Duties
As a Grants Management Specialist, you will:
- Review and evaluate grant applications, supporting documentation, and eligibility requirements to determine compliance with program criteria and funding requirements.
- Monitor grant-funded projects to ensure recipients comply with award terms and conditions, applicable regulations, and program objectives.
- Provide technical assistance and guidance to applicants, grant recipients, and stakeholders regarding program requirements, policies, and procedures.
- Conduct reviews, assessments, and analyses to identify financial, administrative, or programmatic issues and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
- Support federal investments that strengthen America's port infrastructure by administering and overseeing grant programs that advance national transportation, economic, and security objectives.
The ideal candidate is a motivated professional who enjoy problem-solving, collaboration, and program management. You are comfortable reviewing information, analyzing requirements, providing customer service, and working with stakeholders to achieve program goals. Whether you are building your grants management experience or already administering complex programs, you bring strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills, along with a commitment to supporting federal investments that improve the nation's port infrastructure.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify.
- Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
- Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
- Direct Hire Authority/SME will be used to fill this position.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
- SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
- BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You may be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
- GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
- PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.
To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include:
- Experience supporting grants, cooperative agreements, financial assistance programs, contracts, or similar funding programs.
- Experience level reviewing information for compliance with laws, regulations, policies, procedures, or program requirements.
- Experience providing customer service, technical assistance, or program support to internal or external stakeholders.
To qualify for the GS-11 on Education alone, you must have:
3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
To qualify for the GS-12 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:
- Experience administering, reviewing, monitoring, or supporting grants, cooperative agreements, financial assistance programs, contracts, or similar funding programs.
- Experience monitoring program, financial, administrative, or compliance-related activities to ensure adherence to applicable laws, regulations, policies, procedures, or award requirements.
- Experience providing technical assistance, guidance, or advisory services to internal or external stakeholders.
You cannot qualify on education at the GS-12 level; you must have experience.
To qualify for the GS-13 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12 it must include:
- Experience administering, managing, or overseeing complex grants, cooperative agreements, financial assistance programs, or similar funding programs, including providing authoritative guidance throughout the award lifecycle.
- Experience with compliance reviews, risk assessments, monitoring activities, or resolving audit findings to ensure adherence to applicable laws, regulations, policies, and award requirements.
- Experience serving as a technical advisor or subject matter expert on grants management matters, providing guidance, interpreting policy, and recommending solutions to program officials, recipients, or other stakeholders.
You cannot qualify on education at the GS-13 level; you must have experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs):Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
- Technical Competence - (Grants Administration & Awards Management) – Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on the job experience to perform one’s job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
- Compliance - (Grants Compliance, Monitoring, & Risk Management) – Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.
- Customer Service - (Grant Advisory Services, Analysis & Program Support) – Works with clients and customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve problems, or satisfy expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
For all types of consideration, experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Additional information
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
For this announcement, applications will be reviewed to determine if the applicant meets the basic qualifications for this position. The applications of individuals who meet the basic qualifications will be assessed to validate that the applicant possesses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) at the level of proficiency needed to perform the job successfully. Applicants who are found to possess the necessary KSAs to perform the job may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience. For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the standards for this vacancy and provide all of the following documents:
- your most recent performance appraisal,
- the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
- your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager.
For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.