Grant Coordinator & Project Accountant, START Center Initiative

Join Us in Rethinking What Education Can Be

At Big Picture Learning, we believe young people thrive when they are known, trusted, and empowered to design lives of their own choosing. For nearly three decades, we’ve worked alongside schools and systems to make that belief a reality through student-centered, real-world learning.

We are practitioners. We are story-doers. We work with urgency and heart. And we are looking for a Grant Coordinator & Project Accountant who wants their work to matter.

About the Role

The Grant Coordinator & Project Accountant plays a key role in advancing BPL’s mission by playing a key role in managing the financial and operational integrity of a large-scale, multi-partner grant initiative. This position oversees grant budgeting, financial tracking, subgrants and contracts, and coordination with internal teams and external partners, including funders. The role supports a multi million dollar, multi-year grant initiative and ensures accuracy, compliance, and alignment between program implementation and financial management across the initiative, with a focus on supporting accurate financial management, partner coordination, and compliance across multiple sites and stakeholders.. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment and is energized by building systems, relationships, and solutions that help leaders, educators and youth flourish.

At BPL, roles are not silos — they are contributions to a shared vision. You will work alongside passionate colleagues across the country who believe deeply in reimagining education and the power of young people.

Role Overview

• Location: Remote, U.S.-based - Must be located in CST or EST
• Reports To: Director of Finance
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Travel: Occasional travel for annual conferences and team gatherings; up to 10% of the time

What You’ll Do

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Grant Operations & Partner Coordination

• Lead monthly project budget updates with team and partners
• Coordinate grant activities, convenings, and timelines with Regional Coordinators and local partners.
• Support BPL overall grant strategy and cross-team alignment.
• Coordinate fellow stipend payments with Regional Coordinators.
• Support cross-functional collaboration between finance and program teams.
• Coordinate the preparation and submission of grant reports and reviews in collaboration with Regional Coordinators, partners, and BPL staff.

Budgeting, Financial Tracking & Reporting

• Monitor and manage project budgets, including monthly budget-to-actual tracking and account reconciliation.
• Partner with the Director of Finance to review financial performance and address discrepancies.
• Prepare and deliver financial reports for internal leadership, partners, and funders.
• Support forecasting and financial planning related to grant implementation.

Subgrants & Contracts Management

• Manage and track all subgrants and contracts, including agreements, payment schedules, and required documentation and reporting.
• Ensure timely processing of payments and compliance with grant requirements.
• Coordinate reporting and deliverables from subgrantees and partners.
• Maintain organized records to support audits and funder reporting.

Accounting & Financial Operations

• Prepare and post transactions and journal entries as needed.
• Meet with finance team weekly to review all budget discrepancies
• Participate in monthly and year-end close processes with the Finance Team.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date accounting records and files.
• Support ad hoc financial analysis and reporting projects.

General

• Support efforts to foster fairness, belonging, and equal opportunity while actively advocating for justice at the personal, organizational, and systemic levels.
• Support, participate in, and attend annual BPL conferences and other org-wide events as needed.
• Other responsibilities may be assigned based on organizational need and individual skills and interests.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s in Accounting or Finance or related fields strongly preferred. However, as research demonstrates that education requirements can be a deterrent for qualified candidates to apply and can perpetuate gender and racial disparities, we encourage all candidates with the professional experiences and leadership qualities outlined in this position specification to apply.
• 3-5+ years experience in project or grant accounting or non-profit finance
• 3+ years experience managing large, complex grants or multi-partner initiatives (preferably $5M+)
• Experience in a non-profit environment preferred
• Strong experience with financial systems such as Intacct, Expensify, Bill.com, and Salesforce highly preferred.
• Strong aptitude with Excel, Google Sheets and similar programs
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines without sacrificing accuracy.
• Ability to work independently, set priorities, and manage multiple workstreams.
• Strong communication and coordination skills across internal teams and external partners.
• Willingness to travel approximately 10% of the time.

Core Values & Professional Qualities

• Steadfast belief that students should be at the center of their own learning and that education (in particular public education) is due for a reorientation that allows students to be confident in the pursuit of their own passions and interests
• Strong internal accountability (especially important due to the geographic spread of BPL’s work and our virtual teams), comfort juggling multiple projects and prioritizing tasks, and the ability to work remotely in distributed teams across multiple time zones
• Ability to exhibit entrepreneurial behaviors, take ownership, and see tasks and ideas through from conception to implementation
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills both in person and virtually
• Commitment to continuous improvement, a relentless approach to growth and learning, and an openness to constructive critical feedback
• Collegial and empathetic approach to working with others, while bringing a creative, flexible and thoughtful approach to your work
• Ability to use - or quickly learn - multiple tech platforms (i.e., Google Suite, Salesforce, Asana)

Mission & Mindset

Big Picture Learning team members are united by a deep belief that students belong at the center of their own learning and that education must evolve to empower young people to pursue lives of passion, purpose, and possibility. A commitment to advancing this work with urgency and care is essential.

As a fully virtual organization operating across time zones, we value colleagues who are self-directed, internally accountable, and comfortable navigating complexity. Those who thrive at BPL move work forward in the face of uncertainty, take thoughtful risks, and carry ideas from conception through implementation.

Culture matters here. We prioritize connection and mutual support, ensuring every staff member feels valued and equipped to grow — anchored by strong supervision, collaborative peers, and clear agreements about how we work together. The work is demanding and mission-driven, and we approach it with creativity, empathy, and joy.

Compensation

The starting annual salary for this position is $82,350.

Big Picture Learning uses a transparent and consistent compensation model grounded in fairness and objectivity. Each role is benchmarked based on its scope, responsibilities, and required experience using industry data and cost-of-labor analysis. To promote consistency and reduce bias in compensation decisions, starting salaries are predetermined within our structured framework and are not subject to negotiation.

Our approach is designed to provide clarity and ensure fair compensation practices across the organization.

Benefits & Investment in People

At BPL, we believe our staff should feel supported, valued, and able to thrive — personally and professionally. Our benefits reflect that commitment.

Health & Financial Security

• Fully paid medical, vision, and dental coverage
• Fully paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage
• Pension plan with a 5% employer contribution, 100% vested after six months

Time to Rest & Recharge

• 8 weeks of paid parental leave and 4 weeks of paid medical leave (after 12 months)
• 13 paid holidays, + 2 religious floater holidays
• Organization-wide holiday break (Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day)
• 11 personal/sick days, plus a paid birthday
• 18 days of paid vacation, accrued at 1.5 days per month beginning the first full month
• 3 annual “Chill & Recharge Days” dedicated to supporting work-life balance and intentional focus on health and wellness

Tools & Remote Work Support

• Company-issued laptop
• Home office equipment (printer/scanner/copier and supplies)
• Cell phone coverage (company plan or up to $400 toward a new device)
• Coverage of TSA Pre-Check, CLEAR, or Global Entry enrollment fees
• Reimbursement for approved organizational travel