Plan International Vacancy for Grants Manager in Emergencies

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Grants Manager in Emergencies - Deployment Roster 
Req ID: 24881
Job Location: Nigeria
Reports to: Emergency Response Manager
Position Overview
Emergency Roster:

• The Emergency Roster is a database of pre-selected deployable internal and external candidates who have the appropriate skills and experience to support emergency preparedness and response. It also stores information on these candidates.
• The purpose of the roster is to ensure that we have the right people in the right place and the right time with the right skills.
• Roster Members are expected to deploy to an emergency response within 72 hours or once an entry visa is received. A Roster Member is selected from the Emergency Roster as and when a roster request is received from one of our country offices.

Context and Dimensions of Role

• The Grants Manager will be deployed, often at short notice, to support a Country Office respond to a particular emergency.
• The Grants Manager will manage all aspects of the response with regards to leading on proposal development and funding opportunities, ensuring appropriate procedures are in place, adhered to and flagging any concerns to the ERM and CD.

Key Tasks
Fundraising:

• Lead fundraising and resource mobilisation initiatives ensuring a priority focus on the specific needs of girls and coordinate proposal management.
• Review proposals and check for compliance to donor program and financial requirements.
• Lead in the draft and signing of FADs and addendums at CO, RO and IH level if necessary.
• Review Donor agreements and facilitate submission and approval of the same as required.
• Directly support the Emergency Response Manager (ERM) and Programme staff to prepare and develop proposal.
• Maintain in-country donor and NO relationships to identify possible grant funding opportunities, including representing at local donor meetings.
• Maintain and distribute the funding tracker as part of the regular situational reports (sitreps).
• If required, develop a resource mobilisation plan in support of an Emergency Response strategy.
• Coordinate input in to the UNOCHA managed Financial Tracking Service (FTS)

Grant Management:

• Organise and conduct grant start-up and close-out processes and workshops including orientation for Programmes staff on grant/donor procedures and requirements, project timelines, budgets and other necessary compliance requirements.
• Working closely with the Program Manager(s), ensure timely preparation of partner agreements.
• Convene periodic grants management meetings with PU/Program Managers, Program Specialists, Implementation Managers and other relevant staff to ensure grant integration across PUs/Program Offices.
• Conduct monitoring and support visits to grant projects as needed to resolve grant management issues.
• Ensure all relevant staff, including incoming staff, receive copies of all documentation (grant proposals, budgets, reports, evaluation reports etc.)
• Coordinate and supervise the drafting and completion of project and donor reports, working across the ER team to ensure reports are completed in a timely, high quality fashion. As part of this, develop and maintain a reporting schedule. 
• Maintain ongoing contact with Program Managers and other implementation staff to track progress and implementation of grant-funded projects.
• Maintain a highly organised document management system in hardcopy and electronic, ensuring projects meet any donor’s record keeping requirements.
• Ensure partnerships with NOs and donors are effectively managed to achieve productive and successful relationships. This includes arranging donor/NO field visits in collaboration with the Communications staff.

Grant Compliance:

• Provide continuous oversight of compliance to donor procedures and requirements throughout the project cycle, from start-up, implementation and closure.
• Advise the Emergency Response Manager, identifying gaps and issues and provide corrective recommendations. As appropriate, help ensure required remedial actions are taken by others in a timely manner.
• Act as a focal point for grant compliance guidance, providing support and training to the Emergency team and broader Country Office.
• Perform detailed audit reviews of emergency projects with special attention to procurement processes and supporting documentation, specific donor compliance and legal requirements.
• Review relevant procurement/bidding documentation to ensure donor compliance.
• Communicate and coordinate as necessary with IH legal counsel department on legal contract issues.

Knowledge, Skills, Behaviours, and Experience Required 
Knowledge & Experience:

• Proven experience in grant and financial management in NGOs and preferably also in emergencies.
• Proven experience in developing grant management procedures during an emergency response
• Proven experience of incorporating gender issues in to funding submissions.
• Extensive experience in developing proposal and budget formulation
• Understanding of multiple donor policies and procedures particularly ECHO, OFDA, Start Network, DEC, DFATD, SIDA, and UN Agencies
• Ability to undertake strategic and programme planning
• Proven ability to maintain strong NO/donor relations

Required Skills:

• Ability to coordinate and organise within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with competent analytical and problem solving skills.
• Able to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders as a representative of Plan, including proven networking skills.
• Training and facilitation
• Project management including planning and scheduling, process design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation
• Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to support and train local and international staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in a sensitive and participatory manner.
• Well-developed written and oral communication skills.

Behaviours:

• Committed to Plan International’s strategy and values.
• Able to work calmly under extreme pressure and at unpredictable (long) hours during emergency response.
• Communicator.
• Experienced with working with senior management.
• Team player and relationship builder.