Director, Procurement and Grant Compliance

Job Title: Director, Procurement and Grant Compliance

Team: Finance

Location: Hybrid in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), New York (NYC), or Newark (NJ)

Employment Type: Full-time

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Start Date: ASAP

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program. We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students, followed by support that lasts through graduation. Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream. To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Jobs.

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Director, Procurement and Grant Compliance who will develop and implement comprehensive purchasing systems, policies, and procedures aligned with federal grant requirements. By optimizing our financial processes and maintaining strict compliance, you'll play a vital role in maximizing the impact of every dollar invested in our Fellows' futures. Your work will directly contribute to Braven's ability to scale its programs efficiently and effectively, ultimately helping more underrepresented students transition from college to strong first jobs and fulfilling careers. As a leader within the Finance team, you will collaborate across departments to centralize purchasing, improve vendor processes, and ensure compliance with federal grant requirements, including the Uniform Guidance.

This role is on the Finance team and reports directly to the Controller.

Procurement Systems and Policy Development - 40%

• Design and implement procurement systems, policies, and procedures aligned with federal grant requirements and Uniform Guidance
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive procurement manual that ensures compliance with federal regulations
• Create and implement internal controls to safeguard against fraud, waste, and abuse in procurement processes
• Establish and oversee a system for tracking and reporting on grant-related purchases
• Continuously evaluate and improve procurement processes to enhance efficiency and compliance
• Build out and manage a Purchase Order system

Grant Compliance and Management - 30%

• Collaborate with the grants management team to ensure all procurement activities meet federal grant regulations
• Oversee the preparation and submission of procurement-related reports required by federal grantors
• Stay current on changes in federal grant requirements and update procurement policies accordingly
• Provide training and guidance to staff on procurement processes and federal grant compliance
• Conduct internal audits of procurement practices to ensure ongoing compliance

Vendor Management and Strategic Sourcing - 20%

• Develop and implement strategic sourcing initiatives to optimize cost savings and value
• Oversee RFP processes, ensuring compliance with federal grant requirements
• Negotiate and manage vendor contracts, ensuring favorable terms and compliance with federal regulations
• Implement vendor performance metrics and conduct regular evaluations
• Manage ContractSafe, including conducting trainings and processing contracts

Strategic Planning and Team Leadership - 10%

• Develop and implement long-term procurement strategies aligned with Braven's growth plans and grant funding objectives
• Collaborate with leadership to align procurement strategies with organizational goals

Other duties as assigned

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, or related field
• At least 5 years of experience in procurement, with at least 2 years focusing on federal grant compliance
• Demonstrated expertise in federal grant management and in-depth knowledge of Uniform Guidance
• Ability to have meetings outside of regular working hours for your time zone in order to facilitate meeting scheduling.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Certified Federal Grants Management Specialist (CFMS) or similar certification
• Experience with procurement in the non-profit sector
• Strong listening skills, empathy, patience, and the ability to lead through influence and by example
• Strong project management skills
• Excellent cross-functional team collaboration abilities
• Proven track record of process improvement implementation
• Experience with financial management software and procurement systems
• Experience with Workday ERP software
• Experience developing and implementing procurement systems and policies
• Demonstrated expertise in federal grant management and in-depth knowledge of Uniform Guidance
• Demonstrated commitment to building strong and welcoming cultures that help to develop others.
• Exemplification of Braven’s core values.
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population.

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), New York City (NYC), or Newark (NJ) 3 days per week
• Access to internet
• Travel up to 4 times per year
• Travel may be required for training or conferences related to federal grant management
• Ability to have meetings outside of regular working hours for your time zone in order to facilitate meeting scheduling.

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Braven doesn’t offer employment visa sponsorship

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

• Phone screen with Talent Team member
• Performance Task
• Interview with Hiring Manager
• Panel Interview with Key Partners
• Reference Checks

Braven provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include: 

• Discretionary time off in addition to org-wide holidays and 2 week-long shutdowns in July and December (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
• Braven supports your path to parenthood and beyond with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff
• Monthly $75 reimbursement for cell phone or internet
• Access to funding for continued career development 

Compensation

Braven offers opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly relative to one another, their qualifications, and their impact on the organization, and we take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead, each offer is carefully determined using external and internal benchmarks.

The hiring range is determined by role scope, qualifications, and internal equity, with annual growth based on performance. Braven does not base compensation on individual candidate salary expectations and is committed to maintaining internal equity. The hiring ranges for this role by geographic market are set forth as $79,200-$85,100 in Atlanta, $83,600-$89,800 in Chicago, and $92,000-$98,800 in Newark and New York City. This is based on a 50-hour work week at an hourly rate. This is a full-time, regular, non-exempt, and benefits-eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity.  

Please note that Braven is firm in its compensation philosophy; therefore, only candidates who believe our total rewards package aligns with what they are looking for in their next opportunity are encouraged to apply.

Location

We gather in the office 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday) and work remotely 2 days a week (Monday and Friday). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of one of our hubs: Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, or Newark. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face, and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.  We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.