Grants Coordinator – Uganda | ReliefWeb

BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. In some 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities, our dedicated teams provide clean water, shelter, health care, education and protection to refugees and displaced people. IRC is committed to bold leadership, innovation, creative partnerships and assists people from harm to home.

The IRC began programming in 1998 in northern Uganda in response to mass displacement wrought by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Since then, the IRC has expanded to provide critical services for refugees and vulnerable Ugandans throughout the country. The IRC started supporting refugees and vulnerable individuals in Kampala in 2012 and was one of the first organizations to respond in 2016 to the onset of the South Sudanese refugee crisis. As of 2019, the IRC entered Tooro to support refugees while also providing epidemic preparedness and response services throughout the region. Currently, the IRC in Uganda has presence across six sub-regions and six refugee settlements, implementing programming in the sectors of health, protection and rule of law (PRoL), women’s protection and empowerment (WPE), economic recovery and development (ERD), and education. IRC Uganda also implements cross-cutting programming focused on systems strengthening and accountability to affected persons.

SCOPE OF WORK:

Based in Kampala, the Grants Manager will provide grant management, reporting, and business development support across the Uganda portfolio. The Grants Manager will work closely with program, M&E, finance, operations and senior management staff to ensure quality management of both pre- and post-award grants functions. The Grants Manager will support donor compliance, timely reporting, high quality proposal development, project document filing, and project management. The position holder will be supervised by the Grants Coordinator and will work closely with other grants and partnerships staff.

AREAS of RESPONSIBILITY:

Grant management

• Manage the scheduling of project cycle meetings in collaboration with project leads and field coordinators, distribute guidance to relevant team members, monitor the development of materials in advance of those meetings, and follow-up on actions resulting from those meetings
• Monitor the development of internal planning tools including but not limited to M&E plans, workplans, and spending plans
• Manage all reporting deadlines, and coordinate and consolidate reports as necessary to ensure documents are of the highest quality and in line with donor requirements
• Ensure reporting deadlines are distributed well in advance to relevant colleagues with correct templates including Finance, programs, M&E, and the regional unit
• Support the management of grants and grant amendments, including through the use of grant and project management tools such as Integra, project cycle meetings, and online opportunity management tracking system (OTIS) to ensure accurate tracking of opportunities, reporting and programmatic adjustments through the project life cycle
• Liaise with HQ units (regional unit, awards management unit) to ensure grant implementation and amendments meet internal standards and are responsive to donor requirements
• Provide technical guidance on IRC and donor regulations to ensure compliance across IRC Uganda, proactively raising and resolving issues
• Act as a focal point for HQ grants administration and compliance colleagues, including maintaining submissions on OTIS
• Support compliant management of partners under IRC’s system for partnership management called the Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS)
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Grants Coordinator and Senior Management Team

Compliance

• Maintain up to date comprehensive knowledge of donor guidelines relevant to the Uganda portfolio, including but not limited to: PRM, FCDO, private foundations, ECHO, UNHCR, and UNFPA
• Provide training to IRC and partner staff on compliance and donor-specific compliance requirements
• Ensure immediate reporting of suspected compliance issues through appropriate reporting mechanisms

Donor relations and communications

• Ensure that relevant staff members are aware of all donor communications, changes in regulations, and meetings
• Liaise with donors, potential donors, and other operational partners, including through attendance at meetings, and representing IRC and IRC’s interests by maintaining positive and constructive relations
• In coordination with relevant colleagues, respond to requests from donors for compliance information and respond to donor compliance questions as needed
• Support the development of program updates/communications for external circulation

Business development

• Support the Grants Coordinator as needed in the development of quality proposals, liaising with HQ units (Regional Unit, Awards Management Unit, Technical Units) to ensure proposals meet internal standards and are responsive to donor requirements.

Information management

• Act as custodian of documentation and institutional knowledge in coordination with relevant sector coordinators
• Maintain comprehensive electronic files for programs and ensure IRC colleagues and have access to relevant records and information

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Position reports to: Grants Coordinator

Position directly supervises: Senior Grants Officers

Internal contacts: Grants, Finance, M&E, Human Resources, Supply Chain, Safety and Security, Field Coordinators, Awards Management Unit, Technical Units, and others as appropriate

External contacts: Partners, donors, and others as appropriate

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in accounting, business, international affairs, development, international political economy or another relevant subject
• 2-3 years working in grants management and proposal/ business development/ humanitarian program design
• Knowledge of donor compliance regulations (PRM, ECHO, FCDO, private foundations, etc.)
• Proven previous successful experience project management, budget management, and report development
• Good communicator with strong organizational, time management and analytical skills
• Fluency in English, spoken and written
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures but also use own initiative, meet deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively with team members
• Flexibility to adapt to changing requirements and circumstances
• Ability to juggle competing priorities, meet deadlines and work under pressure in an insecure environment
• Aptitude to adapt to a different context regarding security, culture, climate or health issues
• Willingness to travel
• Commitment to women’s rights and IRC’s vision, mission and values, including sensitivity to cultural settings

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The Grants Manager will be based in Kampala with travel throughout the sites where IRC has a presence. The security situation in Uganda is stable except for the Karamoja region, which is volatile with security level at 3 (orange); candidates should be prepared to implement programming in insecure environments. This is a non-accompanied position.

STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in The IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces a range of policies, including on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

GENDER EQUALITY & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.