Associate Grants Manager, Awards and Recognition Programs

Natcast (short for The National Center for the Advancement of Semiconductor Technology) is a new, purpose-built, non-profit entity created to operate the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) consortium, established by the CHIPS Act of the U.S. government.

Working at Natcast represents an opportunity to help extend America’s leadership in semiconductor technology, significantly reduce the time and cost of moving from idea to commercialization, and build and sustain a semiconductor workforce development ecosystem.

These efforts to advance semiconductor technology and seed new industries built on the capabilities of a wide range of advanced chips hold the potential to benefit the country and the world for generations to come.

Associate Grants Manager, Awards and Recognition Programs 

In this role, you will ensure compliance and excellence in the administration of awarded workforce programs across the United States, maintaining Natcast's high standards and fostering innovation within the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) consortium. 

Every day, you will oversee grant management activities, including documentation in grant management platforms, supporting the grant application process, reviewing proposals to ensure adherence to Natcast standards, and overseeing the performance of a portfolio of awardees. 

To thrive in this role, you must possess demonstrated proficiency in grant management and compliance, strong relationship management and writing skills, and excellent attention to detail, along with a strong process design skillset and experience in designing award competitions. 

Natcast is a purpose-built, non-profit entity established by the CHIPS Act to operate the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) consortium. As a key component of the CHIPS and Science Act, Natcast is dedicated to advancing semiconductor R&D in the United States, convening government, industry, and academia to address the most challenging barriers to technological progress in the domestic semiconductor industry. This reflects a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. to drive innovation, set standards, and re-establish global leadership in semiconductor design and manufacturing. 

The Associate Grants Manager plays a critical role in ensuring the success of Natcast's workforce programs by maintaining compliance, fostering innovation, and integrating best practices in program assessment, grant administration, and monitoring. This position offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the development of a skilled workforce in the semiconductor industry, contributing to the overall mission of strengthening the domestic semiconductor ecosystem. 

Responsibilities 

• Manage a portfolio of awards through all phases of the life cycle, including award application, due diligence and reporting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and provide ongoing support and guidance to applicants and awardees. 

• Lead the development of award and recognition program materials, including calls for proposals and application submission and review tools. 

• Support program review and selection processes, including leading review teams and facilitating contracts. 

• Ensure quality assurance through program monitoring and ensuring that all project deliverables adhere to predefined quality standards, thereby safeguarding the integrity and excellence of the project outcomes. 

• Identifying potential risks in project execution and collaborating with the team to develop effective strategies to mitigate these risks, ensuring project stability and success. 

• Lead and support stakeholder engagement via actively communicating with internal and external stakeholders, including relationship management and regular meetings with award recipients. 

• Demonstrate strong project management through the development and maintenance of work systems and processes, including quarterly reporting collection and analysis. 

• Analyze project-related data to extract meaningful insights, which support informed decision-making. 

• Lead continuous improvement processes by identifying areas for process enhancements, contributing to project management efficiencies and effectiveness. 

• Communicate grant outcomes and program successes through written summaries and presentations 

• Ensure strong team collaboration via working with members and stakeholders to meet all project goals, fostering a collaborative environment that drives project success. 

Required Skills and Experience 

• 5 + years of demonstrated proficiency in grant management and compliance 

• Elevated relationship management skills 

• Excellent writing skills 

• Familiarity with workforce policy and/or workforce development programs 

• Experience with grant management platforms, especially OpenWater grant management platform, is strongly preferred 

• Exceptional attention to detail 

• Experience with designing award competitions and/or strong process design skillset required 

Preferred Skills & Experience: 

• Semiconductor experience preferred but not required 

Natcast is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or any protected attribute. We encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply and join us in our mission. If you require accommodation at any stage of the application process due to a disability, please let us know. 

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