Grants Specialist

Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO)’s mission is to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to overcome unfairness and injustice, reduce poverty, and increase opportunity. LASCO has a long-standing history of being committed to searching out the patterns, causes of, and solutions to the repetitive and fundamental legal problems facing low-income Ohioans and pursuing the legal recourse needed to address those problems. Since 1966, our organizations have helped thousands of Ohio’s poor obtain and keep housing, secure public benefits, worked with families to gain and maintain economic stability, and helped domestic violence survivors to live free of fear and abuse and to obtain the resources needed to sustain themselves and their children.

LASCO is actively seeking a dedicated Grants Specialist to provide support to our Columbus-based Development Team. In collaboration with the Development Director, you will be responsible for ensuring that LASCO’s projects operate in full compliance with grant requirements, focusing on budget alignment, reporting accuracy, and interdepartmental coordination. This role involves overseeing both the submission of new and renewal grant applications as well as the ongoing maintenance of the grants LASCO currently has.

Are You Someone Who:

Takes pride in completing tasks accurately, timely and precisely?

Has a willingness to try and aptitude to learn new things?

Is motivated, professional, and customer service focused?

Enjoys a well-organized, balanced spreadsheet?

Works well within a collaborative, team-driven, and goal-based environment?

Can communicate verbally and in writing with a wide range of people?

Is agile and able to respond effectively to the changing needs of a growing organization?

Creates processes to increase work efficiencies and systems to work smarter not harder?

Engages in continuous learning to evolve personal skillset?

Is attentive, persistent and able to creatively adapt to dynamic situations?

Has high standards of integrity, authenticity, self-confidence and willingness to roll-up your sleeves to get the job done?

Promotes a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and quality?

Is dedicated to improving the lives of low-income individuals in our communities?

You Will:

Facilitate the full grant cycle process with close coordination with the internal project lead, Development and Grants Coordinator, and Development Director.

Facilitate the submission of new grant proposals with the help of the development department, finance team, and substantive law experts.

Budget Alignment: Regularly monitor and ensure that organizational spending adheres to the budgets and plans submitted in grant applications. Identify any discrepancies and coordinate corrective actions promptly.

Data Collection & Reporting: Implement and oversee the collection of all required data for grant reporting with each project point person, ensuring accuracy and timely submission in alignment with grant requirements.

Deviation Management: Establish a protocol for identifying, documenting, and addressing any deviations from approved grant plans. Promptly coordinate with relevant parties to implement corrective measures and document the process.

Departmental Coordination: Act as a bridge between the administrative departments and the substantive team leaders to ensure there is a clear understanding of the data collection requirements, reporting requirements and funding code coordination.

New Grant Integration: For each new grant, extract key compliance requirements and budgetary expectations and disseminate this information to the relevant practice groups. Provide guidance and support to Managing Attorneys to integrate new compliance requirements smoothly.

Relationship Building & Planning: Build strong working relationships with Managing Attorneys, ensuring proactive communication. Schedule regular meetings and provide ongoing support to address compliance issues as they arise.

Audit & Documentation: Maintain thorough documentation of compliance processes, audit trails, and correspondence to support internal audits or grantor reviews. Facilitate grant site visits.

Provide other assistance to support the Development team’s work as it arises and your interests align.

Requirements

You Have:

Demonstrated progressive experience managing federal and private awards equal to or greater than $250,000 per year

Exceptional organizational and interpersonal abilities; comfortable training program staff and liaising with grantor officers

Detail oriented and self-directed, able to juggle multiple deadlines with strong project management skills

Excellent communication skills, both orally and written, with diverse audiences

High ability to gather, coordinate and report required data

High ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment

High ability to exercise sound judgement and discretion

Ability to facilitate collaboration as well as build and sustain productive relationships with diverse groups and organizations

Ability and willingness to collaborate and coordinate with the Development Director and the management team as a whole

Ability to prioritize workload to manage time and tasks and delegate responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner

Proficiency in Microsoft applications, knowledge of current technologies and commitment to remain up to date with industry best practices

English language proficiency is essential and Spanish/English bilingual skills are a plus. Additional languages – even better

Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, Finance, Accounting, or related field (Master’s or CGMS preferred)

Prior Legal Aid or related work experience a plus, but not required

Other Details:

It is the policy of LASCO not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability, age, ancestry, and military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position reports to the Development Director and requires some travel throughout the service area.?The position may be based in any of the LASCO Offices.

Salary starts at $67,000 annually and is dependent upon level of experience.

LASCO offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package, currently including an employer funded HRA (up to $12,000), employer-paid employee dental and vision insurance, a language skills differential ($2,500-$3,500 annually), paid vacation, sick and holiday time, and ongoing training and development opportunities.

To Apply: Submit resume, writing sample, references, and letter of interest.

Salary Description

$67,000 annually and up, based upon experience