Grant Establishment Specialist Team B

Position Overview

The Office of Grants Management is seeking to hire a Grant Establishment Specialist. This position serves as a dedicated business professional providing technical assistance and guidance regarding a variety of grant programs at the same time, from both federal and state funding sources, as associated with the processing of grant applications submitted to Department offices. The ideal candidate will be able to take on these tasks quickly and conduct their work in a timely manner.  This unique environment provides a steady workload and is a key aspect of the grant establishment and grant administration process. We welcome interested applicants who can manage this important workflow inside this exciting environment to apply. 

Essential Functions

• Under general direction, provides technical assistance to governmental, non-profit, and for-profit grant recipients with project planning, grant preparation, and execution to ensure the project application is accurate and contains all required technical information and data.


• Assists in providing review of surveys/applications for completeness to evaluate the merit of proposals for funding assistance from appropriate funds. 


• Conducts routine follow-up of pending grantees to determine compliance and timely completion. 


• Evaluates reports from multiple data sources showing potential problems and areas of holdup in the grant process. 


• Provides technical assistance to governmental, non-profit, and for-profit grant recipients with registration and prequalification in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) portal. 


• Performs full life cycle grant management duties. 


• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college, preferably with courses in business or public administration. 


• Requires two (2) years of responsible administrative experience in a public or business organization. 

Specialized Skills

• Requires two (2) years of experience reviewing extensive application documents, including program narrative and budget analysis, and obtaining numerous approvals required for successful completion of the review. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefers two (2) years of experience reviewing extensive application documents, including program narrative and budget analysis, and obtaining numerous approvals required for successful completion of the review. 


• Prefers two (2) years of professional experience handling a large volume of projects simultaneously while meeting required timelines. 


• Prefers two (2) of professional experience extracting pertinent information from extensive submitted documents to successfully process grant projects. 


• Prefers two (2) years of professional experience providing detailed technical assistance, including written and verbal instruction of complicated requirements, in a clear manner. 


• Prefers two (2) years of professional experience with grant administration activities. 


• Prefers two (2) years of professional experience administering a public program. 


• Prefers two (2) years of professional experience with public presentations. 


• Prefers intermediate level proficiency utilizing software such as Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, SharePoint, and especially grant reporting/tracking systems. 

Conditions of Employment

• Requires completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history. 


• Overtime is a condition of employment, and you may be requested or required/mandated to work overtime including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime. This may require the ability to work evenings and weekends. 


• Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during state employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) or may be subject to a fine.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

The mission of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is to create equitable economic opportunities across the State of Illinois. By attracting and supporting major job creators, investing in communities, strengthening Illinois’ world-class workforce, fostering innovation, and ushering in the new clean energy economy, DCEO works to fortify Illinois’ reputation as a global economic powerhouse while ensuring Illinois is the best state to live, work and do business.