FTA Grants Management Specialist

Job Description and Duties

Under the general direction of the Supervising Transportation Planner (Office Chief), the Senior Transportation Planner administers federal grants for various Federal Transit Administration programs, including all aspects of Federal grant awards, balances, reconciliations and reporting. The Senior Transportation Planner applies expert transportation planning knowledge of the Federal programs administered by the Division for the development of program grant balances. The Senior Transportation Planner provides technical assistance on grant administration to program managers and staff within Division of Mass Transportation (DMT), by monitoring grant activities and balances, maintaining accurate financial information in various data systems, preparing management reports and ensuring compliance with FTA grant requirements.

Eligibility for hire may be determined by your score on the Senior Transportation Planner exam. For those who do not have current eligibility (e.g., transfer, permissive reinstatement, or voluntary demotions) and/or who will be new to state civil services employment, you must be on the state examination list to be eligible for these positions. To apply for the exam, please click and search by typing in the classification title.

This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the Department and based on Caltrans’s evolving telework policy. Caltrans supports telework, recognizing that in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksites with minimum notification if an urgent need arises. The selected candidate will be required to commute to the headquartered location as needed to meet operational needs. Business travel may be required, and reimbursement considers an employee’s designated headquartered location, primary residence, and may be subject to CalHR regulations or applicable bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the headquartered location will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

Please take this 1-minute Caltrans Recruitment survey to tell us how you found out about this job.

Apply today to join our team! We especially encourage applicants to check out our tool! The is a tool to assist and help candidates understand and succeed in applying to Caltrans positions.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

Position located at 1120 N St Sacramento, Sacramento County.

This is a Limited Term position which may be extended to 24 months or become permanent.

Special Requirements

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required. Failure to submit a Statement of Qualifications will disqualify candidates from the hiring process.

The Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) serves as documentation of each applicant’s ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. Please follow the instructions below; failure to include and complete the SOQ as instructed may result in the SOQ not being considered and in disqualification from the interview. Each question must be numbered and addressed in the same order as the questions below. The SOQ must be typed, no more than two pages in length, and 12-point Arial font.

1.Please describe your past experience with Federal Transit Administration Grants and include any experience with the FTA Transit Award Management System (TrAMS).

2.Please describe any experience preparing grant applications, monitoring expenditures, encumbrances, and budgets, reconciling accounts, preparing reports, and or conducting assessments of program status. Please also include your experience using Caltrans AMS, InfoAdvantage, and Datalink systems.

Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment. If you are basing your eligibility on education, you must include your unofficial transcript(s)/diploma for verification. Unofficial, original, or official sealed transcripts will be accepted and may be required upon appointment. Applicants with foreign transcripts/degrees must provide a transcript/degree U.S. equivalency report evaluation that indicates the number of units and degree to which the foreign coursework is equivalent. Please visit either of the following two websites for a list of evaluation agencies: or . Please redact birthdates and social security numbers

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

This position requires comprehensive knowledge of State and federal accounting and budgeting practices, as well as FTA grant administration requirements. The ability to analyze and evaluate complex information, develop alternatives, and apply analytical techniques to recommend solutions to transportation-related issues. Proficiency with AMS, InfoAdvantage, and Datalink is essential, including creating Cost Accounting Setup and Cost Accounting Modification documents, preparing expenditure adjustment requests for new FTA grants, and collaborating with the Division of Budgets on appropriation management. The ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external partners. Knowledge of Federal and State laws related to transportation planning—including regulations on homeland security, programming, and transit project funding—is vital. The ability to work independently with minimal supervision, participate as an interdisciplinary team member, and manage multiple assignments simultaneously is also required. An understanding of the political and policy implications of departmental actions is desirable, along with knowledge of computer applications, research methods, analytical techniques, and planning processes involving transportation, environmental, land use, social, economic, fiscal, legal, and political considerations. Effective public participation techniques are also beneficial.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Important Application Instructions

Electronic applications through your CalCareers account are highly recommended and encouraged.

Candidates that meet the minimum qualifications based on possession of EDUCATION, LICENSE, OR CERTIFICATE must include a copy of your DEGREE/TRANSCRIPTS, LICENSE, or CERTIFICATE, along with your State application (STD. 678), to be considered for this position.

NOTE: Do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed State application (STD. 678). This page is for examination use only. Do not include any confidential information on any documents you submit for this job vacancy, such as your state application, resume, or educational transcripts. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number, birth date, driver’s license number, examination results, LEAP status, marital status, and age. The job application packet checklist is not required to apply for this position. Failure to follow these instructions may result in your application not being considered for this position.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required. Please see the Special Requirements section for SOQ instructions.