NRTC serves more than 1,500 rural utilities and affiliates in 48 states. Our purpose is to help provide solutions to electric and telephone members to bring all the advantages of today’s evolving technology to rural America. NRTC has helped its members successfully obtain government funding to support and enable broadband deployment across unserved and unserved communities. Several federal and state/local funding programs are emerging to bridge the digital divide and modernize rural America’s electricity sector through advancements in network resiliency, renewable energy, and Smart Grid solutions. Moreover, cybersecurity programs continue to gain traction to protect our nation’s telecom and electrical networks. NRTC is expanding the Funding Services Team. NRTC seeks a Funding Solutions Assistant to help members apply for these funding opportunities through: opportunity identification; multifaceted communication programs to alert members and explain program guidelines; coordination with NRTC members, internal staff and partners to develop and review proposals; special projects that successfully position members to obtain grants and thereby advance development in rural America.

Job Summary 

The Funding Solutions Assistant will help identify and summarize emerging federal and state/local funding programs for NRTC members and staff. These include programs for broadband deployment and adoption, energy initiatives (e.g., Smart Grid, resiliency, renewable energy), and network/cybersecurity enhancements. The Funding Solutions Assistant will help NRTC members, staff, and grant writers collect and assemble grant application documentation, manage document exchange and review final proposals to ensure all program criteria are effectively met.

Responsibilities

• Track federal, state, and local grants programs across broadband, energy, and network security.
• Closely read and distill key points regarding objective, eligibility criteria, scoring framework, compliance requirements, and application submission guidelines.
• Summarize key program points through authoring a variety of outputs (e.g., program briefs, memos, blogs, slides) and presentations (e.g., workshops, webinars, individual meetings, etc.)
• Apply various research tools to identifying emerging programs including online resources, paid subscriptions, conversations with industry stakeholders, etc.
• Manage multiple simultaneous priorities for information gathering and analysis with short deadlines, diverse information sets, and complex government rules and guidelines.
• Maintain databases of all funding opportunities, member proposals, awards granted, etc.; run reports and engage in analysis regarding project activity and status of grant applications being developed.
• Maintain a comprehensive, well-organized shared directory of grant applications and research findings.
• Provide timely responses to member inquiries regarding member inquiries regarding funding programs, proposal development status, information requirements, etc.
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to advance continuous improvement in grant application processes Workflow tracking and updates based on assigned tasks
• Can manage a team of cross discipline individuals, using project management techniques to assemble large quantities of data required by state and federal infrastrucure grant authorities
• Can communicate complex ideas, verbally and in writing, so that others may understand them
• Well-organized and self-directed
• Highly attentive to details and accurate
• Proficient with computers and spreadsheet/word processing applications
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Track record in having performed research across a complex set of issues and topics; prefer that research involve any of the following – local, state or federal public policy, telecom technology, utilities, and economic development
• Ability to consult and provide advice that is evidence-based, analytical, holistic to the set of circumstances, and timely
• Demonstrated success in developing reports, memos, briefs, slides, etc.
• Ability to create and manage databases of large information sets and run reports Cooperative and member-focused mindset
• Ability to interact well with external parties such as members, vendors, and partners and internal leaders and colleagues
• Ability to excel in a team environment
• Highly attentive to detail
• Excellent writing, presentation, and organizational skills
• Excellent proficiency in Microsoft tools, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Ability to handle priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to complete multiple tasks within critical deadlines

Minimum Education and Experience  

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, business, accounting, telecommunications, liberal arts and sciences; Masters-level education preferred but not required
• Experience with federal and/or state-local grant programs preferably in broadband and/or electrical utilities

Physical Demands 

• Work is typically performed in an office or remote setting 
• Minimum domestic travel may be required up to 10% 

About NRTC

NRTC is Member Driven and Technology Focused – providing solutions that help our 1,500 electric and telephone members bring all the advantages of today’s evolving technology to rural America. NRTC’s solutions are developed specifically to meet the needs of rural utilities and their customers, and include integrated smart grid solutions, metering networks, next-generation energy, demand management, broadband, managed services, mobile and video. We are a dynamic, growing cooperative with more than 650 employees operating out of seven office locations. We are looking to add experienced staff to our Smart Grid Solutions (SGS) team to enhance and accelerate the development of those solutions for the benefit of our members.

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