Criminal Justice Specialist I/ Grant Specialist - VOCA/VAWA

Job Requisition ID: 52187

Opening Date: 12/15/2025

Closing Date: 12/30/2025

Agency: Criminal Justice Information Authority

Class Title: CRIM JUSTICE SPEC I - 10231

Skill Option: None

Bilingual Option: None

Salary: Anticipated starting salary $5384 monthly; Full Range $5384 - $7631 monthly

Job Type: Salaried

Category: Full Time

County: Cook

Number of Vacancies: 1

Bargaining Unit Code: RC062 Technical Employees, AFSCME

This position is a union position; therefore, provisions of the relevant collective bargaining agreement/labor contract apply to the filling of this position.

All applicants who want to be considered for this position MUST apply electronically through the illinois.jobs2web.com website. State of Illinois employees should click the link near the top left to apply through the SuccessFactors employee career portal.

Applications submitted via email or any paper manner (mail, fax, hand delivery) will not be considered.

Why Work for Illinois?

Working with the State of Illinois is a testament to the values of compassion, equity, and dedication that define our state. Whether you’re helping to improve schools, protect our natural resources, or support families in need, you’re part of something bigger—something that touches the lives of every person who calls Illinois home.

No matter what state career you’re looking for, we offer jobs that fit your life and your schedule—flexible jobs that provide the gold standard of benefits. Our employees can take advantage of various avenues to advance their careers and realize their dreams. Our top-tier benefits and great retirement packages can help you build a rewarding career and lasting future with the State of Illinois.

Position Overview

We are looking for a Grant Specialist I to work at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority in the Federal and State Grants Unit (FSGU). FSGU offers a rich environment for a self-driven person desiring to enhance community-based programming and strengthen relationships with partner agencies. Grant Specialist I responsibilities include monitoring grantee performance, budgets, ensuring compliance with grant regulations, and site visits.

The ideal candidate for this role should have superior organizational skills, exceptional time management skills, and experience working in grant programs and/or with public funds. The Grant Specialist I will maintain relationships with grantees, and will aid in serving the public by ensuring grantee success in effective and growing programs.

Essential Functions

• Provides technical assistance in the review, examination, approval, implementation and monitoring of interagency agreements and contracts relating to ICJIA grant programs; reviews proposals and budget applications, amendments, and other required proposal/budget submissions at various stages; determines appropriateness and compliance with program and budget requirements.

• Travels to conduct on-site reviews or conduct enhanced desk review of grantee records to assess the capability, performance, and compliance of the grantee against administrative and programmatic requirements; randomly selects sample fiscal reports concerning subcontractors/subrecipients and analyzes to ensure proper documentation of expenses and compliance with budget requirements and procedures.

• Reviews and analyzes quarterly and close-out program and fiscal reports, and communicates with grantees regarding needed justifications, corrections, or revisions.

• Reviews allocations requests and works with Grants Team members to determine approvability of requests; evaluates program development and recommends improvements.

• Conducts random reviews of quarterly subcontract/subrecipient program and fiscal reports submitted by grantees; advises grantees on methods that would resolve procedural issues identified in the review forms.

• Conducts research and recommends development or revisions to budget or fiscal report format, site visit and compliance review procedures and forms.

• Prepares and distributes written drafts and final reports of site and enhanced desk review findings relative to the progress of agreements; describes major strengths and weaknesses identified in the review and provides recommendations for changes, enhancements and/or corrective actions; monitors remediation efforts and reports problems to Program Administrator.

• Establishes and maintains a system/method to track grantee program performance, expenditures, objectives, and outcomes.

• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of college with coursework in law, criminal justice, government, public administration, sociology, accounting or political science or related field.

• Requires completion of an agency approved training program or one year of professional experience in planning, development, implementation or assessment of programs in criminal justice, government, public administration, sociology, accounting, political science or equivalent advanced academic work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefers two years of experience working with grant programs that deliver social service programming.

• Prefers three years of experience demonstrating the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

• Prefers three years of experience demonstrating the ability to analyze complex information, identify problems, and propose creative and effective solutions.

• Prefers two years of experience with program performance tracking and reporting.

• Prefers two years of experience with budget preparation and analysis.

• Prefers two years of experience with expenditure tracking and reporting.

• Prefers three years of experience demonstrating the ability to utilize computer software including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint as well as Adobe PDF software.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires proper documentation for approved work in the United States.

• Requires ability to travel.

• Requires a valid and current driver’s license.

• Requires ability to pass a background check.

• Requires the ability to work remotely and in-person as operational needs require.

Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during state employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) or may be subject to a fine.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

Work Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm

Headquarter Location: 60 E Van Buren, Chicago, Illinois, 60605

Work County: Cook

Agency Contact: [email protected]

Posting Group: Public Safety

This position DOES NOT contain “Specialized Skills” (as that term is used in CBAs).

Agency Statement: ICJIA responds to community needs with research and federal and state grants administration. ICJIA administers over 100 million dollars in grants, including the R3 (restore, reinvest, renew) grants (funded through the tax on legalized cannabis), state violence prevention grants, and federal grants including under the Violence Against Women Act and the Victims of Crime Act. ICJIA convenes groups and collaborates on efforts to reform the criminal justice system. ICJIA leads criminal justice reform efforts by supporting policy makers through research.

Revolving Door:

Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during State employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (“OEIG”) or may be subject to a fine.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Use the “Apply” button at the top right or bottom right of this posting to begin the application process.

If you are not already signed in, you will be prompted to do so.

State employees should sign in to the career portal for State of Illinois employees – a link is available at the top left of the Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon.

Non-State employees should log in on the using the “View Profile” link in the top right of the Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon. If you have never before signed in, you will be prompted to create an account.

If you have questions about how to apply, please see the following resources:

State employees: Log in to the career portal for State employees and review the Internal Candidate Application Job Aid

Non-State employees: on Illinois.jobs2web.com – click “Application Procedures” in the footer of every page of the website.

The main form of communication will be through email. Please check your “junk mail”, “spam”, or “other” folder for communication(s) regarding any submitted application(s). You may receive emails from the following addresses:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]