Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice. We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
ROLE PROFILE
| Title | Grants Manager | Grade | D2 |
| Functional Area & Location | Operations | Date | September 2018 |
| Reports to | Director of Operations | ||
| Duration | 2 Years fixed term contract with possibility of renewal | ||
ROLE PURPOSE
The Grants manager will ensure proper functioning of the entire grants management function. This will include monitoring the entire grants management process from solicitation through close out and ensuring proper compliance with all donor regulations. He/she will play a leadership role towards supporting Plan Kenya’s and its partners in achieving rigorous financial and grants reporting and management. The incumbent will be in charge of the quality standards of the tools and materials Plan Kenya uses to deliver effective grants and financial services to its partners.
Dimensions of the Role
The Grants Manager will report to the Director of Operations. The position will also have supervisory responsibilities over the Grants Officers and Grants Coordinators.
Accountabilities
Specifically, the Grants Manager will be responsible for but not limited to:
Grants management vision, leadership and team management
- Provide leadership and vision for grants management team.
- Ensure that all grant documentation is maintained according to Plan International’s Global standards and donor policies to the extent they can be fully audited with limited or no adverse findings.
- Develop procedural documents and processes and ensure full understanding of the grants management process at all levels within the organization programs.
- Ensure proper implementation of competitive processes for partner selection and negotiation.
- Ensure that solid documentation is provided under each grant
- Ensure that risk assessments and due diligence are carried out on each partner and that decisions are incorporated into partnership agreements.
- Ensure strong links between the grants, finance, programs and other Plan Kenya departments in efforts to strengthen synergies and efficient support to Plan Kenya operations.
Proposal/grant management coordination/oversight
- Coordinate grants management systems across programs to ensure high quality and consistency
- Develop written grants policy and procedures to ensure clear understanding by all staff
- Ensure responsible proposal processing and timeliness of responses to agencies
- Analyze, verify and review proposal budgets to ensure donor compliance and reasonableness
- Coordinate proposal review process and ensure compliance with solicitations and donor regulations
- Coordinate pre-contractual evaluations and/or assessments of potential partners, as needed
- Oversee post project assessments of both administrative and financial systems
- Ensure proper documentation of award negotiation
- Ensure that grant modifications for cost/program changes are completed accurately and in a timely fashion and properly executed through the SAP corporate system.
- Prepare grant documents that meet both partner and donor requirements and allow for required programmatic flexibility
- Ensure the timely and appropriate close-out of issued grants.
Monitoring and donor reporting (financial and programmatic)
- Manage grant and sponsorship budgets so that they do not exceed donor approved amounts.
- Provide periodic (monthly) project performance management reports to Plan Kenya Senior Management.
- Monitor and coordinate timely and accurate periodic donor reporting for all grants projects.
- Review financial reports from partners to ensure finance compliance against grant budget.
- Assist in the compilation of data and preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
- Oversee the updating and maintenance of the grants and sponsorship projects tracker. Ensure consistency and accuracy of information. Use SAP BI to produce key reports to support decisions by senior management.
- Closely monitor obligations from donors and grant obligations to partners to ensure that Plan Kenya never commits more funds than approved.
Compliance audit coordination
- Monitoring partner procedures designed to comply with regulations.
- Coordinate the investigation of suspected violations of proper applications. Ensure that the team has the skills or readily available resources (i.e., identified consultants) to carry this out in a timely fashion.
- Coordinate the assistance to partners to resolve audit problems in liaison with finance and Risk and Compliance teams.
- Oversee monitoring of project grants procedures designed to comply with agreed regulations.
- Coordinate the assistance to grantees to resolve audit problems identified in audit management letters
Corporate Coordination
- Collaborates with NO/International Headquarters and with country office teams in FAD negotiations, grant project management and monitoring.
- Update relevant documentation based on changes to global templates including User Guides, training materials.
- Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
Key relationships
Internal
Project managers, Finance
External
Project donors
Technical expertise, skills and knowledge
Education Qualification:
- Professional qualification relating to business, finance, accounting or international development
Essential
- 8 years of leadership and financial management experience in a similar position in INGO
- Proven track record of in-country award portfolio management and knowledge of major donors’ compliance requirements
- Experience communicating with impact in a complex stakeholder environment
- Experience of staff management, supervision and capacity building in Grants Management
- Proven track record of supporting a senior management team
- Proven experience in donor reporting and communication.
- Problem solving skills to identify and lead the resolution of issues
- Good attention to detail and analytical skills
- Computer literate (i.e. Word, advanced Excel, Outlook, financial systems).
- Cultural awareness and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people
- Patient, flexible, able to improvise and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
- Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities
- Basic understanding of operational programming, including the realities of the context
- Strong communication (written and spoken), and interpersonal skills in English, with experience in managing multicultural teams
Desirable
- Experience with any recognised grants management system, knowledge of SAP will be desirable
- Significant experience with INGOs in an international environment
BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)
Accountability:
- Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Plan values.
- Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
Ambition:
- Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
- Widely shares their personal vision for Plan, engages and motivates others.
- Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
Collaboration:
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, National Offices and external partners and supporters.
- Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength.
- Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
Creativity:
- Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
- Willing to take disciplined risks.
Integrity:
- Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.
Plan International’s Values in Practice
We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
Physical Environment
Typical office environment with moderate field visit demands.
Level of contact with children
Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction.
Please note that only applications and CVs written in English will be accepted.
References will be taken and background and Anti-terrorism checks will be carried out in conformity with Plan International’s Child Protection and Code of Conduct Policies. Plan International operates an equal opportunities policy and actively encourages diversity, welcoming applications from all persons meeting the skills and experience required. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
More Information
- Job City Nairobi
