SENIOR PUBLIC GRANTS SPECIALIST

About Cara Collective

Cara Collective seeks to fuel a courageous national movement to eradicate relational and financial poverty. Through our three entities – Cara, Cleanslate, and Cara Plus – we engage job seekers, employers, and other organizations across the country to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employment.  

At present, we produce 1,000 jobs each year; however, our results don’t just end with employment. Today, we take the insights gained over the past 30 years to equip other organizations and employers with practices to help build a more inclusive economy. Learn more at www.caracollective.org.

About the Contracts & Compliance Team

The Contracts & Compliance team partners closely with public funders to advance Cara Collective’s mission by ensuring all program benchmarks are met and participants are successfully progressing toward their goals. We are seeking an individual with strong administrative and interpersonal skills to support this work and help drive consistent, high-quality outcomes.

About the Role

The Senior Public Grants Specialist plays a critical role in managing the full lifecycle of public grant administration at Cara Collective. This includes monthly billing to public funders, timely and accurate grant reporting, and the preparation and processing of participant enrollment documentation, including oversight of online enrollment systems.

This role also supports annual grant budgeting, monitors compliance with grant requirements and performance targets, and ensures data integrity and accurate financial tracking. Working collaboratively across teams, the Specialist helps ensure all grantor requirements are met and contributes to the overall success and impact of Cara Collective’s programs.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate brings strong attention to detail and a deep commitment to accuracy, compliance, and data integrity. They have prior experience in public grants administration and a solid understanding of government funding requirements, reporting standards, and compliance frameworks. They excel at managing complex processes, balancing multiple priorities, and ensuring deadlines are consistently met.

With a collaborative and solutions-oriented mindset, they work effectively across teams to translate grant requirements into clear processes and actionable reporting. They are confident working with data, systems, and financial information, and take pride in supporting high-quality outcomes that advance Cara Collective’s mission and impact.

Requirements

• A minimum of 3+ years of professional experience in grants management, compliance, finance, data management, or a related field.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• High attention to detail with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience working with data systems or CRM platforms; Salesforce experience preferred.
• Familiarity with government or grant reporting systems (e.g., iSupplier, ECM, STARS, ISETS) preferred.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills and ability to build effective working relationships across teams and with external partners.

 Key Responsibilities

The purpose of this section is to outline the primary responsibilities of the position, providing a clear and structured overview of the role's expectations and duties within our organization.

Grant Management (50%):

• Adhere to all administrative requirements for grants, including recruitment referrals, participant tracking, online enrollment, and reporting to state and city agencies (e.g., DHS, DFSS).
• Ensure smooth, accurate, and timely submission of all required monthly reports and grant deliverables.
• Participate in regular meetings with public funders and respond to questions, data requests, and reporting needs.
• Maintain strong, professional relationships with grant contacts and funding partners.
• Support coordination of site visits, audits, and internal reviews in partnership with leadership.
• Respond to inquiries from government and foundation representatives and participate in relevant meetings.
• Perform additional duties as needed related to grant compliance, billing, and financial analysis.

Data Integrity & Reporting (25%)

• Complete all required data entry in accordance with contract and reporting requirements.
• Oversee grant-related data tracking and maintain organized documentation for participant enrollment and compliance.
• Develop and enhance systems to track participant enrollment, performance metrics, and billing details across contracts.
• Regularly audit internal data to ensure accuracy and alignment with reporting requirements.
• Support and improve processes for employment placement and retention verification, including use of systems like The Work Number or internal tracking methods.
• Initiate and contribute to projects that improve reporting efficiency and data management processes.

Grants Allocation & Financial Tracking (15%):

• Assist with the monthly expense allocation process, ensuring accurate distribution of organizational expenses across grants.
• Manage and finalize Salesforce grant assignments and participant enrollment counts.
• Track grant lifecycles, including close-outs, and validate accuracy through reconciliation of reports.
• Oversee collection of time and cost allocation data, ensuring completeness and timely follow-up on missing information.

Grants Development & Budgeting Support (10%):

• Identify and support exploration of new public funding opportunities.
• Assist in annual budgeting for grant renewals and new applications.
• Collaborate with Finance and Development teams during proposal development and contract negotiations.
• Support grant writing and application processes as needed.

All other responsibilities, as assigned 

Reports To

Director of Financial Planning & Analysis 

Report (s) 

N/A

Workplace Type & Team Culture

Cara Collective has a strong team culture that values collaboration, communication, and camaraderie. We believe in the power of working together in person, which is why we expect our employees to be onsite at one of our Chicago-based locations multiple days each week.  The exact number of onsite days per week may vary by role, employee tenure, and other factors. This commitment to in-person collaboration fosters a sense of belonging and teamwork among our employees, creating a supportive and dynamic work environment.

We consistently measure staff satisfaction through employee surveys and have found that year over year, the vast majority of staff agree that Cara Collective is a great place to work and grow. This high level of employee satisfaction reflects our dedication to creating a positive and fulfilling workplace for all members of our team.

Starting Pay Range

We take budget and starting salary very seriously. We market our roles and are using a salary analysis tool called Payscale and offer competitive, market-based compensation to all employees.

This position’s expected starting pay range is $55,000-60,000.

Benefits

Cara Collective recently benchmarked benefits offerings and found that we exceed industry standards in terms of employee-friendliness and benefit offerings. Our comprehensive benefit package include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Plans
• Basic Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• Personal Technology Reimbursement
• 4 Weeks Paid Parental Leave
• Starting with 17 Vacation Days, 8 Sick Days,
• 14 Paid Holidays

Employee Paid Benefits

• Pre-Tax Medical Flexible Spending Account
• Pre-Tax Dependent Care Account
• Pre-Tax Transit & Parking Options
• Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (employer match up to 4% upon hire & immediately vested)

As of this posting, we annually review our benefit offerings to meet our employees needs and be competitive in the market. All listed benefits offerings a at the discretion of the employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Cara Collective is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. This commitment applies to all employment practices, including those supported by technology or artificial intelligence tools used in the hiring process.

We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation to complete this application or participate in the interview process, please email us at kboelkens@carachicago.org.