Assistant Director for Federal Grants

Job Description

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking a highly skilled fiscal and compliance leader to serve as the Assistant Director of Federal Grants within the Accounting Office. This is a key leadership role overseeing the Federal Grants Unit, which manages the post-award lifecycle for funding from more than a dozen federal agencies. The Assistant Director will play a critical role in ensuring the integrity of DPH's financial operations by overseeing compliance with federal requirements, processing carryover requests, closing out grants, and addressing payment-related issues. This position offers the opportunity to guide a specialized team, collaborate with bureaus across the Department, and directly contribute to the effective use of federal resources that fund vital public health programs across Massachusetts.

This role is suitable for a professional with significant experience navigating federal grant fiscal requirements and compliance systems, including monitoring, reporting, and reconciliation. Familiarity with Massachusetts financial systems such as MMARS (Massachusetts Management Accounting Reporting System) is desired, although the most essential qualification is a strong background in federal grant fiscal management. As a member of the Accounting Leadership Team, the Assistant Director will have the opportunity to shape business processes in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment, provide expert training and guidance to colleagues, and ensure the Department remains a trusted steward of federal funds. The selected candidate supervises the work of two (2) accounting staff and serves as a central resource for all DPH Bureaus to ensure ongoing compliance with post-award grant requirements. This position combines technical expertise with leadership, offering both the challenge of complex fiscal oversight and the reward of supporting public health outcomes that directly impact communities across the Commonwealth.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

Federal Grant Compliance & Oversight

• Ensure that all federal grant expenditures comply with federal funding requirements and state regulations.
• Cultivate relationships with DPH bureaus to support fiscal compliance and resolve post-award funding requirements (reporting, amendments, etc).
• Oversee the processing of carryover requests, grant amendments, and closeout activities.
• Review and verify transactions in MMARS, FACS (Federal Account Coding System), and federal financial systems to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Document and adapt business processes to align with evolving federal rules, regulations and procedures.
• Review documents for quality and compliance prior to submitting them to the Chief Operating Officer for final approval.

• Develop and maintain systems to track federal grants, contracts, and private grants to ensure accurate reporting and compliance.
• Monitor post-award databases to keep requirements, deadlines, and fiscal obligations up to date.
• Prepare and submit federal financial reports, amendments, and closeout documentation in a timely and accurate manner.
• Analyze and synthesize financial data to provide leadership with clear, actionable insights.

• Serve as a central resource for DPH bureaus, providing technical guidance on federal fiscal compliance.
• Develop and update policies, procedures, and standards that guide staff in meeting all federal requirements.
• Design and deliver training to staff and stakeholders on post-award fiscal compliance activities.
• Stay current on federal regulations and communicate changes to relevant staff to ensure alignment.

• Provide effective oversight, supervision, support, feedback and delegations of responsibilities to direct reports.
• Establish systems and processes to improve efficiency and accuracy within the Federal Grants Unit.
• Contribute to the Accounting Leadership Team, representing the Federal Grants Unit in fiscal planning and decision-making.
• Provide coaching, feedback, and performance evaluations to promote staff growth and accountability.

• Extensive knowledge of state and federal grant regulations, policies, and practices, with experience in fiscal management, compliance, and reporting.
• Demonstrated experience fulfilling federal grant reporting requirements, including the preparation of financial reports, amendments, and closeout documentation.
• Familiarity with the Massachusetts Management Accounting and Reporting System (MMARS) or comparable large-scale financial systems.
• Strong leadership and supervisory skills, with experience guiding and developing staff while managing workload priorities.
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate diplomatically across multiple levels of management and external partners.
• Proven ability to analyze and interpret complex financial data, synthesize findings into clear recommendations, and identify potential compliance risks proactively.
• Skilled in developing, documenting, and improving business processes to increase efficiency and ensure compliance with evolving federal requirements.
• Strong recordkeeping practices with the ability to manage the full lifecycle of grants, ensuring accuracy, accountability, and audit readiness.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, delegate, and align projects with organizational objectives while maintaining attention to detail.
• Capacity to train and mentor others on grant compliance strategies, policies, and financial procedures.
• Ability to form and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, subordinates, community agencies, and state and federal partners to advance shared goals.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive, Planner) and other financial software tools; ability to design or adapt tools to assist in managing grant obligations.