Director of Grants – Finance

The Position

National Women’s Law Center is seeking a Director of Grants.  As a key member of the Finance team, the Director of Grants will be responsible for financial oversight of the Law Center’s multimillion dollar grants portfolio funded by private, corporate, and community foundations and individual donors who give through donor-advised funds and similar vehicles. The Director will manage the financial components of grants over their full life cycle, from initial application through approval, implementation, and reporting.

The Organization

The National Women’s Law Center fights for gender justice—in the courts, in public policy, and in our society—working across the issues that are central to the lives of women and girls.

We use the law in all its forms to change culture and drive solutions to the gender inequity that shapes our society and to break down the barriers that harm all of us—especially women of color, LGBTQ people, and low-income women and families.

For almost 50 years, we have been on the leading edge of every major legal and policy victory for women. Find out more at NWLC.org.

Responsibilities

 Grants Management

  • Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Grants function for the Finance Team and provide leadership, direction, and supervision to its team members;
  • Act as a thought partner to the Development, Marketing and Communications, and Program teams to provide support, guidance, and advice regarding budget preparation, proposal development and grant budgetary spending concerns;
  • Partner with other members of the Finance Team to develop forecasts, budgets, and budget revisions for programs. Analyze cash flow forecasts for program areas monthly and communicate monthly project level financial results to program manage;
  • Assist in the preparation of the Law Center’s annual budget in coordination with other Finance team members. Assess cost structures, funding availability, and funding gaps;
  • Partner with the Controller around year-end audits as well as various program specific audits, process journal entries, and other various projects if needed.

Compliance

  • Manage accounting, reporting, and compliance related to all grant awards, other restricted and unrestricted funding sources. Review grant agreement terms and donor regulations and coordinate with VP for Administration & Finance, Controller, and Development team members to comply with all donor requirements and to ensure accurate revenue recognition or other appropriate transaction coding;
  • Analyze the grant awards and ensure that all the allowable grant expenses (personnel & operating) are properly budgeted and accounted for;
  • Coordinate the timely recording and processing of monthly activity related to restricted funds including indirect cost entries, revenue recognition, cash reporting, donor invoicing, and revenue releases. Coordinate necessary reconciliations on a daily, monthly, and annual basis.

Reporting

  • Develop and manage systems to accurately track actual expenses and report to all stakeholders including funders and internal program teams as well as the senior leadership team;
  • Develop processes for timely preparation and submission of all required financial reports for funders and ensure their compliance with NWLC standards and donors’ requirements. Actively manage grant-related post-award functions, including but not limited to budget and expense analysis, invoicing, funding availability reports, financial reporting, labor distribution changes, reconciliations, budget modifications and grant closeout functions;
  • Responsible for the effective completion of ad-hoc reporting requests and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

A candidate must possess:

  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field;
  • A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience, particularly working with organizations with restricted funding as well GL (general ledger) accounting / reconciliations, financial statement preparation and analysis, budgeting, and client support;
  • Demonstrated knowledge and application of best practices in grantmaking, including rules and regulations, expenditure responsibility and lobbying issues;
  • Experience with key finance and accounting functions including accounts payable, revenue recognition and other general ledger maintenance, cash management, budgeting, financial analysis, and strategic business decision support;
  • Experience supporting business development functions including budget proposal development and managing the financial aspects of restricted awards throughout their life cycle. Excellent communication, training, and supervisory skills. Strong budgeting, analytical, and financial reporting skills. Tactful, flexible, and respectful, with excellent listening, thinking, influencing, and reasoning skills. Advanced skills in Excel and proficiency in MS Office Suite;
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a diverse, collaborative team environment;
  • Demonstrated commitment to and experience working on gender and racial equity and centering communities of color in the approach to work;
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and ability to communicate complex concepts to individuals with and without financial expertise;
  • Demonstrated solutions-oriented approach and ability to collaborate with colleagues to identify and resolve problems and issues;
  • Exceptional accuracy, attention to detail, and the ability to complete projects in a timely manner.

Additional preferred skills and knowledge:

  • Master’s degree and/or CPA license preferred;
  • Experience with Sage Intacct as well as Vena Solutions or related Budget/Forecasting system experience.

Key Relationships

The Director of Grants will report directly to the Controller and will supervise the Senior Manager for Grants.  The Director will also work closely with members of the Development team as well as the VP for Administration & Finance and the rest of the Finance team.

Compensation & Benefits

A minimum salary of $116,433 will be provided to the successful candidate who has at least 7 years of experience directly relevant to this role, consistent with the National Women’s Law Center’s compensation framework.

The Center offers a comprehensive benefits package, and four weeks of annual vacation.

NWLC is a non-profit organization whose headquarters and staff are based in Washington, D.C., with our office located in historic Dupont Circle. However, due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, all NWLC staff are temporarily working remotely. We continue to monitor public health guidance and keep safety, science, and flexibility top of mind as we evaluate what reopening looks like for our team.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please forward a resume and a cover letter outlining your interests and qualifications. Resumes should include exact start and end dates (month and year) of employment. Please send application materials via e-mail to [email protected] and include the position title in the subject line. Applications accepted until position is filled.

The National Women’s Law Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and values a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage and seek applications from people with disabilities; people of all gender identities and sexual orientations; people of color; and veterans. 

Reasonable Accommodations

If you require reasonable accommodations during any part of the hiring process, please email us at [email protected]