Senior Associate, Grants Administration - Tech Hubs

Apply Description

Background:

Tulsa Innovation Labs LLC (TIL) is a tech-led economic development organization headquartered in Tulsa, OK pioneered by the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) and supported operationally by the Tulsa Community Foundation (TCF). The organization is responsible for catalyzing Tulsa’s leadership in advanced industries such as energy tech, advanced air mobility, virtual health, and cyber. We believe that by building a world-class tech hub in America’s heartland, we unlock opportunity for all.

The organization was founded in January 2020 and has already experienced significant momentum including its $38.2M Build Back Better Regional Challenge win and EDA Tech Hubs Designation alongside $51M in awarded implementation funding. Now, TIL is emerging from startup-phase and has established itself as a system hub and community leader, requiring additional emphasis on scaling-up operations and organizational capacity.

Position Summary:

The Senior Associate of Grants Administration will be responsible for overseeing grant finances, ensuring adherence to budgets, compliance, and reporting standards, in addition to analyzing financial data to optimize resource allocation and support grant program success. Working directly with the TIL Head of Operations and Finance Manager, this role will also be responsible for providing TIL team members and other regional partners pre-grant support, active grant support, and post-grant support.

Responsibilities / Essential Job Function:

This role will support TIL-led federally funded or externally funded component projects grants compliance and processes as detailed below:

• Collaborate with Finance Manager to develop and maintain grant record-keeping systems, budgets, procedures and documentation
• Review, monitor, and analyze monthly financial transactions and ensure adherence to grant requirements
• Manage and track project budget objectives, milestones, deliverables, resources, timelines and risks through roadmaps and updates to senior leadership and stakeholders
• Coordinate and facilitate stakeholder training that enables successful financial implementation of awarded projects
• Examine records, operating practices, and documentation to ensure compliance with established internal control procedures
• Support TIL teammates in future grant applications by providing expert advice in budget design in order to advance operational excellence
• Prepare accurate and timely financial reports for internal management purposes, providing recommendations for action where appropriate
• Act as a liaison between the finance team, the initiative team and TIL partners, providing regular updates on financial performance of awarded projects
• Support continuous improvement by implementing grant tracking systems, databases, and reporting processes to improve efficiency and accuracy
• Other duties as reasonably requested

Requirements

Education & Experience:

• High School diploma or equivalent required. Associates or Bachelor’s degree in finance or business preferred.
• Three to five years relevant work experience administering federally-funded grants
• Strong analytical and project management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate with team members

Competencies, Skills & Abilities:

To be successful in this role, you must have excellent communication, organizational and project management skills. You must also be able to actively listen, engage and connect with a diverse group of people, fostering meaningful relationships with our partners. Our team must be nimble and adaptable to the growing and changing needs of our organization and stakeholder groups, creating solutions and improving processes to achieve TIL goals.

• Integrity – honesty and directness in all things, especially regarding the true status of initiatives and when in need of help from teammates and stakeholders.
• Intentionality – the desire to act now, and not later, on tasks and initiatives. Exhibit a hunger for success and results.
• Interest – an attitude of constant learning, curiosity, and humility with respect to what has yet to be understood.
• Interconnectedness – respect and appreciation for teammates and stakeholders: their backgrounds, skills, history, challenges, fears, and expectations that influence how approach shared tasks and relationships.
• Organized – Demonstrated ability to manage complex, sometimes conflicting, objectives and tasks.
• Decisive – Demonstrated ability to act even with incomplete information.
• Collaborative – Demonstrated ability to convene, facilitate, and develop shared understanding.
• Intelligent – Demonstrated ability to understand quickly and exhibit good judgement.
• Communicative – Demonstrated ability to listen, understand, and share information with others.

Required Knowledge/Skills:

• Understanding of federal grant opportunities and funding sources and being able to translate that into outcomes / priorities / strategy.
• Understanding of federal grant opportunities and funding sources.
• Strong execution skills, with attention to detail (reflected through partnerships created, grants executed, initiatives designed)
• Developing and managing strategic partnerships (local and national) (e.g. networking in conferences and attracting meaningful connections to Tulsa)
• Communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills (e.g. reflected through corporate partnerships)
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Competent and comfortable leading external partnership conversations and negotiations (reflected through grant implementation convos)
• Leadership with an instinct for taking the initiative.
• Ability to work cross functionally to manage the identification and addressing of portfolio needs. (Reflected through project ideation for grants)
• Critical thinking + thought leadership in Tech, and TIL’s role in it
• Leading projects with external stakeholders at partner organizations.
• Understanding of federal grant opportunities and funding sources.
• Experience leading projects with external stakeholders at partner organizations.
• Strong organizational, time management, project management and problem-solving skills, with ability to balance competing priorities and deliverables, required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Zoom, Asana, Adobe, Slack.
• Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors and proactively managing bias.
• Ability to balance having fun while getting top results at work.

Physical Requirements:

• Communicate: Frequent phone, in-person, and messaging communication via various platforms. Must be able to exchange information effectively and accurately in all elements of verbal and written communication.
• Operate: Constant operation of computers, phones, and other office productivity tools.
• Willingness and ability to travel between program and related stakeholder locations, and service provider/vendor offices as required.

Hours & Location:

• Position is in Tulsa within TIL headquarters at 3 North Cheyenne Ave.
• Typical work hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, with flexibility required for various events, meetings, and relevant business needs