & Grants Manager complements that role by ensuring that the organization's programs, systems, policies, and administrative practices align with funding requirements and organizational goals.

The successful candidate will be a highly organized problem-solver who can move comfortably between compliance requirements, operational details, technology projects, and strategic organizational initiatives.

Primary Areas of Responsibility

1. Grant Compliance & Cost Allocation The Business, Compliance & Grants Manager serves as the organization's primary internal resource for grant compliance and cost allocation, working in partnership with the Finance Director and program leadership.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintain a comprehensive organizational calendar of grant and contract requirements, including applications, amendments, reports, renewals, monitoring visits, and closeouts.
• Review grant agreements and identify operational, compliance, reporting, and financial requirements that need organizational attention.
• Work with the Finance Director and program leadership to ensure costs are appropriately allocated among programs, grants, and funding sources.
• Maintain and periodically review the organization's cost allocation plan.
• Monitor compliance with 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance).
• Coordinate with Finance on grant-related financial documentation and reporting.
• Support preparation for federal, state, and private funder audits, monitoring visits, and compliance reviews.
• Maintain organized grant compliance documentation.

2. Business Operations & Organizational Infrastructure

This position provides coordination and oversight for business systems that cross departments and do not naturally belong to one program area.

Responsibilities may include:

• Maintain organizational policies, procedures, and administrative systems.
• Review business processes and recommend improvements that increase efficiency and reduce administrative burden.
• Coordinate organizational contracts, licenses, insurance documentation, subscriptions, and other recurring business obligations.
• Maintain a centralized calendar for organizational renewals, compliance deadlines, contracts, licenses, insurance, and other recurring requirements.
• Support procurement processes and ensure appropriate documentation and approvals.
• Assist leadership with vendor selection, contract negotiations, and implementation of new services.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for recurring administrative processes.
• Identify gaps in internal controls and work with leadership to address them.
• Support implementation and documentation of organizational policies approved by the Board or leadership.
• Serve as an organizational resource when business or administrative issues cross multiple departments.

3. Technology & Special Projects

The Business, Compliance & Grants Manager serves as the organization's internal project manager for technology and other cross-organizational initiatives.

Examples may include:

• Coordinate implementation or replacement of organizational software and technology systems.
• Lead projects such as CRM, case management, accounting, payroll, timekeeping, grant management, or document-management system changes.
• Coordinate with technology vendors and outside IT providers.
• Develop project timelines, implementation plans, staff communication, training plans, and follow-up processes.
• Help evaluate technology solutions based on organizational needs, cost, security, accessibility, and sustainability.
• Coordinate data migration, system implementation, and user testing when appropriate.
• Help establish organizational practices for data security, access, retention, and appropriate technology use.
• Lead other cross-departmental special projects assigned by the Executive Director.
• Provide project management support for strategic initiatives that require coordination across multiple programs.

4. Organizational Planning & Leadership Support

• Provide the Executive Director with research, analysis, and project management support.
• Assist with strategic planning and implementation.
• Support development of organizational budgets and business plans by providing operational information and analysis.
• Research new funding opportunities, contracts, partnerships, and business opportunities as requested.
• Assist leadership in assessing the operational implications of new programs or funding.
• Prepare reports, presentations, project plans, and other materials for leadership and Board committees.
• Track implementation of organizational initiatives and follow up on outstanding action items.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen organizational infrastructure, sustainability, and efficiency.

5. Training, Documentation & Internal Capacity

A major function of this position is helping staff understand the systems and requirements that affect their work.

• Develop user-friendly guidance for staff related to grant compliance, purchasing, cost allocation, documentation, and administrative procedures.
• Provide training to managers and staff on relevant policies and grant requirements.
• Create tools, templates, checklists, and procedures that make compliance easier.
• Help program managers understand the operational and compliance requirements associated with their grants.
• Promote a culture in which compliance is viewed as an organizational responsibility rather than simply a Finance function.
• Keep leadership and staff informed about changes to applicable grant requirements and regulations.

QualificationsRequired

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, nonprofit management, public administration, accounting, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3–5 years of experience in nonprofit administration, grant management, compliance, operations, project management, or related work.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of budgets, grants, contracts, and organizational operations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office/Google Workspace and spreadsheets.
• Ability to learn and manage complex regulatory and funding requirements.

Strongly Preferred

• Experience with federal grants and 2 CFR Part 200 / Uniform Guidance.
• Experience developing or administering a nonprofit cost allocation plan.
• Experience with government contracts and grants.
• Experience with nonprofit internal controls and compliance.
• Experience managing technology or software implementation projects.
• Experience working with vendors and outside consultants.
• Experience with QuickBooks or other nonprofit accounting systems.
• Experience in a multi-program nonprofit organization.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who enjoys figuring out how things work—and how they could work better. The ideal candidate is someone who can read a federal grant requirement in the morning, work with a program director to solve a cost-allocation question in the afternoon, and coordinate a new technology implementation the next day.

This person should be comfortable saying, "There has to be a better way to do this," and then helping the organization build that better way. They should be equally comfortable working with spreadsheets, policies, people, vendors, technology, and leadership.

Most importantly, they understand that strong organizational infrastructure is not bureaucracy for its own sake. Good systems protect the organization, protect its funding, support its staff, and ultimately allow more resources to reach the people and communities the organization exists to serve.

About Umbrella:

Umbrella’ s core values include:

Integrity

We act courageously in accordance with our values, honoring the inherent wholeness of ourselves and all community members.

Healing

We believe that everyone is capable of healing through authentic connection.

Transformation

We intentionally work toward the transformation of systems and societal norms in order to realize social justice for all.

Umbrella’s vision is to be an organization whose transformative work is realized through prepared and supported staff, trauma-informed and healing-focused practices, collaborative community leadership addressing the needs of the most marginalized people in our region, and innovative programming enabled through internal financial strength.

Employment at Umbrella:

Umbrella offers a competitive benefit package including health insurance (for employee), dental insurance, as well as a generous earned time program. We value our employee’s wellness and so we offer 90 minutes of paid wellness time per week as well as a $250 stipend/year for wellness activity expenses.

Umbrella provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

To Apply:

Please send resume and cover letter to Amanda Cochrane at amandac@umbrellanek.org.

Pay: $58,240.00 - $66,560.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• 403(b)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Saint Johnsbury, VT 05819

Salary : $58,240 - $66,560