22 May a job posting from the State Energy Conservation Office

LOCATION: 111 E. 17th Street

WORK HOURS: Grant Funded: Continued employment depends on the availability of federal funding and is otherwise “at-will.” 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 40 hours. Occasional weekend and/or late-evening work may be required. Actual work hours may change based on business need. Must be able to work flexible hours during legislative sessions; and, as needed.

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION:

Performs highly advanced planning and technical assistance for the administration of federal grant dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to the State Energy Conservation Office. Work involves pre-award planning, organizing and preparing as well as negotiating awards and reviewing all reimbursement requests for appropriateness, and ensuring that awardees are in compliance with established administrative and financial policies, procedures and sound business practices in addition to federal and state laws and regulations. Responsible for monitoring all phases of award and closing including assessment of technical progress and performance. Works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

· Coordinates grants administration functions including participation in grant planning, selection, negotiations, awarding and monitoring of ARRA SECO funding.

· Prepares and issues solicitation documents; selects appropriate clauses, ensures clear and complete specifications, and serves as a central point of contact on assigned grant actions.

· Prepares letters of intent and grant applications.

· Performs document preparation, processing and monitoring duties relating to grant agreements including payments, grant contracts and financial reports.

· Performs research on federal Office of Management and Budget publications, grant agreements, Uniform Grant Management Standards, and other relevant documents to identify compliance requirements applicable to each federal program.

· Assures compliance with conditions of grants by monitoring and analyzing agreements, contracts, expenses and activities, as well as federal and state regulations.

· Develops policies and procedures regarding effective and efficient financial management of federal funds and that the grants are fully compliant with federal requirements.

· Works with grant recipients and agency program managers to ensure compliance with contracts and financial terms and conditions.

· Obtains and analyzes project costs and prepares budget justifications and budget revisions of federal grants.

· Prepares official communications in response to inquiries from member of Congress, other Federal Government Agencies, interested citizens, and public and private organizations.

· Develops work plans and time lines to ensure federal and state reporting requirements are met in a timely manner.

· Provides reports to program staff regarding grant recipient payment request and financial reports.

· Plan and develop analysis and studies to evaluate the implementation of grant or financial assistance programs for cost effectiveness and efficiency and to identify areas needing improvement.

· Maintains official grant files in accordance with state records retention schedules and state and federal guidelines and requirements. Track and input grant information into the WinSAGA, FedConnect and other systems as appropriate.

· Serves as a liaison between the agency, the State, and grant funding sources by attending meetings, responding to information requests and resolving issues between parties involved.

· Works with internal and external auditors to satisfy requests for documentation, interviews, and other requests as necessary to fulfill audit requirements.

· Performs related work as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university.

Preferred Education:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in business administration, accounting or related field.

Experience:
Five (5) years experience in processing and managing federal grants, Uniform Grant Management Standards, grants-related accounting, and processing vendor or grants payments.

Preferred Experience:
Certification from an accredited grants management training course.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

5%or less

Note:

· Salary is contingent upon qualifications and is subject to salary administration and budgetary restrictions.

· Applicants may be asked to participate in a skills demonstration and/or presentation.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This position requires the incumbent to primarily perform sedentary office work; however, mobility (standing and walking) is routinely required to carry out some duties. It requires extensive computer, telephone and client/customer contact. It requires the ability to bend, stoop, kneel, and reach as needed for filing and similar routine office duties. The job also requires normal cognitive abilities requiring the ability to learn, recall, and apply certain practices and policies. It requires the stamina to maintain attention to detail despite interruptions. Marginal or corrected visual and auditory requirements are required for reading printed materials and computer screens and communicating with internal and external customers. The individual must be able to lift, pull, physically handle, and transport records, documents, boxes, and all related information, weighing up to 30 pounds when required. The individual must be able to sit for long periods of time when commuting to and from assigned destination.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of:

· Federal and State grants process.

· Grant administration rules, policies and procedures.

· Laws and regulations pertaining to grants and contract administration and of research and budgeting processes.

· Related disciplines and functions involved in the grant process, such as financial management, contracting and analysis techniques.

· Energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.

· Texas state government organization, administration and legislative processes.

· Project planning and implementation.

· Accepted business practices and procedures involved in providing services and applicable rules, regulations and policies.

Skill in:

· Using personal computers and applicable programs including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

· Solicitation, grant and report writing.

· Grant budget development.

· Using effective written and verbal communication to convey information in a clear, concise manner. (Communication)

· Identifying and resolving problems by using strong analytical techniques, innovative approaches and taking initiative in preventing and solving problems. (Problem Solving)

Ability to:

· Simultaneously administer multiple grants and projects in conjunction with day-to-day activities with limited supervision.

· Interpret guidelines, policies, procedures and regulations including those contained in federal Office of Management and Budget circulars, grant agreements, the state’s Uniform Grants Management Standards, and other relevant documents.

· Evaluate fiscal data for reasonableness, necessity and conformity with grant requirements.

· Perform work with a high degree of attention and detail.

· Work accurately with numerical data, and analyze and interpret financial reports.

· Organize information and maintain accurate audit documentation and files.

· Maintain confidentiality and security of information.

· Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individual including executives, agency staff, co-workers, legislators and/or the general public to achieve common goals (Teamwork)

· Plan, organize, and prioritize multiple assignments to effectively manage a fast paced and changing work environment without compromising accuracy (Adaptability)

· Consistently meet internal and external customer needs and expectations in a professional manner (Customer Service)

· Act in the best interest of the agency, maintain confidentiality and continually strive to improve self an job performance (Professional Conduct and Development)

To ensure performance excellence at the CPA, all employees regardless of position
are evaluated at a minimum on the following six (6) agency core competencies.

* Teamwork – Works with others to achieve a common goal
* Customer Service – Meets the needs and expectations of internal and external customers
* Adaptability – Adjusts to changing workplace demands
* Communication – Effectively conveys information and encourages an exchange of ideas
* Problem Solving – Identifies, defines and solves problems
* Professional Conduct and Development – Acts in the best interest of the agency, maintains
confidentiality and continually strives to improve self and job performance

IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL APPLICANTS: Only applicants scheduled for interviews will be contacted. Unless otherwise indicated, regular attendance is an essential job requirement of all positions in the Comptroller’s office. All Positions requiring a degree and/or licensing require proof of degree and/or license if hired. Your application for employment with the Comptroller of Public Accounts may subject you to a criminal background check. If you are scheduled for an interview and require any reasonable accommodation in our interview process, please inform the hiring representative who calls you to schedule your interview. Whenever possible, please give the hiring representative sufficient time to consider and respond to your request. Thank you for considering employment at the Comptroller of Public Accounts! The Comptroller ‘s office is at all times an equal employment opportunity employer.

HOW TO APPLY: Press the ‘Create an application for this posting’ link below (or click ‘You must Sign On to apply ‘ if you can’t see the link). Or, submit a completed State of Texas Application which describes in detail how you meet the above Minimum Qualification Requirements. One State of Texas Application must be submitted for each vacant position for which you are applying. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application.

You must Sign On to apply:
http://www.texasonline.com/portal/tol

John L. Howard, Jr.

ClarendonStrategies

Helping clients develop, advocate for, and implement sound environmental and energy policy

(512) 228-6244 – 206 East 9th Street, Suite 1700, Austin, Texas 78701-2518

johnlhoward@clarendonstrategies.com – www.clarendonstrategies.com