Merit America is hiring a Grants Specialist

Responsibilities

• Research, develop, and manage complex grant reports for our portfolio of 30+ funders, and all associated post-award reporting requirements
• Monitor grant performance against key commitments and communicate progress—and any emerging gaps—to internal teams and funders when appropriate
• Contribute to grant proposals, including multi-year foundation and federal applications
• Contribute to concept notes, overviews, and external-facing materials tailored to prospective funders to support early-stage cultivation and new business development
• Support with the development of other tailored funder-facing materials, such as learner and alumni stories
• Review grant agreements regularly and maintain systems to track reporting deadlines, data needs, and compliance requirements; engage staff across teams to gather information in a timely manner
• Manage funders’ online grant portals for post-award processes
• Gather, analyze, and synthesize qualitative and quantitative data—including program activity, learner outcomes, and impact metrics—to strengthen funder reporting and renewal opportunities
• Interpret grant-specific data to identify trends, highlight impact, and inform tailored communications with funders
• Continuously monitor funder news and trends, and share insights with the team to strengthen engagement and renewal strategy
• Stay current on national and regional trends in workforce development and education to incorporate relevant insights into reports and recommendations
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Coaching, Program, Data, Communications, etc.) to produce clear, concise, and compelling communications with existing and prospective funders
• Coordinate with external partners on joint grants (or subgrants) to gather required data and reporting inputs
• Liaise with funders as needed to clarify deadlines, templates, reporting expectations, and compliance questions, when needed
• Prepare for and participate in funder meetings, as needed

Requirements

• Experience with grant writing, reporting, and research with diverse funders (corporate, foundation, federal)
• Familiarity with interpreting compliance requirements related to grants management, contracts, and audits
• Strong planning, organizational skills, and attention to detail with ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Strong written communication skills, maintaining a high level of professionalism and attention to grammar, formatting, and copy editing
• Ability to distill complex information and data into compelling, accessible grant reports and proposals
• Strong analytical and deductive reasoning skills to synthesize qualitative and quantitative data
• Proactive and autonomous approach, taking ownership of processes and effectively problem-solving as needed
• Exceptional cross-functional collaboration skills, building trust and strong working relationships across functions
• Ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to gather relevant information and ensure coherence in deliverables
• Work independently with minimal supervision, taking responsibility for high-quality and timely task completion
• Committed to Merit America’s mission to pave pathways to family-sustaining careers, break the poverty cycle, and create upward mobility for low-wage workers
• Demonstrated history of embodying our values, which inform our work and drive our organization's culture
• Shared sense of responsibility and ownership for our collective work in making a positive impact on the community we support, true to our value of Win & Lose Together
• Committed to continuous learning and growth in advancing inclusive excellence and closing gaps across lines of difference
• Passionate about fostering a workplace culture that embraces and values individual differences, aligned with our core value of inclusivity

Nice to Have

• Experience with Salesforce
• Familiarity with the workforce development sector
• Comfort working with ChatGPT or similar AI tools.
• Familiarity with grant management software beyond Salesforce (e.g., Submittable, Fluxx)
• Experience with impact measurement and evaluation frameworks
• Prior experience in education, workforce development, or social impact sectors
• Familiarity with interpreting compliance and legal requirements related to grants management, contracts, and audits

Benefits

• 4-day work week (Fridays are an operating day if there is a holiday closure during the week)
• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance (100% Paid Employee Only Coverage)
• Flexible Spending Account and Health Savings Account
• Dependent care Flexible Spending Account
• Health Reimbursement Account fully funded by Merit
• Education & personal development reimbursement
• Catalog of courses for professional learning and development
• Short and long-term disability
• Unlimited vacation (after a 90-day introductory period)
• Paid Parental Leave and Adoption benefits (after 1 year of employment)
• 11 federally recognized holidays
• 2 week holiday office closure in December/January
• 401(k) retirement plan with automatic Merit contribution
• Wellness Benefits/Wellness Resources
• Discount perks at work program
• Phone/technology stipend
• Home office setup stipend
• Affinity groups and community building via virtual, in-person, and/or regional meetups

Additional Information

• Candidates must reside within the 50 states or District of Columbia and have full authorization to work in the 50 U.S. states & the District of Columbia (international work abroad, including the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and other islands are excluded).
• In addition, Merit America doesn't offer employment visa sponsorship.
• This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
• If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.
• Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the I-9 Form.
• We encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.
• We actively strive and evolve to develop and maintain workspaces that are fully inclusive.
• We recognize that some individuals from underrepresented backgrounds may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet 100% of the listed qualifications. Please don’t let that discourage you from applying! We value the unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that each applicant brings, and we encourage you to apply if you believe your background demonstrates the required skills and competencies.
• We have a market-based compensation approach, which means we benchmark each role from reputable data sources. We compare our benchmarks against similarly sized non-profit organizations with comparable annual budgets and geographical areas. We pay the same rate for the same roles and adjust to comply with statutory mandates.
• We take care of our employees by providing the following perks and benefits (please note that some of the benefits do not apply to temporary employees):
• Eligibility for some benefits may vary based on employment status, full-time or part-time. Eligibility will be outlined during the hiring process.
• Our goal is to have competitive and equitable compensation. We have a market-based compensation approach, which means we benchmark each role from reputable data sources. We compare our benchmarks against similarly sized non-profit organizations with comparable annual budgets and geographical areas. We pay the same rate for the same roles and adjust to comply with statutory mandates.
• We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years. Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.
• We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. This means we do not discriminate against any job applicant or employee because of their race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment. We actively strive and evolve to develop and maintain workspaces that are fully inclusive. We encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.
• We embrace GenAI at Merit America. Please reference our AI Guidelines for guiding principles and best practices.