Grants Management Director

Who We Are

American Farmland Trust (AFT) is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect nearly 8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families. Long a pioneering leader, AFT continues to evolve to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers nationwide, adapting its approach to ensure the continued strength and resilience of agriculture and rural communities nationwide.

Job purpose 

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Grant Management Director is responsible for designing standard operating procedures for grant management at AFT and establishing the grant management team. 

Position summary 

As an integral part of the AFT Grant Management Team, the Grant Management Director is responsible for various finance functions including but not limited to, leading a team that will (aid in) preparing proposal budgets that will funnel into the creation of the annual budget and ensuring the integrity of financial information. The first year of this position will consist of launching this new team and setting standard operating procedures as well as training staff on best practices. 

Duties and responsibilities 

• Lead a team of professionals to ensure award management and compliance 
• Create standard operating procedures for newly formed team 
• Hire, mentor and manage a team of new staff while fostering a high-performance culture. 
• Advocate for best practices within AFT to standardize award management across diverse funding sources. 
• Collaborate with the Development Team to ensure sound financial stewardship of grant funds in accordance with the donor’s intent and allowable spending parameters  
• Craft AFT’s budget in accordance with signed agreements. 
• Partner with the Project Management Team to refine award tracking systems, tools, policies and procedures in support of AFT’s project lifecycle. 
• Oversee preparation of proposal budgets and related timelines. 
• Calculate year-end projections based on YTD actuals by working with Grant Accountants, and program staff to ensure accuracy of work and spending plans. 
• Create plan for collection of receivables, to be carried out by team. 
• Create plan to monitor allowable expenses per agreement – set spending parameters accordingly.  
• Ensure that all appropriate support services are covered in proposal budgets. 
• Develop models or suggestions for expenditures to optimize budget adherence.  
• Produce monthly reports and related analysis. 
• Recommend benchmarks for measuring financial and operating performance of AFT 
• Develop training strategies for development and compliance with budget for different internal audiences.. 
• Collaborate with cross-functional staff to ensure committed outcomes and financials are managed properly per signed agreement. 
• Provide periodic and on-demand financial data gathering, synthesis, and gap analysis in comparison to signed agreement. 
• Support annual work planning and budgeting process. 

This is not necessarily an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned. 

The ideal candidate is familiar with budget management and grants in nonprofits, highly detail oriented and organized, exudes leadership, feels confident reviewing reconciliations, analyzing statements and coaching staff, and possesses:   

• Experience with federal non-profit budget management in accordance with GAAP standards and 2 CFR 200; foundation grant management also a plus. 
• Be able to perform financial analysis and explain steps for resolution. 
• Thorough understanding of all accounting functional areas. Experience and proficiency with accounting computer systems, software, and applications, such as Intacct and Martus or other general ledger and budget software. 
• Proficiency with Office365–Excel, SharePoint & Teams.  
• Strong, verbal, written, analytical and organizational skills.  
• High level of ethics, integrity, transparency, and trustworthiness. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively and build consensus with individuals, teams, and committees; service oriented.   
• Ability to translate financial concepts to individuals at all levels in the organization – including non-finance employees.  
• Must have familiarity with federal & foundation funding arrangements and related items such as match requirements and overhead (NICRA) limitations. 
• Experience with large federal awards and compliance, including but not limited to USDA General Terms and Conditions (GT&C) and NRCS Grant Agreement and Development Budget Expense Table (GADBET).   
• Ability to effectively listen, respond and motivate internal/external team members to achieve common goal in a highly matrixed and/or remote environment. 
• Ability to adapt quickly and support the effective management of financials in a rapidly changing environment. 
• Self-starter who takes initiative to problem solve. 
• Committed to the mission of AFT 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance or Business Administration required or 
• 8+ years’ experience in a non-profit organization working with federal grants or  
• Combination of education and experience that can demonstrate the ability to perform the job functions.  
• Must have prior staff management experience. 

Working/Travel Conditions 

• This job operates in an office & remote environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, and phones. Occasional work in the evenings or on weekends may be required to meet deadlines.   
• Travel is not required for this position aside from an annual staff retreat. 

Direct Reports

This position directly supervises the Grant Compliance Manager, Grant Accountants, Grant Budget Analyst, and Grant Management Administrator.

Compensation

This position offers an annual salary of $115,000 - $130,000. 

American Farmland Trust offers a full benefits package for full time employees:

• Insurance coverage begins the 1st of the month following the date of hire. 
• Medical & Prescription Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Company Paid Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – Healthcare & Dependent Care
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• 401k Plan
• Sick Leave: Regular full-time employees accrue 13 “sick days” per year.
• Vacation Leave: Accrue 15 days during the first year increasing by one day per year to 20 days per year maximum.
• Holidays: AFT observes twelve fixed holidays and a week between Christmas and New Years off during the year (all offices closed) plus a choice of up to three (depending on hiring month) floating holidays.

Why you should apply:

• Be a part of a purpose-driven, committed, knowledgeable, high-performing, experienced and fun team
• A diverse and inclusive work environment
• A cause and mission you can be proud of
• Competitive compensation & benefits
• Remote work opportunities
• Flexible scheduling

Timeline

To be considered, applicants must submit a resume, a cover letter explaining why they are the right fit for both AFT and this role and complete all screener questions. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled.

We believe diversity drives innovation. We are inclusive. We embrace differences. We recognize and respect the fundamental value and dignity of all our employees. We celebrate the unique traditions, heritages, and experiences our employees bring to the workplace. We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive culture that promotes and values diversity, and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work every day. Please see AFT’s statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice.