Grants Associate
Chemonics International seeks a Grants Associate for an Innovation Grant Fund (called the Challenge Fund) for its USAID Small and Medium Enterprises Activity (SMEA). SMEA is a 5-year, $35 million project that is aimed at improvement of financial and operating performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan in selected high-performing industrial, manufacturing and services sectors. Through Challenge Fund grants program, SMEA will support the creation and diffusion of innovative, sustainable, and scalable ICT and business solutions to the competitiveness challenges facing Pakistani SMEs.
The Grants Associate will report directly to the Grants Specialist and be responsible for assisting in designing and executing rounds of calls for grants based on themes as approved by the project work plan. The Grant Associate’s responsibilities will range from providing support in technical design, financial management and administration to mentoring, provision of technical assistance, research and advocacy for challenge fund rounds. This position will be based in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Responsibilities:
⪠Contribute to the technical and financial design of the Challenge Fund
⪠Work with the grants team for operations and compliance, to adapt Chemonics’ comprehensive grants manual to the Fund, assist Grants Specialist in establishing a USAID compliant grants database, grants solicitation, award, monitoring, and closeout.
⪠Ensure that the Fund design targets beneficiary groups, in accordance with USAID guidelines
⪠Conduct research and analysis to develop background knowledge on thematic problems and identify key Challenges
⪠Assist in the activity of updating the Challenge Fund Manual that specifies the funding process (eligibility and selection criteria, advisory committee constitution, application forms, guidance notes and systems for fund disbursement, governance, transparency and performance monitoring ,etc)
⪠Assist in Managing the competitive process for the different rounds of the fund, including proposal screening and selection of grantees
⪠Assist in Managing the grants process including assessment and oversight, with a strong emphasis on due diligence, Value-for-Money and cost effectiveness
⪠Work with the M&E and Communications team for promotion of the Challenge Fund among potential grant applicants through use of social and print media, events, etc.
⪠Screen and appraise grantee applications for funding from a concept note stage, followed by, if successful, by a full proposal. The Grants team must ensure that appropriate due diligence is carried out on Grantees’ to assess whether their policies adhere to USAID requirements. Due diligence checks will include assessment of financial management and accounting practices and systems, environmental protection, etc.
⪠Work with the M&E team to ensure that USAID specified objectives of the fund are measurable and reported at all stages
⪠Draft periodic reports on the challenge fund rounds for the project management as well as the donors
Qualifications:
⪠A Master’s degree or higher related to finance, business administration, economics, or commerce.
⪠At least 2-3 years of experience in managing donor-funded, large-scale grants program design and administration. Preference given to candidates with USAID-grants experience.
⪠Applicants with experience in private sector engagement involving ICT activities will be given preference.
⪠Ability to perform successfully as a member of multiple project-related teams
⪠Strong computer literacy skills required in word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, web browsers, and email
⪠Excellent communications and writing ability in English
⪠Demonstrated successful interpersonal skills
⪠Fluency in both English and Urdu required; other Pakistani languages preferred