Associate Director, Finance – Grants & Compliance

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.
Position Overview
The Associate Director, Finance – Grants & Compliance is a full-time, exempt position responsible for managing and analyzing federal, state, and local educational grant programs, as well as private grants, for all Rocketship Public Schools across the country. This role supports budgeting, forecasting, and reporting in close collaboration with team members across Finance, Accounting, Payroll, Development, and Compliance.
A successful candidate will be proficient in Excel and comfortable working with complex financial data. They will have a strong understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment, and possess deep knowledge of the charter school finance landscape and K–12 grants management.

Essential Functions

• Lead the full lifecycle of federal, state, and private education grant management—including application, narrative writing, research, reporting, claims/reimbursement submissions, compliance, accounting close, and grant closeout.
• Manage two Grants Specialists, ensuring all grant and project deadlines are met.
• Analyze grant sources, timing, and reconciliation of funding; review accounting information for accuracy and completeness.
• Develop tools, templates, and procedures for efficient reporting and grant management to ensure all deadlines are met.
• Provide revenue projections and plan expenditures to align with fiscal year goals.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, internal financial policies, and grant/contract agreements.
• Oversee grant spend-downs, ensuring proper use of funds and alignment with approved budgets and funder guidelines.
• Prepare and provide documentation for annual financial, state, and/or grant audits.
• Complete authorizer reports for special education funding, Medicaid, and interim/final/budget reports.
• Conduct regular meetings with internal cross-functional teams and state/federal agency representatives.
• Analyze and report monthly grant financial results; provide detailed reports and feedback for internal and external stakeholders, including accountability follow-up with regional leaders.
• Demonstrate the competencies and leadership behaviors of an Associate Director at Rocketship Public Schools.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working in charter school finance or public school financial operations.
• At least 2 years of experience managing federal and state grants, including compliance and reporting requirements.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and financial reporting standards.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with high attention to detail and accuracy.
• Advanced Excel proficiency and comfort with financial systems and data analysis tools.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams.

Physical Demands:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.
Compensation:Commensurate with qualifications and experience, p