Director Grants & Contracts

Job Title:                    Director Grants

Reports To:               Chief of Party

Age Limit:                 50 years (Females are strongly encouraged to apply)

Job Summary & Specific Responsibilities:

Job Summary:

The Director Grants & Contracts will report to Chief of Party and will establish and lead Department of Grants and Contracts Management in supporting project teams throughout ASF’s program areas by ensuring sound grant and contracts management, timely financial reporting, and oversight of sub-grant awards as well as analysis of agreements and contracts. Responsible for the establishment and oversight of policies and procedures supporting ASF’s administration and management of grants, sub-grants and contracts; and the implementation of grants management operations to ensure compliance with legal and donor requirements across programs. Assist program and technical staff in their understanding of the terms and conditions of grants and contracts by providing grant donor compliance expertise and advice to senior managers to ensure that programs are delivered with minimized compliance risk. Primary to successful performance is the ability to work collaboratively with regional office staff to train and build capacity of local national staff.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and guidance to support all aspects of the contracts and grants process
• Develop guidelines, procedures, standards, work processes, manuals, metrics and methodologies for a successful and comprehensive grant management system
• Ensure that tools, systems and procedures support timely and accurate reporting to all users of grant information
• Oversee and ensure that all grant requests are reviewed and processed in accordance with the grants manual and donor regulations
• Oversee the review process of all reimbursement requests for appropriateness, and that the awardees are in compliance with established administrative and financial policies, procedures, and sound business practices
• Liaison between fundraising and financial teams and systems to ensure continuity, accuracy, and adherence to key processes
• Partner with head office, regional and field staff to provide training, analysis and information and to build consensus on the management of organizational grants and budgets
• Ensure robust organizational grants and budget management systems and controls for maintaining compliance with all applicable organizational policies and procedures along with and donor rules and regulations
• Develop and oversee standard terms and conditions for grant award letters, agreements and contracts
• Write and review memoranda of understanding, teaming agreements, contracts, and sub-agreements, and contracting officer approval letters
• Ensure effective and efficient operations in the areas of procurement, solicitation, budget preparation, contracting, and award administration (grants, cooperative agreements and contracts) to include financial monitoring
• Oversee technical, legal, financial, and administrative components of grant management for the organization, working effectively with the finance team, country program teams, other administrative departments and senior management
• Ensure accuracy of manual and electronic grant files (if applicable) including but not limited to coding, reporting, and forms through use of periodic reconciliations and checks
• Develop tools and indicators to ensure quality and timeliness of all aspects of grants processing and management.
• Oversee the contract with donors regarding the use of grant funds
• Maintain grant oversight by recording the status of grants, forecasting and tracking grants and program budgets.
• Play the lead role in ensuring that key processes are in place to ensure that grant risk assessment, donor financial compliance, and reporting management systems receive consistent attention and direct support
• In coordination with M&E and Program departments, conduct regular monitoring field visits for compliance to all applicable rules and regulations
• Ensure that sub-grants are being effectively monitored and continuously contribute to ASF’s sub-grant management capacity
• Maintain primary relationship for financial grant management with funding partners
• Manage the close-out of completed projects
• Undertake any other responsibilities assigned by the Chief Executive Officer

Qualifications / Experience

• A Master’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration and/ or preferably a professional accounting / audit designations like CA, CPA, CMA, ACMA, CIMA, ACCA, CIA etc.

• Minimum 10 years' experience related to the above duties and responsibilities, out of which 4 years’ experience should be in a similar supervisory role. Knowledge of grants & contracts procedures and other relevant regulations of international donors is a required. Experience of working on agribusiness and SMEs development projects is highly desirable. Experience of working with International NGOs, donor agencies, or other reputed international development organizations will be a plus.
• Knowledge and experience in grants and contracts administration
• Proven ability to create and maintain effective systems for managing information, and tools for making information accessible and understandable to a broad audience
• Demonstrated understanding of the synergy between the programmatic, operational and financial components of ASF initiatives
• Able to plan and manage complex projects
• Computer literacy with demonstrated use of word processing, database and presentation software (Word, Excel, Power Point etc). Experience in the use of various financial software packages and/or manual accounting systems will be a plus
• Excellent writing and communications skills in English required.
• Periodic travel to project locations may be required
• Ability to assume leadership role and independently manage the activities of Grants & Contracts department on day to day basis.

ASF is an equal opportunities employer.