Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. The Washington State Department of Commerce partners with local governments, nonprofits, and other organizations to strengthen community services, infrastructure, and economic development. The Program Manager oversees capital grant and contract projects across their full lifecycle, including solicitation, contracting, compliance monitoring, fiscal management, technical assistance, reporting, and closeout. The role also supports competitive and non-competitive grant award processes.
Responsibilities
- Negotiate, draft and execute capital contracts and amendments scope of work and special terms and conditions with both new and re-appropriated capital funds, appropriately storing and maintaining public records
- Utilize the Department’s Contracts Management System (CMS) and other systems to record, track, and manage various contracting tasks and related components throughout the contract lifecycle
- Ensure grantees understand the requirements to pay state prevailing wages, implement Executive Order 21-02 archeology and historic preservation requirements, and LEED building requirements, which requires an interpretation of RCW 39.35D (High Performance Building Requirements) and respond to inquiries about grantees’ compliance with these regulations
- Coordinate with supervisor and to revise legislative intent documentation and other documentation as needed in support of direct appropriation and competitive grantees
- Work independently in consultation with the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) to scope complex contracts and limit agency risk
- Collaborate with the unit’s Real Estate and Development Services team to ensure all site security requirements have been satisfied to ensure the public benefits from the project construction
- Monitor contract deliverables and perform risk assessments as necessary of contractors and/or projects
- Manage and address contract risk in accordance with unit, division, agency, and statewide compliance standards
- Implement program guidelines, forms, and technical assistance resources. Additionally, provide feedback and assistance with updating program guidelines every biennium
- Coordinate and prepare the program’s competitive and non-competitive grant award processes, with assistance from Section Manager and Team Supervisor
- Provide technical assistance to individuals and organizations and assist them with project readiness and contracting with Commerce
- Provide technical assistance to grantees to ensure that shovel-ready projects are contracted for awarded funding
- Coordinate with other Commerce staff and external Subject Matter Experts to support projects and align subject matter expertise when possible
- Work with Community Capital Facilities leadership and Legislative staff to obtain and refine legislative intents that support the projects listed as well as any details available on the project at the time the funding request was initially made
- Notify successful and unsuccessful applicants of the outcome of the competitive grant process and/or direct appropriations. Communicate relevant information and documents related to next steps in the awarding/contracting processes
- Ensures projects are in compliance with all state and programmatic regulations throughout the full contract lifecycle by maintaining regular communication with grantees, reviewing and validating all requests for reimbursement, using independent critical thinking to evaluate grantee-provided information, monitoring project progress relative to intended project timeline and contract budget, maintaining clear and complete files for all projects, and other activities, as appropriate
- Prepare program data, spreadsheets, reports, presentations, and public record request responses
- Review, authorize, and process contract reimbursements, informing and consulting with division and agency fiscal services staff, as needed
- Ensure expenditures are within the appropriated authority and are submitted for allowable expenses
- Track contract budgets, expenditures, and balances using the Department’s Contract Management System (CMS) and the unit’s other tracking systems, as needed
- Track the timing and estimated projected requests for contract reimbursements
- Provide technical assistance to contractors as fiscal discrepancies or issues arise or as requested by contractors
- Track contract spending and project spenddown timelines to report to section and unit leadership and inform allotment and re-appropriation processes
Skills
- **Seven (7) years** of combined experience and/or education as described below:
- **Experience** in community, trade, or economic development with a focus in two or more of the following areas:
- •Contract management experience on project funds with state or federal grants or loans
- •Reviewing customer, contractor, and/or grantee invoices for payment
- •Experience with grant program rollout and process administration
- •Reviewing, interpreting and implementing state and federal requirements
- •Providing technical assistance to customers
- **Education** involves finance, business, public administration, social services, education, or related field. Qualifying education post High School or equivalent may be substituted year for year for experience
- **Lived experience** working in a family run business, previous volunteering experience working with a community-based organization that focused on serving and supporting underserved or vulnerable populations, or any allied experience in economic development, procurement or contracting will substitute for two years of professional experience
- •Excellent interpersonal skills and the demonstrated ability to build trusting relationships and loyal partnerships with customers, employees, and executive management
- •Technical knowledge of Commerce Infrastructure program requirements related to financing, contract management, and compliance
- •Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and to participate in multi-stakeholder processes
- •Intermediate skill level in the Microsoft Office suite products including OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook
- This position may be located anywhere within Washington State though occasional travel to a Commerce office building or in-state travel to attend events or meetings may be required. If selected, you will need to travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction
- •Demonstrated technical/knowledge and aptitude of state legislative and capital budget processes and capital contracting and financing
- •Professional level experience with state capital financing, grant and loan administration
- •Technical knowledge and aptitude of state legislative and capital budget processes
Benefits
- Medical insurance, including vision, for employees and their families
- Dental insurance for employees and their families
- Basic life insurance for employees and their families
- Affordable monthly premiums with multiple medical plan options offering coverage throughout Washington State
- Medical flexible spending account with tax-deferred dollars for health care expenses
- Long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage
- Washington Wellness workplace wellness programs
- Dependent care assistance allowing employees to save pre-tax dollars for child or elder care expenses
- Auto, boat, home, and renter insurance available through payroll deduction
- Washington State Employee Assistance Program
- Membership in the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS)
- Option for new employees to choose between two employer-contributed retirement programs
- Deferred Compensation Program with pre-tax salary deferral and multiple investment options
- Coverage under the federal Social Security and Medicare systems, with equal state and employee contributions
- Potential eligibility for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for employees of qualifying government or nonprofit organizations
- Paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year, subject to eligibility and applicable pro-rata rules
- Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month, subject to the stated pay-status and employment conditions
- Vacation leave accrual for full-time employees at rates specified by WAC 357-31-165 or the applicable collective bargaining agreement, subject to the stated pay-status and pro-rata conditions
- 21 days of paid military leave per year for members of the armed forces
- Five days of paid bereavement leave for most employees after the death of a family or household member or loss of pregnancy
- Leave sharing
- Parental leave
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave
- Staff training
- Many Commerce employees work remotely or have a hybrid schedule
Company Overview