Contracts Assistant
Child Trends is seeking a mission-focused, detail-oriented, energetic, Contracts Coordinator to provide support to our Contracts and Grants Department. This is a full-time remote position.
This position would be a good fit for a recent college graduate with 1-2 years of office experience with an interest in working for a mission-focused organization in the field of nonprofit business development. This is an administrative position that requires someone who enjoys working in a deadline driven environment, is highly detailed oriented and organized, is customer-service oriented, and thrives working in a team environment. This position offers multiple opportunities for professional development and is a solid step towards a career in nonprofit grants and contract and business administration development in research, nonprofit, foundation, or university settings.
The Contracts and Grants Department provides value added support to Child Trends’ internal and external customers through the development, negotiation, and oversight of agreements. It is the responsibility of the Contracts and Grants Department to provide the resources and establish the policies and procedures necessary to effectively develop, negotiate, review, execute, and oversee compliance with the terms and conditions of Child Trends’ agreements. Child Trends, founded in 1979, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to improving the lives of children by conducting research and providing science-based information to improve the decisions, programs, and policies that affect children.
General Description
This entry-level position will provide administrative support to the Contracts & Grants Department. Responsibilities include but are not limited to, management of Department email inbox, contracts and grants record keeping, filing, database management, virtual office support to the Contracts and Grants Team, and other general administrative activities. This position provides excellent customer service via video, chat, and emails with stakeholders across the company.
Responsibilities
- Build strong relationships throughout the organization y to support and facilitate a collaborative team environment.
- Assist with receiving, reviewing for accuracy and completeness, and routing contract requests.
- Complete various administrative forms on behalf of the Department/ Child Trends.
- Assist with reviewing contracts supporting documents (e.g. SOW’s, budget’s, payment schedules)
- Assist with tracking contracts through internal approvals.
- Assist in workflow management.
- Assist with drafting, preparing, and planning contracts tools and templates.
- Assist with development and implementation of contracts protocols.
- Maintain agreements and files with a high level of accuracy.
- Assist with conducting compliance audits.
- Assist with conducting research related to Department operations.
- Prepare and distribute weekly Department metrics reports to the team.
- Draft, edit, and produce contracts correspondence for internal and external audiences.
- Schedule and attend meetings, capture notes, and outline follow-up items.
- Schedule and assist with contracts training.
- Develop and design improved administrative procedures to promote the timely processing and submission of administrative deliverables.
- Independently perform varied administrative duties.
Qualifications
- A minimum of two (2) years’ office/clerical experience required. BA/BS required; experience may be substituted for degree.
- Experience with grants or contracts, a plus.
- Experience with Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point is required.
- Experience with OneNote a plus.
- Impeccable customer service and relations skills are required.
- Excellent verbal and written interpersonal communication skills.
- Strong organizational skills, with proven experience prioritizing work and coordinating multiple projects at one time; willingness and ability to be flexible.
- Strong skills in creating and maintaining document management systems including using Share Point.
- Experience in workflow management systems are highly desirable.
- Should have a strong focus on detail, accuracy, and work quality with the ability to take full ownership of assigned tasks.
- Well-developed problem-solving and decision-making skills. Discretion in handling sensitive and/or confidential material.
- Interest and ability to work on a team in a highly collaborative environment, while also being comfortable working independently. Willing to take on additional Department support tasks, as needed.
Locations: Flexible Remote Work; Child Trends’ offices are based in Bethesda, MD; Chapel Hill, NC; Minneapolis, MN. Many Child Trends staff work remotely, and while we are set up to hire remote staff in many states, we are not yet operating everywhere in the US and do not have any overseas operations. We are currently approved to hire full-time staff in AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, VT, VA, WV, and WI. The organization will require time to assess additional set up requirements (e.g., employment and tax law) for locations outside of areas where we are currently approved to hire. Individuals who would like to work from areas outside of the currently approved states, if offered the position should indicate this preference as early as possible in the application process.
Benefits:
For all full-time and part-time employees who work a minimum of 20 hours per week, we offer generous vacation + sick leave + paid holidays; optional individual/domestic partner/family medical, dental and vision benefits effective first day of employment; optional pet benefits; pre-tax reimbursement funds (FSA, HSA, Commuter); life insurance; short/long term disability, basic life and AD&D coverage paid for by Child Trends; paid family leave; paid bereavement leave; professional development and tuition reimbursement allowance; and 403(b) retirement plan with immediate vesting and Child Trends contributions after 1 year of employment. To learn more, go to https://www.childtrends.org/about-us/careers and click "View Summary of Benefits."
How to Apply:
Please follow the “apply” link to submit your application. When asked by the system to upload resume, please upload one document that includes your resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references. Materials must be combined into one document in order to be uploaded. If you have any difficulties with this process please email the requested materials to recruitment(at)childtrends.org and make sure to reference the position in the subject line. No phone calls please!
Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center headquartered in Bethesda, MD with more than 200 staff in over 28 states that provides valuable information and insights on the well-being of children, youth, and their families. For more than 40 years, policymakers, funders, educators, and service providers in the U.S. have relied on our data and analyses to make better decisions and policies on programs serving children, families, and youth. www.childtrends.org
Child Trends is committed to hiring, retaining, and promoting staff who bring a rich diversity of experience to support our mission of improving the lives and prospects of children and youth, especially those made most vulnerable by the effects of historical and ongoing systemic discrimination. Together, we envision a world in which a child’s race, ethnicity, family income, gender, sexual orientation, disability status or any other social identity does not determine how that child will fare in life. Therefore, we approach every aspect of our work with these ideals in mind and encourage professionals who share in our commitment to apply.
Child Trends is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Protected veterans and individuals with disability encouraged to apply.