Grant Administrator & Program Manager

Why this role

Kentucky is betting that entrepreneur-led growth deserves a place at the center of economic development. KY GRIT (Growing Regional Innovation Together) is how that bet gets tested.

Over two years, $6 million in state funding will flow through KY GRIT to Innovation Hubs and partners across the Commonwealth to scale what's working for high-growth founders. We need the person who makes sure every dollar lands where it should, and can prove it.

This is a build role. The program is new. You'll help stand up the application process, review workflow, reporting cadence and audit trail the state will use to judge the pilot. You'll work with Innovation Hubs across Kentucky, the Cabinet for Economic Development and statewide partners. Two years from now, you'll have run one of the most impactful entrepreneurship programs in the state from first application to final report.

About Blue North and KY GRIT

KY GRIT is a new statewide pilot funding entrepreneur-led economic development across Kentucky. It runs on a two-year grant from the Cabinet for Economic Development and is administered by Blue North KY, Inc. Grants and contracts go to the Kentucky Innovation Hubs and other qualified initiatives to expand proven Hub programs, strengthen support for high-growth founders, and build shared statewide tools for entrepreneurs.

Blue North is the Kentucky Innovation Hub for 17 Northern Kentucky counties. We run SparkHaus, a coworking and community home for 450+ members in Covington; BRINK, our accelerator that invests in early-stage founders; and Brand Fusion, which matches startups with some of the country's biggest brands. We're a small team, which means this role has real ownership and a direct line to the Executive Director.

What you'll do

You'll run the day-to-day operation of KY GRIT, from the first application to the final report. Every dollar is awarded fairly, paid against documented results, and reported accurately to the Commonwealth.

• Run the program. Manage each funding round and the program workplan, keeping Hubs, partners and the Grant Committee on schedule.

• Run a fair process. Review submissions for eligibility, coordinate reviewers, and prepare monthly Committee packets.

• Paper every award. Draft award agreements and payment schedules, and confirm every payment is backed by documentation.

• Keep awards on track. Work with recipients so awards deliver against budgets, milestones and compliance rules.

• Tell the story with evidence. Collect recipient reports and draft semi-annual reports to the state.

• Stay audit-ready. Keep records clean from day one and close out each award.

• Build the system. Help shape the application, scoring and reporting tools the program runs on, rather than inheriting someone else's binder.

You'll also need the judgment to hold the line with partners you respect, and the relationships to do it without burning bridges.

What success looks like in year one

• Early funding rounds are out the door, with complete files behind every award.

• Semi-annual reports reach the state on time, with no surprises.

• Every payment can be traced to a budget line and a document in under a minute.

• Hubs and partners know exactly who to call, and they trust the answer they get.

• The process is documented well enough that a reviewer or auditor could follow it without you in the room.

What you bring

• Experience in grants management, program management or contract administration, with responsibility for compliance and reporting.

• Experience managing public funds (state or federal) or restricted philanthropic funds.

• Exceptional attention to detail. You notice the missing signature, the budget line that doesn't add up, and the deadline three weeks out.

• Strong organization across dozens of awards, partners and deadlines at once.

• Comfort with budgets and spreadsheets: matching invoices to a budget and spotting a cost that doesn't belong.

• Clear, steady communication, including when the answer is "not yet."

You don't need a startup background. You need to care that public money builds something real.

Nice to have

• Experience with grants management software, online application portals or QuickBooks.

• Experience preparing for a financial audit or a state agency review.

• Knowledge of nonprofit or economic development funding structures.

• Familiarity with Kentucky's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.

About the term and structure

This position is a temporary, grant-funded role with an anticipated duration of up to two years, ending in Fall 2028. Please note that this appointment is contingent upon the continued availability of grant funding and satisfactory job performance, and may terminate prior to the conclusion of the two-year period if funding is reduced or discontinued. It's a defined, two-year mission with a clear finish line, statewide visibility, and a network across Kentucky's entrepreneurship community that outlasts the program.

We're open to how the work gets done. The role can be a full-time position with health, vision and dental benefits, or a part-time independent contractor engagement. Tell us which you're looking for when you apply.

We are open to candidates that live anywhere in Kentucky. The preference is for someone that can be at SparkHaus in Covington, KY on a regular and consistent basis.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with the role ideally starting on or around December 1, 2026

Blue North KY, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.