Summary of Position

WESTAF seeks a Grants Specialist who has a growth mindset, is partnership-driven, and possesses a high level of emotional intelligence. The position and work flow is designed for someone who is incredibly flexible, thoughtful and collaborative. They bring creativity, positive energy, joy, and passion toward our collective efforts to co-imagine an arts field that is more equitable and where access to resources is more liberatory. The person is also comfortable with working collaboratively and independently in a remote (virtual) environment. 

The Grants Specialist will coordinate and support grant, fellowship and leadership programs in collaboration with the rest of the SRI team and WESTAF’s diverse and expansive network of allies and partners. They will also work with staff across the organization to shape and execute policies and procedures that communicate WESTAF’s mission, vision and values. 

Responsibilities

Awards Management (40%)

• The Grants Specialist will oversee awards administration by implementing measures for and monitoring awardee compliance with award terms, and assuring WESTAF’s alignment with generally recognized grants management best practices through a lens of equity and inclusion. Specific responsibilities will include:
• Coordinating all components of the post-award grantmaking process: issuing award documentation, contract management, compliance with funder and Federal regulations, payment scheduling, grant adjustments, grant extensions, and reporting timelines.
• Managing the issuing of awards, including award letters, grant award agreements and any other required documentation.
• Serving as primary contact for all relevant funder systems to ensure WESTAF’s compliance with requirements, responsiveness to administrative queries from grant officers, submission of relevant documentation and management of relevant grant-related identifications.
• Developing and sustaining improved operations, streamlined processes, and working cooperatively to execute grant programs effectively, addressing issues necessary to enhance desired outcomes.
• Coordinating, designing and maintaining final reports to funders in collaboration with relevant staff.
• Ensuring the maintenance of files of all award documentation, communications with grantees, and all other information needed for the purposes of programmatic, audit, and funder compliance.
• Ensure award documents comply with WESTAF’s funder requirements, including National Endowment for the Arts General Terms and Conditions and the Federal OMB Uniform Guidance.
• Produce reports on organization-wide granting activity for the National Endowment for the Arts and other funding sources as well as for the state arts agencies, board, external program evaluators, auditors, and for WESTAF’s management and staff.

Data Systems Management (30%)

• The Grants Specialist will serve as the primary grant system administrator and project lead for SRI’s use of the online grants portal, including developing clear standards and procedures, and facilitating relevant training for the team, partners and awardees. Specific responsibilities will include:
• Serving as the SRI administrator for WESTAF’s cloud-based grants management system, including serving as primary contact with relevant in-house product staff, staying abreast of any product changes and ensuring clear and efficient communication to SRI stakeholders.
• Creating/maintaining/monitoring the use of templates for applications, award documents, reports, and workflows for use by SRI. 
• Setting up, managing, and establishing the protocols for internal use of the grants management system, including training and supporting SRI to operationalize the system daily.
• Participating in ongoing needs assessment for WESTAF’s grants data system needs.

Financial Management (20%)

• Ensure the timely, accurate and efficient processing of payments.
• Provide and analyze relevant financial reports.
• Support the budgeting and projections process.
• Ensure that the team is fully prepared for all audit processes.

WESTAF Initiatives (10%)

Each fiscal year, WESTAF leadership crafts initiatives that deeply connect to the organization’s overall mission, vision and values. Some initiatives align with the SRI team’s annual work plan and objectives and key results. Over and above those initiatives, the employee will join colleagues in work across the organization to help advance our collective goals. Involvement is largely selected by the employee and can support the use of various areas of expertise and/or provide opportunities for professional development. The employee will work with their supervisor to ensure that their involvement is balanced according to their work priorities. This will include a mix of the following:

• Participation in one or more of WESTAF’s internal working groups in organizational culture, business, equity, marketing, policy and/or other areas.
• Collaboration in relevant objectives and key results from other teams that align with SRI goals.
• Active participation in virtual and/or in-person all-staff and cross-department gatherings.
• Support the onboarding of new staff from other teams.
• Participation in the “buddy” system.
• Other areas as needed and/or initiated by the employee.