Grants & Finance Manager

Open Position: Grants & Finance Manager

About The Solutions Project

The Solutions Project believes that the people most impacted by the climate crisis hold the keys to mitigate and solve it. We accelerate the effectiveness of climate action in the United States by centering the solutions, voices, and power of frontline communities. Our work ensures that these communities shape our collective response to climate change, building a world where everyone has access to clean air, water, energy, and land.

To fulfill this mission, The Solutions Project (TSP) funds, amplifies and connects grassroots climate justice organizations. This work centers around grantmaking and innovative narrative communications work to advance and celebrate grassroots climate action. The organization's current 5-year plan aims to mobilize $100M and reach 100 million people through narrative and communications activities.

To date, TSP has moved nearly $60M to more than 300 grassroots organizations. Reflecting the disproportionate impacts of the climate crisis on disinvested communities, many grantee partners are led by Black, Indigenous, Immigrant, and people of color leaders, and by women. Our most recent impact survey showed that in a 3-year period TSP’s grantees supported more than 1 million people with their climate solutions and benefited over 100 million through their climate campaign and policy wins. Our narrative and communications programs have contributed to a seven-fold increase in clean energy news featuring communities of color.

TSP and its CEO have won accolades and awards including the 2020 Fast Company Most Innovative Non-Profit Award, the 2023 inaugural TIME Magazine CO2 Earth Award, and the 2024 McNulty Prize. TSP is at the forefront of Solidarity Philanthropy, which builds on the foundation of trust-based Philanthropy with practices defined by grassroots organizers and in racially-conscious movement work.

Position Overview

The Grants & Finance Manager is a full-time, remote, individual contributor (not a people-manager or supervisor) role that will oversee all aspects of grants management and revenue tracking, while also supporting day-to-day finance operations. Reporting to the Managing Director of Finance & Operations, the Grants & Finance Manager will ensure accurate financial monitoring, compliance with funder requirements, and smooth coordination with the external accounting team. The Manager will work closely with development, operations, and program staff to support grant monitoring and reporting, as well as general finance operations, helping to safeguard the organization’s financial health.

In the short term (3-9 months), the Manager will focus on improving grants monitoring & reporting on a monthly basis as well as bringing more financial operations in-house (tracking cash and donations, creating revenue packages with supporting documentation for accounting, reviewing invoices for proper coding and data entry, etc.). In the long term (9 months+), the Manager will take on other finance, operations, and compliance responsibilities and projects, including but not limited to charitable solicitation registration, vendor contract management, and payroll.

This role is ideal for someone with strong attention to detail who can bring structure to the grants and finance operations of a growing and ambitious organization.

Key Responsibilities

Grants & Revenue Tracking & Reporting

• Maintain updated documentation for all grants, including grant award letters, budgets, and authorized spending plans.
• Monitor the on-line banking system and donation portals daily and create " revenue packages" with accurate documentation (in coordination with Development) to support proper recording of cash and revenue transactions by the accounting team.
• Prepare weekly cash/donations reporting to management & relevant staff.
• Update and manage project/ grant codes across relevant finance and accounting systems.
• Support the design and maintenance of the grant launch process across the organization, in coordination with Development and MD of Finance & Operations.
• Develop and maintain time & effort tracking process to improve staff salary & benefit allocations to projects and grants; train staff accordingly.
• Prepare financial reports and analysis for donors and management, as scheduled and upon request.
• Track the spend-down of all grants and support the monthly accounting close by:
  • reviewing GL detail for accuracy, with a specific focus on project/grant allocations, and send reclassification requests to the accounting team,
  • entering initial and adjusted project/grant budgets to the accounting system,
  • running BtA reports by project/grant & conducting variance analysis,
  • sharing reporting and analysis by project/grant with staff.
• Ensure compliance with grant agreements, including donor restrictions, reporting requirements, and audit readiness.
• Reconcile accounting records to Development Salesforce database monthly.
• Complete additional grant & revenue reconciliation, accounting, and reporting tasks as assigned.

Finance & Compliance Operations & Strategic Support

• Manage the accounts payable process by uploading invoices to BILL, reviewing for accurate project/grant coding and other data entry, routing to appropriate approvers, and adding/ updating vendor data.
• Support the Operations Manager with the monthly credit card expense and reimbursement management process, including uploading credit card expenses to Tallie, reviewing for accurate project/grant coding and other data entry, and routing to appropriate approvers.
• Develop and maintain a new process for managing, collecting, and storing vendor contracts and W-9s in BILL, moving away from storage in Salesforce.
• Lead the multi-state charitable solicitation registration process through Affinity.
• Oversee payroll and support the search and implementation of a new third-party HR service provider (PEO).
• Provide additional capacity and support to the grantmaking team with grant disbursements as requested.
• Assist the Managing Director of Finance & Operations with the development & maintenance of the monthly/quarterly finance dashboard
• Support the Managing Director of Finance & Operations & accounting team with:
  • implementing and maintaining financial policies, procedures, and internal controls and
  • identifying opportunities to improve finance processes, systems, and reporting efficiency.
• Complete tasks as assigned to support the year-end close, audit, and 990.

Qualifications

Required:

• 5 years of demonstrated experience in finance or grants management at mission-driven, non-profit organizations.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and non-profit restricted funds or grants management.
• Experience with reviewing grant agreements and ensuring compliance.
• Proficiency with finance, accounting, and operations software & systems such as QuickBooks, BILL, Tallie, and Salesforce.
• Experience in streamlining operational processes in growing organizations.
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Understanding of and ability to hold issues of confidentiality.
• Demonstrates the ability to navigate and operate effectively in situations of ambiguity.
• Solutions oriented and self-reflective with strong accountability and reliability.
• Commitment to the mission of climate justice and understanding of grassroots organizations.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business.
• Experience with grantmaking.
• Familiarity with nonprofit compliance requirements.
• Experience coordinating with external/outsourced service providers.

Status & Compensation

• The salary range for this position is $104,000 to $114,400.
• Full time employees receive:
  • TriNet medical, dental, and vision insurance plans are fully covered for employees, spouses, and dependents.
  • 13 paid holidays, 120 hours of flexible PTO, and 10 days of paid sick leave annually with increasing PTO allowance for tenured employees.
  • Eight weeks of paid parental leave, with up to six months of total leave.
  • A fully paid, 2-month sabbatical after five years of continuous, full-time employment
  • Ability to participate in TSP’s 403B retirement plan, and after successful completion of the probationary period (nine months of employment), a matching employer contribution of up to 6% of eligible pay.
• After successful completion of the probationary period (nine months of employment), employees have access to a $5,000 annual life-long learning fund that can be used for on-the-job skilling up, career development and leadership activities, and non-work related lifelong learning activities.
• Fully remote, with occasional need for travel.
• This is a full-time, U.S.-based role. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

To Apply

The Solutions Project is partnering with She Rose Solutions to find our Managing Director of Narrative & Communications. Please use this link to submit your application and direct all questions to Liz Peinado-Bruno at liz@sherosesolutions.com. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to those submitted by February 27. Qualified candidates will be contacted regarding next steps; due to volume, we are unable to respond to individual application status inquiries.

The Solutions Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages leaders of color, women, and those who identify as LGBTQI to apply. We comply with federal, state and/or local laws that prohibit discrimination in employment based on race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, citizen or intending citizen status, disability, and veteran status. Information provided during the application or employment process will not be used to discriminate against any individual in any manner. The Company complies with ADA regulations as applicable. By submitting this online application form, you consent to be contacted via email with important updates and other information from She Rose Solutions.

• Full time employees receive:
  • TriNet medical, dental, and vision insurance plans are fully covered for employees, spouses, and dependents.
  • 13 paid holidays, 120 hours of flexible PTO, and 10 days of paid sick leave annually with increasing PTO allowance for tenured employees.
  • Eight weeks of paid parental leave, with up to six months of total leave.
  • A fully paid, 2-month sabbatical after five years of continuous, full-time employment
  • Ability to participate in TSP’s 403B retirement plan, and after successful completion of the probationary period (nine months of employment), a matching employer contribution of up to 6% of eligible pay.
• After successful completion of the probationary period (nine months of employment), employees have access to a $5,000 annual life-long learning fund that can be used for on-the-job skilling up, career development and leadership activities, and non-work related lifelong learning activities.