Job Details

Grants Analyst

Are you ready to think about the future and dream big? At Port Houston, we're seeking individuals who are eager to tackle the most significant challenges of their careers. For over a century, we've been driven by vision and scale, delivering impactful initiatives that shape Houston and the region. Our sustainability and success hinge on attracting, retaining, and nurturing exceptional talent.

When you join Port Houston, you're embarking on a journey towards a fulfilling career path. Take the first step in the right direction—are you READY?

Position Summary:

As a key leader in the grants process, the Grants Analyst will identify, pursue, and capture local, state, federal, and other grant opportunities that support Port Houston's mission. You will regularly spearhead the preparation and submission of compelling, high-quality grant applications, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with funding agency requirements.

Beyond securing funding, this position will serve as the primary project manager for multiple awards overseeing the full lifecycle of grants including reporting and compliance. Responsibilities include administering contracts, managing reimbursements for requests of up to several million dollars, and ensuring that activities meet or exceed funding agency standards. As the subject matter expert on grant matters, you will provide guidance to teams across the organization, ensuring seamless integration of grant requirements into project planning and execution.

Collaboration is central to this role and includes working with Port Houston's Finance, Legal, Project and Construction Management, and Government Affairs teams among others to align funding strategies with organizational goals. Additionally, you will serve as a trusted advisor to the Grants Program Manager, offering insights on emerging opportunities, policy changes, and innovative strategies to maximize the Port's funding potential. This is a high-impact position at the forefront of advancing Port Houston's growth and sustainability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and Oversee Grant Operations: Serve as the team lead for both grant applications and grant implementation/management, driving strategy and execution across all grant-related initiatives while managing complex, high-stakes processes.
• Supervise and Guide Teams: Provide leadership and direction to Grants Coordinators, ensuring their contributions align with Port Houston's strategic goals in both grant application development and post-award management.
• Manage External Consultants: Direct and oversee consultants, ensuring their efforts align with grant strategies and deliver high-quality outcomes for grant applications and implementations.
• Provide Strategic Opportunity Insights: Give expert analysis and insight into emerging grant opportunities, ensuring Port Houston remains positioned for success.
• Lead Grant Pursuit Pipeline: Oversee and project-manage the pursuit opportunity pipeline, maintaining a proactive approach to securing critical funding.
• Develop Competitive Proposals: Write and lead the preparation of compelling grant proposals and applications, leveraging cross-departmental expertise to ensure accuracy, feasibility, and competitiveness.
• Shape and Execute Grant Strategy: Collaborate with leadership to develop and execute a comprehensive grant strategy that supports Port Houston's long-term objectives.
• Foster Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate with internal divisions (e.g., Infrastructure, Safety & Security, Environmental, Finance) and external entities (e.g., Harris County, TxDOT, Federal Administrations) to identify and advance impactful projects and funding sources.
• Enhance Organizational Collaboration: Build and maintain strong working relationships with all departments and levels of management, facilitating the alignment of project priorities with grant requirements and providing expert guidance on grant development.
• Support Project Development: Provide critical support in the development of new projects, ensuring alignment with funding requirements and strategic objectives.
• Monitor and Research Opportunities: Conduct thorough research on federal, state, and local grant opportunities, evaluating their relevance to Port Houston's priorities and informing project managers of potential funding sources.
• Regulatory Interpretation and Guidance: Interpret complex regulations, policies, and procedures to provide actionable guidance on grant determinations and compliance.
• Integrate Subject Matter Expertise: Write, edit, and synthesize subject matter experts' contributions into cohesive and competitive grant proposals.
• Maximize Competitive Advantage: Analyze grant landscapes and legislation to optimize pursuit strategies, enhancing Port Houston's competitiveness and funding outcomes.
• Refine Grant Processes: Develop, implement, and continually improve policies and procedures governing grant research, submission, and management in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Ensure Contractual Compliance: Evaluate grant contracts and sub-recipient agreements to guarantee Port Houston's compliance with all grant requirements.
• Communicate with Granting Agencies: Liaise with granting agency representatives to establish expectations, request adjustments, and secure necessary approvals.
• Oversee Financial Compliance: Coordinate financial activities across all grants, including budgeting, revisions, and closeout to ensure alignment with grant and federal regulations.
• Accountability for Records and Reporting: Ensure meticulous record-keeping for all grant applications, awards, and expenditures, adhering to regulatory retention standards.
• Drive Performance Standards: Establish performance benchmarks for the grants function that reflect Port Houston's mission, vision, and core values.
• Manage Grant Closeouts: Lead the closeout process for grant contracts, ensuring full compliance and comprehensive fiscal management.
• Support Sub-Grantee Oversight: Ensure that sub-grantees comply with all award requirements and grant guidelines, providing oversight and corrective actions as needed.
• Coordinate Audits: Coordinate internal and external audits, ensuring timely and accurate documentation and communication with relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborate on Financial Reporting: Work closely with the Accounting and Financial Reporting department to prepare accurate reports for federal and state awards, including SEFA/SESA documentation.
• Uphold Core Values: Demonstrate a commitment to Port Houston's core values of respect, excellence, accountability, diligence, and collaboration.
• Drive Continuous Improvement: Proactively identify and execute initiatives to enhance the grants function, ensuring sustained success in securing and managing funding opportunities.
• Execute Additional Responsibilities: Perform other essential duties as assigned to support Port Houston's mission and strategic priorities.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance or Accounting, Public Policy, Planning, Marketing or related major in a public or accredited private academic institution required
• Master's degree preferred
• 5+ years of progressively responsible related experience including grant development and administration, business development, proposal writing, public agency relationship management, and project/program management required

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Behaviors:

• Strategic thinking coupled with superior oral and written communications
• Professional judgment, political and business acumen, and diplomacy
• Ability to present to executive and public audiences with clear, impactful messaging
• Self-sufficient ability to prepare presentations, written papers and other communication materials with minimal administrative or graphical support or required editing/re-writes
• Extensive knowledge of grant reporting requirements, regulations and administration
• Extensive knowledge of federal, state, local and other grant sources, opportunities and stakeholder landscapes
• Knowledge of government contract terms and conditions
• Knowledge of accounting and finance basics and grant budget management
• High level attention to details and exceptional organizational skills
• Sound decision-making, problem-solving and analytical skills
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills with all levels of employees, management, and customers
• Tactical critical thinking skills
• Proven project management skills
• Adept in contract writing as well as contract review
• Capable of independent research

Key Competencies Required:

• Detail oriented
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Accounting skills
• Ability to build collaborative relationships
• Building Partnerships
• Effective Communication
• Planning & Organizing
• Technical/Professional Knowledge and Skills

Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but due to open office environment noise level may occasionally be high.

To apply, please go to porthouston.com/careers. Only applications submitted through the Port Houston Careers website will be acknowledged. Port Houston is an equal opportunity employer and participates in the E-Verify program supervised by the U.S. Government.

Thank you for choosing Port Houston in your career search.

Disclaimer:
The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this job. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.