OPS GRANTS SPECIALIST II - 37940254

Requisition No: 872326 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: OPS GRANTS SPECIALIST II - 37940254

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 37940254 

Salary:  $21.50 to $23.00/hour 

Posting Closing Date: 04/05/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

OPS Grant Specialist II - 37940254

State of Florida

Department of Environmental Protection

Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection

Coral Protection and Restoration Program

Open Competitive

This position is located in West Palm Beach, FL

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

In carrying out the duties of this position, the incumbent is expected at all times to be aware of and abide by the Department’s Standards of Conduct, as well as any and all departmental and/or work unit rules, directives, policies, procedures, and/or general orders applicable to performing the duties of this position.

The Grant Assistant position is a core member of the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection’s (ORCP) Coral Protection and Restoration (CPR) Program and will assist in initiating and managing contract and grant agreements. In consultation with the Program Administrator, Operations and Budget Manager, and Grant Coordinator, performs the following:

Task 1 (75%): Grant Support and Coordination: Support the programmatic and administrative activities of the program by managing assigned grant agreements under the Florida’s Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery (FCR3) Initiative, and any other future funding area. Provide comprehensive grant management and coordination services that follow the Standard Operating Procedures for the Coral Protection and Restoration Program, as well as the Department’s Grant Resource Guides. Activities include, but are not limited to:

• Developing Grant Work Plans (GWP) and preparation of other supporting grant documentation needed in collaboration with grantees and principal investigators.
• Reviewing Budget Cost Analyses (BCA) to determine if budgets are allowable, reasonable, and necessary.
• Ensuring compliance with Florida’s grant and expenditure laws, policies and requirements and ensuring grantees remain in compliance with terms and conditions of the grant award.
• Routing agreement documents for execution and processing amendments and/or change orders, as needed.
• Liaising with grantees and various Department divisions through periodic communication.
• Reviewing deliverables.
• Reviewing and submitting invoices – track expenditures/disbursements for both cost reimbursement and fixed-cost agreements.
• Ensuring grantees submit quarterly reports, deliverables, and other documentation in a timely manner
• Actively updating information and tracking the progress of grant activities in the CPR Program Grant Tracking Log, Salesforce enterprise grant management database, as well as the Florida Accountability Contract Tracking System (FACTS).
• Maintaining project/grant files in both Sharepoint and the Program’s shared drive by ensuring documentation follows folder structure and remains organized.
• Conducting site visits for project compliance, as needed.
• Analyzing data, research information, review documents, and use such data and information to develop reports and presentations for the State Legislature as requested by the Department.
• Assist in the management of other grant agreements, as needed.

Task 2 (20%): Information Management and Sharing: Represent the DEP CPR Program. Work collaboratively and exchange information with CPR, ORCP Southeast Region, agency and non-agency representatives, leadership, and all other interested partners and stakeholders. Information and updates may in the form of presentations, one-pagers, written or verbal updates, or other products as requested.

• Attend weekly CPR Grant Check-In Calls and participate in ORCP, CPR, and SE Region meetings, as appropriate.
• Maintain and update, as appropriate, the CPR Grants Standard Operating Procedure document.
• Develop Salesforce procedural reports and how-to guides; provide trainings to staff, as needed.
• Attend external meetings and functions related to the CPR, SCTLD, water quality, restoration, and other regional coral reef issues in Florida, as needed.
• Contribute to the development of CPR-related communications products as well as the DEP/ORCP Weekly and Quarterly Measures Reports.
• Travel locally and throughout Florida and occasional long-distance travel as needed to attend meetings, conferences, and trainings.
• Maintain partnerships with a variety of stakeholder groups including resource users, NGO’s, educational institutions, and government agencies.
• Prepare meeting summaries and track action items, as needed/appropriate.

Task 3 (5%): Other:

• Coordinates and submits program progress reports, as needed.
• Reviews and edits documents to ensure Section 508 compliance, as assigned.
• Maintain electronic files of all resources, information compiled, and reports generated.
• May aid in the event of an emergency at DEP field offices, including pre-storm preparation, post-storm clean-up and replacement of stored goods to ready field office for operation after a storm; or other services assigned.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of ability to interpret concepts, principles, and practices of contract/grant management, invoice review, processing and submittal.
• Knowledge of and experience with purchasing and invoice processing.
• Skilled in organization and time management.
• Skilled in the use of computer applications, particularly Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat.
• Ability to compile, proofread, and route contracts and grant agreements/amendments for review and execution.
• Ability to use State’s contract/grant management systems (FACTS and SharePoint).
• Ability to perform accurately in a detail-oriented environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

• Ability to review and monitor policies and procedures for compliance with applicable requirements.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work assignments for successful, timely completion.
• Ability to use a database and spreadsheets to analyze information and generate reports, charts and graphs.
• Ability to maintain a valid driver license and travel, as required.
• Ability to obtain Florida Certified Contract Manager Certification within 1 year of hire.

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least 5 years of verifiable related experience in environmental, engineering, biological sciences, natural sciences, accounting, bookkeeping, or business/finance. Post-secondary degrees from an accredited college or university with a major in environmental, engineering, biological sciences, natural sciences, accounting, bookkeeping, or business/finance may be used as an alternative for the required years of experience on a year-for-year basis. A credential evaluation report from an approved agency must be submitted along with all foreign degrees.

• Valid Driver License

• Local travel throughout Southeast Florida and occasional long-distance travel.

Position of Special Trust Requirement:

This position is designated as a Position of Special Trust in accordance with DEP Directive 422, Positions of Special Trust or Responsibility. Successful completion of background screening will be required for this position.

Applicable Job-Specific License or Certifications:

• Florida Certified Contract Manager Certification or ability to obtain within 1 year of hire.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the state of Florida’s grant/contract management and procurement procedures and policies and accounting principles.
• Knowledge of environmental issues and laws especially as it relates to coral reef ecosystem and water quality issues in Florida.

Pay:

$21.50 to $23.00/hour

Our Organization and Mission:

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship - protecting our air, water and land. The vision of DEP is to advance Florida’s position as a world leader in protecting natural resources while growing the state’s economy. DEP encourages its leaders to constantly innovate and seek efficiencies. We believe in supporting and encouraging you as you take on important and often complex projects while offering you the opportunity to gain valuable experience quickly.

Where You Will Work:

West Palm Beach is Palm Beach County's capital city and its cultural center. Its active downtown stretches from a scenic pier on the Lake Worth Lagoon to a waterfront Great Lawn, which hosts a weekly green market, outdoor concerts and more. Dozens of local beaches provide easy access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. Several State Parks and National Parks are in the immediate area as well. The DEP office is located at the South Florida Water Management District regional office. The position is full time in office. Occasional travel to the DEP offices in Dania Beach, located at Nova Southeastern University’s Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center within the state's award-winning Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, is expected. Also, with no state income tax, Florida is a great place to work regardless of where you find yourself on the career ladder. 

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s benefits package for eligible OPS employees includes:

• Participation in state group insurance (must meet eligibility requirements*).  
• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (tax deferred Retirement Savings Plan, for more information, please visit Corebridge Financial).
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

*Seasonal and part-time OPS employees (less than 30 hours average per week) refer to the links above for detailed eligibility requirements.

Special Notes: DEP is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. We recognize the extensive training, experience, and transferable skills that veterans and individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce. Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our recruiter for guidance and answers to questions through the following email addresses:

HR_VeteransPreference@dep.state.fl.us

HR_Recruitment@FloridaDEP.gov

An individual with a disability is qualified if he or she satisfies the skills, experience, and other job-related requirements for a position and can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the DEP Human Resources (HR) Office at (850) 245-2511. DEP requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.