Grants and Operations Associate

About the Business-Higher Education Forum

The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) is a dynamic, national, non-profit organization that works with innovative leaders throughout the higher education, business, non-profit, and government sectors to produce a future where higher education and business collaborate seamlessly to develop a skilled, adaptable workforce that drives innovation, fuels economic growth, and empowers individuals to thrive in meaningful careers. Our coalition of leading corporations and colleges work together to build replicable workforce solutions that ensure all workers are equipped with the skills, experiences, and opportunities to thrive in a rapidly changing economy.

The Opportunity

The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) seeks a proactive and detail-oriented Grants and Operations Associate to support the implementation of a large state-funded workforce development initiative. This role is central to managing small outgoing grants to institutions (typically under $50,000 per award), ensuring compliance with state requirements, supporting financial and outcomes reporting, and facilitating communications and coordination across partners.

Working closely with the CFO, Senior Director, and Program Manager, the Grants and Operations Associate will help monitor grant budgets and expenditures, track program deliverables and outcomes, and provide strong administrative and operational support to ensure the success of this initiative. The ideal candidate will have strong organizational skills, be adept at managing multiple priorities, and enjoy working in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.

Key Responsibilities

Grant Administration

• • Support the Senior Director and CFO in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of a portfolio of outgoing grants and payments to institutions, vendors and consultants.
  • Draft scopes of work and related documents for grant agreements and contracts.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for grantee questions and administrative needs.
  • Ensure timely processing of contracts, payments, and reporting deliverables.
  • Collect and track grant milestones, budgets, and compliance with state guidelines.
  • Maintain accurate documentation and tracking systems.
  • Identify and/or support the implementation of systems or tools to improve program efficiency and accuracy.

Operational and Programmatic Support

• • Coordinate and schedule regular check-ins, meetings, and communities of practice with grantees and partners.
  • Draft communications and updates for grantees, partners, and funders.
  • Support the Senior Director and Program Manager with project deliverables, including document preparation, data entry, and deadline tracking.
  • Help prepare presentations and briefing materials for internal leadership and external stakeholders.
  • Help compile materials for reports to the program funder and other stakeholders.
  • Manage logistics for virtual and in-person convenings, requiring some technical support and event planning capabilities.
  • Provide general administrative support as needed.

Qualifications

• • Associate’s degree or higher.
  • 1–4 years of relevant experience in program operations, grants management, or project coordination. Additional experience may substitute for education.
  • Comfort reading and working with budgets, invoices, and expenditure reports.
  • Excellent attention to detail, written communication, and organizational skills.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate professionally with external partners.
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines with minimal supervision.
  • Proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable working independently in a remote team environment.
  • Interest in workforce development, education innovation, and/or the future of work.
  • Experience with Zoom and Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Teams, PowerPoint and Excel.
  • Experience with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or other generative AI platform.

Preferred Qualifications

• • Bachelor’s degree.
  • Experience supporting contracts or outgoing subawards, preferably in a nonprofit, government or education-related setting.
  • Familiarity with project management tools and CRM platforms (e.g. Salesforce, Hubspot).
  • Knowledge of workforce development, human resource management, higher education, or future of work issues.

To Apply

Please submit your application by October 15, 2025 to mbharrisstaffing@gmail.com.

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover

letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of

this position.

The Business-Higher Education Forum is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees,

About Our Culture and What We Offer:

At BHEF, we pride ourselves on a collaborative, mission-driven, and flexible work environment. Our team values innovation, curiosity, inclusivity, and a shared commitment to driving impact at the intersection of talent strategy, education and workforce development. We have an office in Washington, DC. This hybrid position will work in the office one day per week.

The salary range for this position is $68,000-$72,000 with a benefits package that includes comprehensive health insurance, 401K, and generous paid time off. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of relevant experience and market demands. This is a full-time position that is grant-funded through August 2027. Continuation beyond the grant period is contingent upon future funding availability.

Join us to drive workforce innovations through one of America’s greatest economic assets: higher education.