Grants Administrator

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the nation’s food and health watchdog, works to improve the food environment for all.  CSPI led efforts to win passage of many state and local policies to improve school food, remove sugary drinks from children’s menus, and require calorie labeling on chain restaurant menus.  Those successes led to sweeping national policies—such as: 

• Nutrition Labeling and Education Act which put Nutrition Facts Label on most packaged foods;
• Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which set 21^st Century standards for school foods;
• Food Safety Modernization Act, which gave authority to the FDA to recall contaminated foods; and
• Food Allergen Consumer Protection Act, which requires clear labeling of foods containing leading allergens. 

Unhealthy food and beverages are the leading contributors to death in the United States, contributing to over 600,000 premature deaths each year, primarily through heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.  The typical American diet is low in fruit, vegetables and whole grains and too high in sugar-sweetened beverages, red and processed meat, full-fat dairy, refined grains, sodium, and saturated fat.  The ubiquity, amounts, and aggressive promotion of sugary drinks and unhealthy food in the food supply are hazardous to the public’s health. 

We are searching for a dynamic and effective Grants Administrator to manage reporting of grant expenditures and a robust subgrants program in conjunction with our state and local policy campaign team.  The campaign seeks to spark and support initiatives by state and local organizations, policymakers, and the public to build synergy and national momentum for food and nutrition policies, especially in historically disenfranchised communities that experience health disparities and are disproportionately targeted by unhealthy beverage and food marketing.  This role reports directly to the Director of Development and coordinates closely with the Advocacy Director and CSPI’s Director of Finance.  Job location is CSPI’s Washington, DC office or remote. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to grantees, helping them with applications and reporting.
• Work closely with campaign team to monitor expenditures, subgrants process, payments, and reports to ensure both the grant and subgrants stay on budget.
• Act as CSPI’s administrative support and point of contact for grantees.
• Track grant expenditures and develop financial reports.
• Help draft communications to grantors and grantees, including grant agreements, contracts, application forms, and amendments.
• Manage grant database and ensure records are accurate and complete.
• Shared responsibility for timely and accurate reporting of all grant-related expenditures in collaboration with the policy and finance departments. 

Qualifications

The ideal candidate would possess:

• At least five years of nonprofit grant administration experience.
• Budget management and grant-reporting experience.
• Experience with working across teams in a positive, inclusive, collaborative, and strategic organizational culture.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the intersection of public health and social justice and ability to promote it throughout the work and in the workplace.
• Proven track record of building strong relationships with multiple stakeholders in a persuasive, credible, and professional manner.
• High level of organization and attention to details.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to produce high quality written materials, including financial reports.
• Excellent judgment and consistent professionalism, with the ability to take responsibility for multiple projects and deadlines.
• Intellectual agility and the ability to manage competing deadlines.
• Proficiency with MSOffice applications, including Word and Excel.  Familiarity with online grants software.
• Ability to work additional hours as needed. 

To Apply

Please email your application materials, which should include a cover letter indicating relevant experience and interest and résumé to hr@cspinet.org.  Include “Grants-afpdc2” in the subject line.

CSPI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package along with a healthy working environment.  CSPI is an equal opportunity employer.  Minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.