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ASCENSION is seeking an accomplished Subject Matter Expert III specializing in Federal grants management, financial compliance, and Federal award administration to provide senior-level technical expertise in support of grant management training for U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration personnel.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned Federal grants professional who understands not only the requirements of 2 CFR Part 200 and the Uniform Guidance, but how those requirements are applied in actual Federal award administration, recipient monitoring, cost reviews, questioned-cost determinations, fraud risk management, indirect cost analysis, audit resolution, and award closeout.

This is not intended to be a general training facilitator position. ASCENSION is seeking someone who can serve as an authoritative technical resource when complex Federal grants questions arise, identify weaknesses or inaccuracies in instructional content, translate regulatory concepts into practical examples, and ensure that training presented to experienced Federal personnel is technically sound and operationally relevant.

Position Summary

The Subject Matter Expert III will serve as a senior technical advisor and instructional resource supporting ASCENSION’s delivery of specialized Federal grants management training to ETA personnel. The position will provide expertise in Federal grant-making and grant administration, with particular emphasis on Federal cost principles, allowable and questioned costs, grant recipient financial documentation, fraud risk and internal controls, indirect costs, and Federal award oversight.

DOL expects the training to move beyond regulatory recitation. For example, the Cost Principles curriculum must address determining cost allowability, reviewing recipient expenditures, distinguishing direct and indirect costs, documenting costs, resolving audits and disputes, and understanding circumstances in which the Cost Principles do not apply. The advanced course must address questioned and disallowed costs, supporting documentation, subawards and subcontracts, and formal and informal remedies.

The SME III will therefore help ASCENSION convert these requirements into accurate, practical instruction that reflects how Federal grants are actually administered.

For fraud prevention and detection, the SME will help participants understand fraud risk factors, risk assessments, recipient internal controls and management practices, fraud detection methods and appropriate actions following suspected or identified fraud. For indirect costs, the SME will address how indirect cost rates are developed, negotiated, monitored and applied throughout the Federal grant lifecycle from pre-award through closeout.

Because this is a specialized, limited-utilization role, the SME III is expected to work collaboratively with the Project Manager and other training personnel rather than serve as a continuous full-time resource. Assignments will likely be concentrated around curriculum review, course preparation, technical QA, selected training delivery, complex participant questions, and post-session review.

ASCENSION’s GSA MAS labor category defines the Subject Matter Expert III as requiring a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree and 10 years of experience, with responsibility for providing specialized customer-domain expertise, advising on specifically defined task-order requirements, facilitating collaboration, and supporting quality assurance and stakeholder engagement.

Position Responsibilities and Anticipated Activities

The Subject Matter Expert III may perform the following activities based upon scheduled training events and assigned level of effort:

• ADVISE the Project Manager and instructional team on Federal grants management requirements, policies, regulatory interpretations, and accepted grants administration practices.
• REVIEW proposed training curricula for technical accuracy, completeness, instructional relevance, and alignment with the DOL PWS.
• VALIDATE instructional content addressing 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E, including cost allowability, reasonable and allocable costs, direct and indirect costs, documentation requirements, recipient expenditure reviews, audit findings, questioned costs, and disallowed costs.
• ANALYZE complex Federal award scenarios and develop practical examples, exercises, case studies, or discussion questions that allow ETA personnel to apply Federal cost principles to realistic grants-management situations.
• EVALUATE examples involving questioned or potentially disallowed costs and explain appropriate documentation, technical assistance, corrective actions, administrative remedies, and escalation considerations.
• ASSESS instructional content addressing fraud, waste, and abuse risks in Federal grants, including fraud indicators, internal controls, risk assessment techniques, recipient management practices, and fraud detection methods.
• EXPLAIN appropriate actions and escalation considerations when grant personnel suspect or identify potential fraud, while distinguishing fraud indicators from routine compliance or documentation deficiencies.
• INTERPRET requirements governing indirect cost rates and explain how Federal award recipients develop, negotiate, document, apply, monitor, and update indirect cost rate proposals.
• DISTINGUISH circumstances in which costs should appropriately be treated as direct costs versus indirect costs under Federal awards.
• EXAMINE the application of negotiated indirect cost rates throughout pre-award, award administration, financial reporting, monitoring, audit resolution, and award closeout.
• REVIEW instructor guides, participant materials, presentation decks, exercises, reference materials, job aids, knowledge checks, and other course artifacts for technical accuracy before Government submission or delivery.
• RECOMMEND revisions when instructional materials contain outdated, unclear, incomplete, or potentially misleading interpretations of Federal grants requirements.
• FACILITATE selected virtual training sessions, instructional modules, question-and-answer periods, or advanced technical discussions when specialized SME participation would improve training effectiveness.
• SERVE as a backup instructor when the primary instructor is unavailable or when Government-requested customization requires deeper subject expertise.
• RESPOND to advanced participant questions concerning Federal grant administration using clear, defensible explanations grounded in applicable regulations and Federal grants practices.
• COLLABORATE with instructional personnel to ensure that technical concepts are translated into material appropriate for adult learners with varying levels of grants-management experience.
• PARTICIPATE in rehearsal or mock-training sessions to identify technical deficiencies, likely participant questions, instructional risks, or areas requiring clarification before delivery.
• SUPPORT technical quality control reviews consistent with ASCENSION’s project quality-control procedures and the PWS performance standards.
• REVIEW post-training observations and participant feedback to identify technical content requiring clarification, enhancement, or additional instructional emphasis.
• CONTRIBUTE technical input to session summary reports when significant subject-matter questions, lessons learned, or recommended improvements should be documented.