Senior Grant Administrator
(Full-time permanent position)
WHO WE ARE
Founded in 1986, Prosper Canada is a national charity dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for Canadians living in poverty through program and policy innovation.
As Canada’s leading national champion of financial empowerment, we work with government, business, and community partners to develop and promote financial policies, programs and resources that transform lives and foster the prosperity of all Canadians.
Prosper Canada does not deliver services directly to people living on low incomes. Instead, we work with public, private and community sector partners to ensure quality financial empowerment supports (including effective policy and regulation) are available to all people with low incomes across Canada.
At Prosper Canada, we value being collaborative, human-centred, and forward-thinking. We recognize, accept, and celebrate our differences. We see power in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and believe we can help everyone thrive by being our boldest true selves. We strive to create a culture where all feel valued, respected, and empowered.
Join us in supporting and empowering everyone in Canada to prosper!
THE OPPORTUNITY
In the 2024 Federal Budget, the Government of Canada announced a landmark $60 million investment to enable Prosper Canada to expand community financial help services across Canada over the next 4.25 years. These funds will enable us to help 1+ million people with low incomes to build their financial stability and health and to access $2 billion in income benefits they are eligible for, but not receiving.
We are seeking an experienced grant administrator to design our grant approval and administration process and oversee the distribution of these resources to community non-profit organizations to support year-round delivery of tax filing, benefit assistance and one-on-one financial coaching services to people with low incomes and associated capacity-building initiatives. This role is critical to ensuring that the public funds entrusted to us are effectively allocated, managed, and monitored to achieve the fund’s desired goals.
As the ideal candidate, you have extensive experience in building and running large granting programs and will provide strategic and operational grant administration leadership, designing and optimizing efficient processes that build and support positive relationships with applicants, grantees, our program funder, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), and other key stakeholders.
Reporting to the Director, Frontline Programs and working in close collaboration with the Senior Manager leading our Financial Empowerment Champions Program and other Prosper Canada teams, the Senior Grant Administrator will help design, lead and manage end-to-end operations of our new grant program, the Federal Financial Help (FFH) program, ensuring:
• clear, easy-to navigate, supportive and efficient processes for applicants and grantees;
• a robust and effective Request for Proposals (RFP) and grant allocation process that effectively manages risks and optimizes program impact across Canada;
• well-designed performance-monitoring and reporting processes that are manageable for grantees; foster contract compliance; ensure timely, comprehensive and accurate reporting to ESDC; and help generate valuable program insights.
You will also be responsible for managing grants and related operational processes (contracts, monitoring, and reporting) for other financial empowerment pilot projects that may arise from time to time (these projects tend to be 1-2 years and involve a small number of partners).
Compensation
The salary range for this position is $80K-100K. Upon successful completion of a 3-month probation period, the successful candidate will also participate in a full suite of employee benefits including: group medical and dental benefits, an employer RRSP contribution and membership in the Common Good retirement savings plan, paid personal and sick days, 20 paid vacation days, paid time off when we close the office from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day, and professional development opportunities.
Workplace
Prosper Canada’s offices are in mid-town Toronto, but we offer a flexible, hybrid work environment and welcome applicants from across Canada. Staff largely work from home but have the option to work in the office when they prefer or as needed. Staff are periodically required to attend onsite meetings and training sessions, and some teams also opt to meet regularly in person. We value in-person connection but expect many staff will want to blend office and remote work and look forward to discussing hybrid options with candidates.
Key responsibilities
Design and launch a successful National Request for Proposals
• Contribute to the design of a National RFP for the Federal Financial Help project, including, but not limited to, development of grant application and supporting templates
• Work with the vendor of grant application intake and review system to support set up for optimal applicant experience and efficient processing, and then test and rollout the new system;
• Develop and deliver training for Prosper Canada staff to support rollout of the National RFP process;
• Advise Prosper Canada Marketing and Communications team on end-to-end communications plan and content to support RFP promotion and launch;
• Advise the Prosper Canada Learning and Training team on design of grant applicant information sessions, supporting tools and resources, and development of grant application FAQs.
• Lead launch and roll-out of National RFP process in coordination with other Prosper Canada teams;
• Coordinate acknowledgement and processing of grant applications.
Design and administer an effective grant allocation process
• Lead design of application review and assessment process, including grantee selection criteria, grant allocation formula(s) and guidance, and grant approvals process
• Establish Grant Application Review Committee terms of reference and membership
• Develop and deliver training for Grant Application Review Committee members and other relevant Prosper Canada staff to enable successful implementation of grant application review and assessment process;
• Coordinate and facilitate Grant Application Review Committee meetings and support members to effectively deliver on their responsibilities;
• Lead finalization and communication of grant application decision results;
• Provide support for applicants, Prosper Canada staff and Committee members throughout the grant allocation process.
Ensure timely and accurate disbursement of grantee funds
• Lead development, negotiation and finalization of grantee contracts with all selected grantees, including grantee budgets, service targets, financial and program reporting metrics, workplans, and payment and reporting schedules;
• Ensure agreements include and support effective compliance with funder, statutory, and Prosper Canada requirements;
• Work with Prosper Canada Finance & Administration team to coordinate timely and accurate disbursement of funds to grantees in good standing over the 4.25-year grant fund term and maintain accurate and up to date records of all disbursements;
• Serve as primary contact for grantees for any grant disbursement questions and issues.
Effectively manage grantee project compliance and reporting
• Working with relevant Prosper Canada teams, drive design and administration of a robust, effective, and efficient grant compliance and management process and systems for collecting, tracking and reporting on grant activities, grant fund distribution, and utilization;
• Develop training and coordinate delivery to grantees and relevant Prosper Canada staff on contract compliance and reporting obligations, processes and systems;
• Lead monitoring of grantee projected and actual expenditures against approved financial budgets, ensuring that all expenditures are allowable and reasonable per grant contract terms and that grantees adhere to all grant conditions, obligations and restrictions;
• Lead monitoring of grantee performance measurement outputs and outcomes, ensuring reported results are reasonable per approved grant contract terms and project goals;
• Working with Senior Manager, Financial Empowerment Champions Program, to lead timely and accurate quarterly and year-end reporting on grant fund activities, outcomes, learning, and fund allocations for key internal and external stakeholders including ESDC , Prosper Canada staff, Board, and grantees;
• Act as the primary contact for grantees for grant compliance and reporting questions and issues, and if necessary, escalate issues that cannot be resolved to Senior Manager, Financial Empowerment Champions Program.
Help advance organizational priorities
Help shape and advance organizational priorities, plans and activities that ensure organizational sustainability and staff wellbeing, including:
• Development of annual operating plan
• Quarterly and annual capacity planning
• Implementation of our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan
• Participating in other organization-wide initiatives to advance Prosper Canada goals
• Supporting colleagues during periods of heavy workload
• Performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Experience and competencies
Please apply if you meet most of these requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum five years of professional grant management experience, including establishing new granting programs
• Work experience in nonprofit and/or other grant making organizations e.g. community or private foundations, corporate or private companies, etc.
• Skilled in managing up and across teams and building resilient collegial relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• High level of self-motivation and ease working independently or as part of a team
• Demonstrated experience in implementing effective workflow, policies, and procedures
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver consistently
• Ability to think critically, synthesize project issues effectively, and act decisively to resolve or escalate grant related issues
• Ability to communicate technical, budgetary, and program details clearly, including to a non-technical stakeholder group
• Strong analytical skills and ability to translate data into user-friendly products.
• Experience working with professional grant management and constituent relationship management systems and software
• Excellent reporting skills with advanced knowledge of Excel
• Proficiency in French (written and spoken)
• Ability to objectively analyze situations and evaluate pros and cons of any course of action.
• An open and collaborative attitude, coupled with a sense of humor and grace under pressure.
Prosper Canada also values and welcomes:
• Applicants from racialized groups, including, black, Indigenous, and people of colour
• Applicants of all gender expressions and sexual orientations, including queer, trans, and two-spirit people
• Your personal experience of living on a low income, being a newcomer, or living with a disability and the insights and perspectives this would bring to your work
• Your understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and under-represented communities
• Your ability to build empathetic relationships with a broad range of people including diverse communities living on low incomes.
We encourage candidates from equity-seeking groups to self-identify in their cover letters. We are committed to accommodations for all candidates and staff with temporary or permanent disabilities.
Application details
APPLICATION DETAILS
Application deadline: Until filled
Start date: As soon as possible
Job location: 60 St. Clair Avenue E., Suite 700, Toronto ON M4T 1N5
Office attendance: Hybrid work environment. Office visits 4-6 times per year.
Travel: Up to 5%
How to apply: Please email a cover letter and resume to hr@prospercanada.org
with subject line “Application for Senior Grant Administrator”
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Interviews with candidates may be conducted virtually or in person for candidates in the Greater Toronto Area. If you require any accommodations to have a successful interview, please let us know.
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