Government Award Manager

Summary

We're looking for a Government Award Manager who will have an exceptional opportunity to enable Activate's mission by providing operational and strategic support to federal and state award management. The Government Award Manager will provide grant management and business development support as part of the Development Team. This person will work closely with fellowship, program, people and culture, finance, and operations teams to ensure quality management of the assigned portfolio of awards as per donor guidelines and requirements and Activate’s policies and procedures. They will be expected to develop and submit competitive proposal packages; ensure awards are managed throughout the project cycle in line with donor agreements and Activate’s processes; ensure all amendments to the agreements are carefully prepared, processed, and submitted; ensure reports are written, reviewed, and edited to ensure quality and accuracy, and are afterward submitted in compliance with donor requirements on a timely basis; and work with the program and fellowships teams to ensure that grant-specific requirements are met by partners. The Government Award Manager will report to the Senior Director of Development.

Primary Responsibilities

Coordinate award management:

• Monitor and maintain funder reporting schedules and requirements.
• Maintain master calendar of grants and proposals and all associated files and correspondence.
• Coordinate with fellowship, program, people and culture, finance, and operations teams to ensure quality management of the assigned portfolio of awards.
• Provide regular updates for assigned awards (open, closed, pipeline grants, reporting calendar, quarterly work plans).

Produce proposals and reports:

• Prepare proposals, concept notes, requests for information, etc. 
  • Lead all aspects of the proposal development process – including compiling and editing proposal narratives, budget narratives, logframes, workplans, drafting of required annexes, etc.
  • Conduct research, gather internal and external data, and conduct data analysis in support of grant objectives.
  • Facilitate program design workshops.
  • Write drafts and organize internal review of proposal packages.
  • Review grant proposals for completeness and consistency with criteria. 
  • Assemble supporting materials and documents including budget narratives, outcome measurements, etc.
  • Manage teaming processes with external partner organizations, including developing scopes of work and managing budget negotiations.
  • Maintain knowledge of grant agreement language and donor compliance requirements, serving as a knowledge resource on assigned donors and advancing questions where needed.
• Draft compelling progress reports and targeted program updates for funders that fully capture programmatic success.
  • Assist with ongoing analysis of program operations, outputs, and outcomes.
• Ensure the team meets proposal and reporting deadlines. 
  • Determine priorities and target dates for gathering information, drafting, editing, revising, and submitting proposals/reports.
  • Collaborate with relevant staff to ensure compliance with grant requirements, collect and synthesize data, and solicit timely inputs for proposals and reports.
  • Utilize internal tools (Hubspot, Asana) to organize grant applications, track and process reports, and conduct analysis.

Drive new customer discovery and pipeline management:

• Research and evaluate new high-probability government funding opportunities.
• Guide Go/No-Go discussions about new funding opportunities.

Develop and document internal processes:

• Maintain the overall quality of proposals and reports by creating, maintaining, and revising templates and support databases.
• Maintain library of grant support documents including resumes, bios, IRS forms, board/staff diversity lists, etc.
• Utilize Hubspot to track past, present, and potential funders.
• Produce step-by-step instructions for specific tasks to streamline processes and achieve maximum efficiency (i.e., standard operating procedures, work instructions, etc.).

The Ideal Candidate:

• Is passionate about Activate’s mission and its connection to different impact sponsors and donors.
• Is a highly skilled project manager.
• Has exceptional writing skills.
• Has strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills.
• Is service-oriented and establishes strong rapport. 
• Is collaborative and emotionally attuned.
• Has a strong sense of accountability.
• Has strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Makes data-driven and evidence-based decisions.
• Has a positive attitude, sense of humor, and flexible working style.
• Is enthusiastic about the potential of scientists and the power of science innovation to combat climate change and create a sustainable, resilient, and equitable global economy.
• Thorough knowledge of the Department of Energy, Department of Commerce, National Science Foundation, and/or Department of Defense award processes is a plus.

Competencies/Skills/Abilities:

• Has 5+ years of experience in federal award management for nonprofit organizations.
• Has experience managing a pipeline of multiple concurrent government awards.
• Has excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Has experience planning, designing, and/or facilitating Go/No Go meetings, program design workshops, scope of work and budget negotiations with partner organizations, etc.
• Has excellent time management skills with a demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and multitask effectively.
• Is comfortable with financial analysis.
• Is comfortable with data management systems, software platforms, and spreadsheets.
• Is highly detail-oriented and well-organized.
• Is comfortable working in a remote team environment.
• Takes the initiative to push a project forward or improve a process.

Values

Activate’s culture is built around the following values:

• We put people first through mutual support, respect, and continuous improvement
• We live in trust, acting with authenticity, integrity, and a presumption of good intention
• We appreciate experimentation, using data to improve, and accepting that failure and discomfort are necessary for growth
• We create value through connection and building community
• We are guided by intention and are purpose-driven to improve society

About the role

This is a full-time position with a competitive salary and a comprehensive suite of benefit offerings. This role includes approximately 10% travel for national events and also requires prolonged periods of working on a computer. This position is remote, although with a preference to be based in or near one of our in-residence communities: Berkeley, Boston, New York City, or Houston.