Project and Contracts Specialist, Beyond School Bells

Description

NEBRASKA CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FOUNDATION:

Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (NCFF) is a nonprofit created to support children, young adults, and families with the overall goal of giving our state's kids what they need to thrive. We do this by building strong communities that support families. Our mission is to create positive change for Nebraska’s children through community engagement and we believe in a Nebraska where all children will have the resources and support to thrive.

SUMMARY:

The Project and Contract Specialist for Beyond School Bells (BSB) supports Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s commitment to high-quality Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELOs) for Nebraska’s K–12 children and families. This full-time position works in close collaboration with the BSB team, partners, and consultants to manage projects and partnerships; play a key role in contracting, compliance, and fiscal processes; and ensure effective administration, documentation, reporting, and evaluation of assigned initiatives. The position also provides technical assistance and virtual and in-person training to program staff to strengthen implementation, accountability, and alignment with BSB network goals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Alignment & Program Purpose

• Maintain a working knowledge of Beyond School Bells’ purpose, goals, and objectives and align projects and activities accordingly to strengthen the quality and sustainability of      Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) programs across Nebraska.

Project Leadership, Partnerships, and Implementation

• Collaborate as a member of the Beyond School Bells team to coordinate local and statewide partnerships that expand the quality and reach of afterschool and summer programming.
• Provide leadership and project management for career exploration and workforce development initiatives.
• Support the implementation of funding opportunities that advance youth development efforts among program staff,      partners, and school-based afterschool and community learning centers.
• Engage and coordinate Nebraska communities to leverage Beyond School Bells resources alongside local assets to build afterschool program capacity.

Contracting, Compliance, and Technical Assistance

• Play a key role in the contracting process by coordinating with the VP of Operations and Communications and aligning efforts with Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (NCFF) backbone functions, including Accounting, Legal, Contracting/CICs, and related teams as needed.
• Provide technical assistance and contract compliance support to both federally funded and non-federally funded afterschool and summer learning programs.

Recordkeeping, Documentation, and Quality Assurance

• Maintain accurate and complete records using NCFF’s electronic systems (WebGrants), Excel tracking tools, and, when applicable, hard-copy master files for contractors, grantees, and consultants.
• Periodically review and audit documentation to ensure consistency, accuracy, and high-quality recordkeeping.

Evaluation, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement

• Support the internal NCFF Research and Evaluation department in developing and implementing evaluation systems that measure the progress and effectiveness of Beyond School Bells projects and processes.

Training, Technical Assistance, and Program Capacity Building

• Provide virtual and in-person training to program staff to support Beyond School Bells network and project goals, including through events, conferences, and individual  program coaching for staff.
• Support programmatic strands by offering coaching and technical assistance for the development and      integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programming.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position currently has no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 

Required:

• Bachelors’ Degree in a related  field, and
• 3-5 years of work experience in education, policy or related fields.
• Must have an understanding and appreciation of the value of STEM, workforce development, and youth development programming in out of school time programs.
• Experience managing and administering contracts, and contract compliance.
• Proven  ability to consistently manage projects and meet deadlines. 

Knowledge:

• Project assessment and application of directives  
• Working knowledge of Microsoft office suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams or equivalent applications
• Office equipment and computer software
• Working knowledge of web based digital media tools

Skills:

• Research and project management, including experience with a variety of educational institutions along the K-16 continuum. 
• Experience applying legal or quasi-legal analysis to contract development, compliance monitoring, or risk mitigation within federally funded programs, public agencies or education organizations, or nonprofit organizations. 
• Driven by a commitment to supporting education through expanding access to high quality afterschool and summer programming to all youth. 
• Ability to collect and evaluate information and present information in clearly written reports is essential.

Preferred:

· Legal education or formal training in contract law, regulatory compliance, or nonprofit/governmental legal frameworks (e.g., JD coursework, law degree completed or in progress, or comparable legal studies). 

· Previous experience in the youth development field and cross-functional team collaboration.

Equivalency Statement

Applicants who do not meet the qualification as stated above are encouraged to put in writing precisely how their background and experience have prepared them with the equivalent combination of education, training and experience required for the responsibilities of this position.