Senior Manager, Grants & Compliance in Washington, District of Columbia at Mathematical Association of America

Job Summary

The Mathematical Association of America’s Programs Department leads initiatives that advance the MAA’s mission to promote the understanding, teaching, and learning of mathematics. The department manages national meetings, professional development opportunities, curricular resources, and outreach activities that engage students, educators, and the broader mathematics community. Through these efforts, the Programs Department fosters collaboration, cultivates mathematical talent, and supports excellence in education and scholarship.

Reporting to the Deputy Executive Director, the Senior Manager of Grants and Compliance has responsibility for overseeing budgets, contracts, expenditures and compliance for externally funded projects from proposal submission through post-award processes. You will work closely with off-site project managers and principal investigators to develop proposals; manage proposals through the submission process; review and recommend approval for requisitions and expenditures; produce budget forecasts; and coordinate communications with internal departments as well as manage activities related to grants post-award management. You will manage processes for grant-making programs funded by external donors including conflict of interest policies, review processes, and oversight of payment and reporting. You will work closely with the MAA finance department as well as with auditors, inspectors, program sponsor representatives, and program staff at universities, institutes and other organizations.

Job Responsibilities

To perform this role successfully, an individual must be able to carry out each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Additional responsibilities may be assigned as organizational needs evolve.

Leadership and Oversight

• Partner with senior leadership to identify new funding opportunities and guide long-term grants strategy.
• Provide organizational updates on changing regulations and processes related to external funding and create or update related internal processes and policies
• Represent the MAA in meetings with funders, partner institutions, auditors, and government agencies, serving as a primary liaison on grant and compliance matters.
• Supervise and mentor staff supporting grant administration, providing direction, feedback, and professional development.

Proposal Development and Grants Acquisition

• Manage the pre-award proposal preparation process in collaboration with Principal Investigators and external partners, ensuring alignment with the MAA mission and funder priorities and regulations.
• Oversee preparation and submission of proposals, serving as the Authorized Organizational Representative for NSF and other federal grants
• Ensure proposals are compliant with RFP guidelines, budget requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Stay up to date with expectations of federal agencies, foundations, and corporate sponsors, communicate changes to MAA leadership, and recommend process changes in response

Financial and Contract Management

• Oversee financial management of federally and privately funded programs, including budget forecasting, expenditure tracking, and reporting.
• Provide first round approval for grant-related expenditures, reallocations, and major purchases, ensuring compliance with funding guidelines.
• Direct preparation, negotiation, and monitoring of contracts, grant agreements, sub-awards, and consultant agreements; ensure appropriate billing and compliance across all agreements.
• Anticipate financial risks and implement strategies to maintain fiscal responsibility across programs.

Program Management

• Ensure efficient systems are in place for the administration and record-keeping of externally sponsored projects and outreach grant-making programs, creating and updating as needed.
• Convene and lead meetings with Principal Investigators to evaluate progress, address challenges, and streamline procedures.
• Create and manage processes including application, review, payment and reporting for our externally funded outreach grant-making programs.
• Provide project management for all pre-award and post-award management leadership and expertise across departmental initiatives as needed, including recommendations for improved processes

Compliance and Risk Management

• Serve as the organization’s lead authority on compliance and regulatory matters related to federal and private funding.
• Monitor and interpret changes in laws, directives, and compliance requirements, ensuring timely implementation across programs.
• Oversee risk management processes to minimize audit exposure and safeguard organizational integrity.
• Ensure accuracy, quality, and timeliness of all aspects of grants administration and reporting.

Minimum Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual should possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities, education, training, and/or work experience listed here.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required. Degrees or certification in research administration, project management, or business administration a plus.
• Grant Professionals Certification preferred; required for Sr. Manager title.

Experience

• 5+ years of directly related experience in grants management
• Experience in higher education, non-profit or federal government strongly preferred
• Experience with NSF-funded grants or financial assistance programs regulated by 2 CFR 200 strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of OMB Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 2 Part 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, and NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
• Strong knowledge of rules and regulations governing federal research programs
• Strong computational skills including database management; affinity for learning and fully utilizing software applications and systems.
• Strong writing ability with preference for grant writing in a mathematical or scientific community.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Strong attention to details.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to manage direct reports.

Competencies

• Integrity: Earns the trust and confidence of coworkers and customers through honest communication, ethical behavior and professionalism in all interactions.
• Business Acumen: The ability to plan through strategic thinking; an understanding of all areas of a business' operations and how they are interconnected
• Self-Development: Seeks out and accepts feedback, is a proactive learner, takes on tough assignments to improve skills, keeps knowledge and skills up-to-date, turns mistakes into learning opportunities.
• Fostering Innovation: The ability to develop, sponsor, or support the introduction of new and improved methods, products, procedures, or technologies.
• Judgment: The exercise of critical thinking, analysis and assessment of implications, identification of patterns, making connections of underlying issues, and the ability to apply that analysis to address issues effectively.
• Problem Solving: Breaks down problems into smaller components, can simplify and process complex issues, can identify and understand root cause.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment:

• General office with a hybrid work schedule with Tuesday and Wednesday required in office in Washington, DC.
• Some evening and weekend work to support events

Travel:

• Ability to travel at least two weeks per year for national meetings and the potential of up to approximately two additional weeks per year to support grant project meetings.