Grant Analyst, Charter Grant Operations 

Job Number:

2300004H 

Posting Date

: May 2, 2023, 1:56:51 AM

Primary Location

: Central-42 West Madison Street (Budget and Management Office)

CPS Non-Union Job Grade: S06

Estimated Annual Salary Range

: 58,000.00 - 76,000.00

Position Type: Non-Union Position

Overtime Status

: Exempt

Final salary offers are dependent upon candidate qualifications.

JOB DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 330,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Budget and Grants Management (OBGM) supports the strategic utilization of all resources, aligning them to district priorities by spearheading CPS’ financial strategy to support effective budget planning and maximizing available funds. A key component of this work is the Charter Grant Operations Team oversees the Post Award management phase for the federal formula grants awarded to charter schools. As part of this work, the Charter team authorizes spending, facilitates compliant spending, monitors grant implementation, including the budgets and spending status of assigned grants, and oversees the closeout process for the federal formula grants.

Job Summary: 

Reporting to the Budget Manager, Charter, a Grants Analyst (Charter Grant Operations) is responsible for the approval and continuous monitoring of approximately $90 million in federal formula grants distributed to 130+ Charter Schools. This includes developing and implementing new processes and procedures; facilitating training; developing external relationships with charter school operators; serving as the compliance checkpoint to ensure compliance with applicable OMB Circulars, grant provisions, District policies, and local, state, and federal requirements; and ensuring data integrity and transparency with all documents and reports related to this work.

The Grants Analyst will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Review and approve grant applications, amendments, and data validation
• Review and approve claims for reimbursement monthly with compliance checks four times a year
• Deliver comprehensive and differentiated training and ongoing assistance to key Charter school staff (both fiscal and programmatic)
• Monitor grant implementation, including budgets and spending, and assist in addressing barriers or issues
• Oversee all grants to ensure program activity is consistent with all local, state, or federal requirements and program policies and procedures
• Serve as the initial CPS contact for a defined Charter Schools group related to all federal categorical funding areas
• Work with the Budget counterparts to review budget allocations to ensure “Charters” are allocated most effectively and used appropriately to achieve programmatic goals
• Provide budgetary support and technical assistance to schools on federal grant financial policies and procedures
• Conduct data analysis and “desktop/onsite audits” protocols to actively review and monitor the use of federal grants
• Develop in-depth knowledge of funding agency legislation, regulations, technology, and CPS processes and systems in identifying and recommending potential integration points for improved outcomes
• Provide timely and accurate responses to any/all requests 
• Provide technical assistance and training to various stakeholders regarding program implementation, compliance preparation, corrective actions, and other related questions
• Participate in all assigned special projects and exploring process improvement initiatives to increase the productivity and efficiency of the unit

To be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Grants Analyst must possess the following qualifications: 

Education Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Finance, Business Management, Public Policy or related field

Experience Required:

• Minimum of two (2) years experience in budget and grants management, compliance monitoring, business operations, or other related experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Ability to articulate a vision, set high standards, and effectively guide schools and principals in meeting expectations set
• Ability to utilize computer technology and software to access data, maintain records, generate reports, and communicate with others
• Ability to independently coordinate, manage and complete assigned duties and projects in a timely manner
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; capable of communicating and collaborating with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Possess and use critical thinking skills
• Good interpersonal and organizational skills
• Ability to conduct financial analyses using Excel and other financial tools
• Have initiative and follow-through to achieve goals with limited direction
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Be committed to working in the public service/education field
• Demonstrate high levels of instructional expertise, integrity, honesty, credibility, and the courage to make difficult yet necessary decisions
• Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps
• Willingness to occasionally work extended hours in order to complete projects with condensed timelines and provide backup and support to others within the office

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. “Up-to-date” on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.