Location: Arlington, VA (Hybrid) – a minimum of 2 days/week in the office
Salary: The hiring salary range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000 annually (full salary range goes up to $82,000 annually).
Reports to: Vice President of Development
About the Role:
Support the day-to-day administration of the Emergent Ventures program through accurate application and payment processing, reliable financial tracking, and effective operational coordination. This role helps the program scale while preserving a low-bureaucracy, high-trust experience for grantees and internal stakeholders.
Specific Duties:
Application Processing and Grant Administration
• Coordinates referee reviews, tracks decisions, and communicates outcomes to applicants.
• Processes grant disbursements, stipends, reimbursements, and related payments accurately and on time.
• Partners with Finance and Accounting to ensure compliance with institutional policies and procedures.
• Tracks payment status and follows up on outstanding approvals or documentation.
Budget and Financial Tracking
• Maintains grant budgets, payment trackers, and financial records.
• Monitors grant commitments and spending against available funding.
• Assists with forecasting, reconciliations, and financial reporting for program leadership.
Operational Infrastructure and Data Management
• Maintains accurate grant databases, records, and administrative documentation.
• Supports the ongoing refinement of application and grant-processing systems.
• Identifies opportunities to streamline workflows, improve systems, and reduce manual administrative work through automation.
Event Support
• Coordinates stipend, reimbursement, and travel logistics for Emergent Ventures events and unconferences.
• Supports attendee tracking and the operational execution of program gatherings.
Administrative and Stakeholder Support
• Serves as a point of contact for grantee, administrative, and payment-related questions.
• Assists with scheduling, reimbursements, documentation, and other operational needs that support program leadership and execution.
Success in this role will be measured by:
• Accurate and timely payment processing and grant administration.
• Reliable financial tracking and recordkeeping.
• Responsive, professional communication with grantees and internal stakeholders.
• Effective operational systems and process improvements.
QualificationsRequired Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum of two years of experience in grant administration, program operations, finance or administrative support, or a related field.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines, approvals, and documentation requirements.
- Proficiency with spreadsheets and experience maintaining databases, trackers, or other administrative systems.
- Strong attention to detail and the ability to identify and resolve discrepancies or missing information.
- Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills, with a commitment to responsive service for grantees and internal stakeholders.
- Ability to handle confidential financial and personal information with discretion.
How to Apply
Please submit your cover letter and resume. Your cover letter should indicate your interest in the Mercatus Center's mission.
About the Mercatus Center
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is where top classical liberal scholars solve real-world challenges. Grounded in the tradition of market-oriented thinking and classical liberal ideas, we equip high-agency talent to apply bold ideas that shape institutions, inform policy, and help people flourish.
Employee Benefits Review
Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience. In addition, Mercatus provides excellent benefits to all individual employees, including full health and dental coverage, unlimited paid time off, long-term disability and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement savings program, parking/travel benefits, and twelve free credits per year at George Mason University.
EEO Statement
The Mercatus Center is an equal employment opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
E-Verify
The Mercatus Center participates in E-Verify. Upon hire, Mercatus will provide the U.S. Social Security Administration and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Minimum of two years of experience in grant administration, program operations, finance, administrative support, or a related field
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines, approvals, and documentation requirements
- Proficiency with spreadsheets and experience maintaining databases, trackers, or other administrative systems
- Strong attention to detail and ability to identify and resolve discrepancies or missing information
- Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills
- Commitment to responsive service for grantees and internal stakeholders
- Ability to handle confidential financial and personal information with discretion
What We Do
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is a university-based research center that bridges the gap between academic research and real-world problems. Its mission is to advance knowledge about how markets work to improve people's lives through education, talent development, research, and policymaker outreach. The center focuses on generating understanding of institutions that affect the freedom to prosper and finding sustainable solutions to society's most pressing challenges.
