Senior Associate, Grants Management Data

ECMC Foundation is a nationally focused foundation whose mission is to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments to remove barriers to postsecondary completion; build the capacity of organizations, institutions and systems; and transform the postsecondary ecosystem using a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to support both nonprofit and for-profit ventures.
Job SummaryThe Senior Associate, Grants Management Data & Systems serves as the Foundations subject matter expert for grants management systems, data governance, reporting, and business process optimization, partnering closely with Grants Management leadership, Finance, IT, and cross-functional stakeholders to develop and implement technology, reporting, and data solutions that support operational excellence and the Foundations grantmaking strategy. This role provides oversight of grants management systems and data assets, ensuring strong governance, scalable processes, meaningful reporting, and continuous improvement. The senior associate leads system enhancements and process improvement efforts that enhance efficiency, reduce risk, improve user adoption, and strengthen organizational effectiveness while identifying opportunities to leverage systems, data, and technology to support business objectives and the Foundations evolving needs.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesServes as the Foundations primary administrator and subject matter expert for grants management systems, executing day-to-day system configuration, user roles and permissions, workflow and form administration, validation rules, reporting structures, routine maintenance, and system optimization.
Leads data governance, quality management, and reconciliation practices to ensure accurate, reliable, and audit-ready grantmaking data.
Develops and enhances reporting, dashboards, analytics, and key performance metrics that support strategic decision-making, financial reporting, and operational effectiveness.
Leads the assessment and resolution of complex system and data challenges, identifying opportunities for enhancements that improve efficiency, scalability, reliability, and user experience.
Supports grants management operations through execution-level quality assurance, including grant-processing reviews, reporting validation, and resolution of data-related inquiries. Designs, configures, tests, and implements system enhancements, data structures, and automated workflows, including coordinating user acceptance testing, regression testing, and validation of new functionality prior to deployment.
Partners with Grants Management leadership, Finance, IT, vendors, and cross-functional stakeholders to translate business needs into effective technology, reporting, and process solutions.
Identifies opportunities to improve business processes, data management practices, and system utilization through analysis, innovation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Establishes and maintains governance standards, documentation, training resources, and best practices that support compliance, operational continuity, and effective system adoption.
Advises leadership on system capabilities, data trends, operational risks, and opportunities to strengthen grants management operations and reporting.
Executes system, data, reporting, and operational activities under Grants Management leadership governance, providing analysis and recommendations while partnering on prioritization, policy, and long-term system strategy.
Ensures appropriate system security, confidentiality, and user access controls in alignment with organizational policies and data governance standards.
Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Required QualificationsBachelors degree and 5+ years of experience in finance, data analytics, business intelligence, information systems, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
Experience serving as an administrator for grants management systems, CRM platforms, or other enterprise business applications.
Advanced experience developing and maintaining reports, dashboards, data visualizations, and performance metrics using tools such as Power BI, Excel, SQL, or similar reporting platforms.
Strong knowledge of data governance, data quality management, relational databases, reporting structures, and data reconciliation practices.
Strong understanding of grants management processes, grant lifecycles, payment administration, financial controls, and compliance requirements.
Experience designing, implementing, and optimizing systems, workflows, reporting solutions, and technology-enabled business processes within a cross-functional environment.
Experience translating business requirements into system configurat