Associate Director of Grants

What We DoAt Leading Educators (LE), we know that excellent teaching is the most important driver of student success. The moment a student steps foot in the classroom, their opportunity to learn depends on how prepared their teacher is to translate complex content knowledge, standards, and their knowledge of that student into lessons that help them learn deeply and apply their thinking to the real world.That’s a big lift, and it often happens alone. As a national nonprofit, we partner with school systems to overcome persistent instructional challenges, foster intentional collaboration and adult learning by design, and ignite new possibilities through systemic solutions at the intersection of teaching, talent, and technology.We work shoulder-to-shoulder with educators at every level of the education system to strengthen their instructional and leadership practices, bring a vision for excellent instruction to life with consistency, and ensure every student reaches their full potential.Through direct support, strategic advising, innovation pilots, and best-in-class research, we help educators work toward a future where every student is ready to thrive. Learn more about our work at leadingeducators.org.External & Internal Candidate Application Deadline: OngoingPositionAt Leading Educators, we’re seeking an experienced nonprofit finance and grants professional to strengthen and lead the financial management and compliance operations of our growing grants portfolio.This is a highly technical role designed for candidates with backgrounds in accounting, finance, grants financial management, audit, or nonprofit compliance. The Associate Director of Grants will serve as a key financial steward responsible for managing the post-award financial lifecycle of grants, ensuring compliance, accuracy, operational efficiency, and strong financial controls across a complex and expanding portfolio of philanthropic investments.We are seeking a candidate who can independently manage grant agreements, restricted funding, financial reporting, compliance requirements, and grants-related financial systems with minimal oversight. This role requires strong analytical judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to build scalable systems and processes that reduce organizational risk and improve operational effectiveness.This is not a programmatic or Development grants role. It is a finance-centered role focused on grants accounting, compliance, financial stewardship, and operational rigor.Do you have expertise in…Reading, interpreting, and operationalizing complex grant agreementsUnderstanding and determining Contributions versus Exchange TransactionsManaging restricted funds and tracking allowable vs. non-allowable expensesPreparing grant-related financial reporting and compliance documentationDesigning financial systems and workflows that reduce manual work and organizational riskTracking, Accounting for and Managing multi-year, multi-funder grants independentlyEnsuring compliance across nonprofit, federal, state, and organizational financial standards (FASB Compliance)Utilizing financial systems such as Sage Intacct, Salesforce, or similar platformsDo you enjoy…Solving complex financial and grants management challengesCreating systems and processes that improve operational efficiencyActing as a strategic financial partner across Finance, Development, and Program teamsBuilding structure, clarity, and accountability within grants financial managementManaging detailed financial work while balancing broader organizational prioritiesIf you've answered affirmatively to these questions and meet the following prerequisites, we urge you to seize this opportunity. This role calls for the following:Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Public Administration, or closely related field requiredMinimum 5 years of nonprofit finance, grants accounting, grants compliance, or advanced grants management experience requiredStrong preference for candidates with accounting, finance, audit, or nonprofit compliance backgroundsProven experience independently managing complex grant agreements and restricted fundingDemonstrated ability to design and improve financial systems and operational workflowsStrong technical proficiency with Sage Intacct, Salesforce, or comparable financial systemsExceptional analytical, organizational, and communication skillsAbility to work remotely with occasional national travel (1–3 trips per year)CPA credential or equivalent accounting/finance expertise strongly preferredExperience in nonprofit audit, government grants, or compliance environments preferredTravel RequirementsThis is a remote position requires travel 1-3 times per yearNational travel for org retreats, programming, job related travel, or professional development Outside of the above mentioned travel, this person will work from a home office that must be located anywhere within the U.S. Questions? We’re here to help.If you have questions about this rol