Transportation & Grant Specialist

Transportation & Grant Specialist

The Transportation & Grant Specialist manages the full lifecycle of federal, state, and local transportation grants for the University of New Hampshire's transit organization. This position oversees a portfolio of approximately 16 active Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants totaling $17 million, ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations, including FTA requirements and OMB Uniform Guidance. The role coordinates closely with planning, operations, finance, procurement, and external oversight agencies to develop grant-ready projects, monitor financial activity, and secure ongoing funding to support transit operations, capital projects, and mobility initiatives. The Specialist also serves as the primary liaison during audits, reviews, and regulatory monitoring, while advancing funding strategies and program development to support UNH Transportation Services.

Duties/Responsibilities

Grant Program Development & Management (45%)

• Research, identify, and recommend federal, state, and local grant opportunities aligned with the organization's transportation priorities.
• Proactively pursue new funding to support transit operations, capital projects, and mobility initiatives.
• Prepare, review, and submit grant applications including narratives, budgets, scopes of work, and certifications.
• Coordinate with internal departments to develop grant-ready projects and track progress, deadlines, amendments, and drawdowns.
• Oversee administration, reporting, modifications, and closeout of 16 active FTA grants totaling $17 million.
• Manage modifications, reallocations, and close-out of grants, including final reports and documentation.

Financial Oversight, Budgeting & Compliance (35%)

• Integrate grant-funded projects into operating and capital budgets in coordination with finance and planning.
• Monitor and reconcile expenditures, cash flow, reimbursement requests, procurement actions, and cost allocations to ensure compliance.
• Prepare required financial and programmatic reports for leadership, board committees, and grant agencies.
• Interpret and apply federal regulations including FTA circulars and OMB Uniform Guidance.
• Serve as primary point of contact during audits, triennial reviews, and external oversight evaluations; maintain audit-ready documentation.

Stakeholder Coordination, Policy Development & Continuous Improvement (20%)

• Serve as liaison with funding agencies, state DOT, regional planning organizations, and internal/external project partners.
• Coordinate project milestones, deliverables, and timelines to ensure alignment with grant requirements.
• Develop and update policies, procedures, and workflows for effective grant administration and compliance.
• Recommend process improvements and remain informed about evolving regulations, legislation, and funding opportunities.

Requirements

Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Transportation Planning, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience in grant management, preferably within a transit or transportation environment, including federal grant programs.
• Experience in budget development/monitoring, financial analysis, procurement, and project management.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong understanding of federal transit funding, compliance frameworks, and grant administration requirements.
• Proficiency in budgeting, financial monitoring, data interpretation, and reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to simplify complex regulatory and financial information.
• High level of organization and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple grants, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external stakeholders while managing responsibilities independently.

• Preferred Qualifications:
• Master's degree in a related field.
• Experience with transit operations or capital project management.
• Prior experience in audit or compliance environments involving federal funding.
• Familiarity with regional transportation planning and metropolitan mobility funding processes.

Applicant Instructions:

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the My Experience: Resume/CV section of the application: (Maximum of 5 Documents)

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
• Contact Information for 3 Professional References

Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed.

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire's lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

EEO Statement

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

Compensation Pay Range:

$47,920.00 - $85,410.00

The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources

Location:

Durham