Grants Management Specialist (Recent Graduate) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 26-12925288-RG-PO Department National Endowment for the Humanities
Salary $57,736.00 to $91,815.00 Grade 7 to 9
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/8/2026 Close Date 6/23/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Washington, DC


Grants Management Specialist (Recent Graduate)

National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities
National Endowment for the Humanities
Office of Grants Management

Summary

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency that provides support to advance and disseminate knowledge in all of the disciplines of the humanities: history, literature, linguistics, archaeology, jurisprudence and the history, criticism and theory of the arts. In support of the NEH mission, the NEH Pathways Internship Program provides paid opportunities for current students accepted for enrollment in qualifying educational programs.

This job is open to

Recent graduates

Individuals who have graduated from an accredited educational institute or certificate program within the last 2 years or 6 years for Veterans.

Clarification from the agency

To be eligible for the NEH Recent Graduate Program, the individual must be a Unites States citizen or Foreign National who graduated from an accredit educational institute or certificate program within the last 2 years or 6 tears for veterans.

Duties

  • Reviews applications recommended for offer, award, or supplemental funding to assure that all required documentation is complete and in compliance with governing authorities.
  • Conducts pre-award risk assessments and identifies appropriate risk mitigation necessary for the successful completion of award and protect Federal interest.
  • Performs budget analysis for mathematical accuracy and compliance with NEH legislation, 2 CFR Part 200 cost principles, and NEH programmatic requirements. Negotiates budget revisions as necessary with applicants. Determines the allowability, allocability, and reasonableness of all costs.
  • Monitors active awards by tracking the timely submission of required financial and performance reports. Reviews financial reports and resolves issues. Reviews and processes post-award requests for amendments, extensions, and supplements to awards in accordance with established procedures.
  • Prepares conditions and provisions for offer letters, awards, and notices of supplemental funding, as appropriate. Drafts clauses specific to an individual awards, as necessary.
  • Interprets and informs NEH program staff and recipients of policies and procedures regarding grants, cooperative agreements, program requirements, and other grant-related activities.
  • Prepares a variety of correspondence, memoranda, and information.
  • Contributes to development of standard operating procedures and instructions.
  • Reviews applications, awards, and other supplemental funding documents, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and legal requirements.
  • Prepares, enters, and reviews information in the NEH electronic grants management system (eGMS).
  • Ensures timely close-out of awards and processing of deobligation actions.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizen
  • Relevant experience and/or education
  • Favorable background investigation
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service
  • You will be required to serve a one year trial period.
  • If you do not submit school transcripts, you will be rated ineligible.
  • You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

At the GS-7 level Qualified candidates must possess:
1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level or equivalent experience;
or
1 full year of graduate level education
or
Superior academic achievement
or
A combination of education and experience as described at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-ADMIN.

Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, for example: (1) Assisting customers/stakeholders with coordinating funding actions, that begins and/or closes out the grant award process; (2) Providing assistance in the administration of the grants portfolio, in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and programmatic requirements; (3) Assisting with activities related to monitoring grants, including receiving and reviewing progress reports; (4) Assisting with administrative or program support tasks using office software (e.g., Excel, Word, databases) to organize, track, or present information.

At the GS-9 level Qualified candidates must possess:
1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level or equivalent experience;
or
Master's or equivalent graduate degree
or
2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree.
or
LL.B. or J.D., if related
A combination of education and experience as described at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-ADMIN.

Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, for example: (1) Providing guidance to customers/stakeholders regarding coordinating funding actions, that begins and/or closes out the grant award process; (2) Providing guidance in the administration of the grant's portfolio in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and programmatic requirements; (3) Coordinating activities related to monitoring grants, including receiving and reviewing progress reports; (4) Performing administrative or program support tasks using office software (e.g., Excel, Word, databases) to organize, track, or present information.

As part of the online application process you will need to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your possession of the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Teamwork


Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A) is defined by:

1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.

2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:

  • 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
  • 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.

Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for this position and may be computed by first determining your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the band level; then determining your education as a percentage of the education required for the band level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent. (Must submit a copy of transcripts).

Recent Graduates: Provides recent graduates with one to two-year developmental experiences in Federal agencies. Applicants must have graduated from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical education program within the previous two years. (Veterans unable to apply due to service obligations have up to six years after degree completion to apply).

PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY - You must:

  • have obtained a qualifying associates, bachelors, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the previous 2 years unless military service interfered with a veteran's eligibility to apply during that two-year time frame. Veterans meeting the above exclusion may apply within 2 years of discharge or 6 years from the date of receipt of the degree whichever comes first;
  • provide required documentation to verify degree has been, or will be, completed prior to appointment; AND
  • meet the basic qualification standards outlined for this series and grade level.
If selected, you:
  • must sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Program Participant Agreement;
  • will serve on an excepted service appointment for at least a two year trial period;
  • will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations;
  • must be provided at least 40 hours of interactive training, directly linked to your employment field, within 45 days of appointment;
  • will be assigned a mentor within 90 days of appointment;
  • will be evaluated for conversion to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service at the end of no more than two years.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You must provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Additional information

  1. If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must attach an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form.
  2. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
  3. This position is temporary and does not confer any eligibility for benefits or tenure in the competitive service.
  4. This position may qualify for membership in the NEH American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3403.
  5. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Teamwork


Your application will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection Procedures. We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses on the occupational questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for this position. You will be further evaluated by one or more Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) working either independently or as a panel to evaluate applicants' qualifications against job-related criteria and placed in one of three pre-defined categories:
  • Best Category - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy announcement and has successful experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated outstanding proficiency in applying knowledge, skill, and ability in the critical competencies for this position.
  • Better Category - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the critical competencies for this position.
  • Qualified Category - Meets the specialized experience outlined in the minimum qualifications requirements section of the vacancy announcement.
Application of Veterans' Preference* The Category Rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category.* Preference eligibles who meet MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS and the SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.


If a determination is made that in responding to the competency-based question an applicant has rated themselves higher than is evident in their resume, experience, and/or education, the applicant's score may be manually adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist.

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS will receive a rating of IFM (ineligible due to missing forms). Requests for reconsideration will not be considered for applicants who fail to submit a complete application package. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, fax transmissions, etc. Only send documentation as requested/required by this announcement and that directly supports your qualifications for this position.

Required Documents

All applicants are required to submit the following supporting document type(s):

  • Resume
  • Transcript


Inclusion of a cover letter and writing sample are highly recommended.

Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.

To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder . If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
  1. Job title
  2. Name of employer
  3. Start and end dates (including the month and year)
  4. Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
  5. The level and amount of experience-for instance, whether you served as a project manager or a team member helps to illustrate your level of experience.
  6. Examples of relevant experiences and accomplishments that prove you can perform the tasks at the level required for the job as stated in the job announcement. Your experience needs to address every required qualification.
  7. Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
If the position has an education requirement you must include relevant transcripts. If you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study and provide the relevant transcript. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume. Detailed information regarding resume formats can be found at USAJobs HelpCenter.

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.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 06/23/2026 of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

  1. Click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  7. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
  9. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

    To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

    To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Agency contact information

NEH Human Resources
Phone
2026068415
Email
humanresources@neh.gov
Address
National Endowment for the Humanities
400 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20506
US

Next steps

Once your applications is complete you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If you are selected for an interview you will be contacted by the selecting official.

National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency created in 1965. It is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States.

NEH grants typically go to cultural institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges, universities, public television, and radio stations, and to individual scholars. The grants:

  • Strengthen teaching and learning in schools and colleges.
  • Facilitate research and original scholarship.
  • Provide opportunities for lifelong learning.
  • Preserve and provide access to cultural and educational resources.
  • Strengthen the institutional base of the humanities.

Since 1965, the Endowment has opened new worlds of learning for the American public with noteworthy projects such as:

  • Seven thousand books, 16 of which have won Pulitzer Prizes, and 20 of which have received the Bancroft Prize.
  • The Civil War, the landmark documentary by Ken Burns viewed by 38 million Americans
  • The Library of America editions of novels, essays, and poems celebrating America's literary heritage
  • The United States Newspaper Project, which cataloged and microfilmed 63.3 million pages of historic newspapers, paved the way for the National Digital Newspaper Program and its digital repository, Chronicling America
  • Annual support for 56 states and territories to help support some 56,000 lectures, discussions, exhibitions and other programs each year.

Agency contact information

NEH Human Resources
Phone
2026068415
Email
humanresources@neh.gov
Address
National Endowment for the Humanities
400 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20506
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at National Endowment for the Humanities, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.neh.gov