Awards (Grants) Management System Advisor – UNHCR and WFP at Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE: 

Save the Children International (SCI) is undergoing significant transformation across a number of core business procedures, systems, and structures, through the implementation of a number of transformation projects. Award management, a core business function in Save the Children, has links to the majority of these projects and is required to provide leadership and direction to ensure alignment with the end-to-end procedures, system, and are supporting consistent and efficient delivery of programs. One of these transformations is the transition of the UNHCR and WFP accounts from management by a Member (Save the Children US) to management by SCI – a significant transformation in the role that SCI plays within the Save the Children movement.

The Award Management System Adviser will be a key part of the Award Management team in the International Programs department and will support the Senior Awards Manager, Global Systems and Analytics Lead as the business and systems adviser for Save the Children’s Award Management System (AMS), specifically with the UNHCR and WFP Transition project. AMS is an online system used globally by Save the Children to manage its awards operations in 5 programming regions and 17 Save the Children members who work with SCI.

The AMS Adviser is strategically positioned to provide operational award management process and system expertise to key functional and transformation initiatives in Save the Children (here, UNHCR and WFP Transition project). The AMS Adviser will work closely with the project and SCI Awards function in providing business process and systems engagement to shape the end product. The AMS Advisor will work closely with the AMS Support Manager in providing operational support and advice to end-users in order to understand AMS and advise on necessary system and process changes.

To ensure that SCI can successfully manage the UNHCR and WFP accounts post-transition, this role will:

• Work closely with other project team members and the new Head of AM, SCI Led Fundingin conducting in-depth analysis of what is needed to transition these donor account to SCI, including review of current and future state of AM business processes, and identifying impacts on processes and systems.
• Liaise with stakeholders (e.g. IT, Business Analysts, Finance, Program Funding and Institutional Partnerships, Regions and Countries etc) in gathering and documenting requirements, including reviewing user stories.
• Work with AMS champions, country and member focal points, ensuring that key learning materials and support guidance is developed, published and used effectively.
• Coordinate with other Save the Children priority projects to ensure seamless integration of processes, tools and systems in Save the Children to ensure consistency and management of interdependencies.

This is a highly collaborative role, working daily with stakeholders throughout Save the Children across the world, to facilitate a culture of data quality and system efficiency to help support our global ambition for children. This role may move between projects as required by the organisation to best meet the needs of the portfolio.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, you will be expected to work flexibly outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Grant & Contract management:

• Understanding of NGO grant management.
• Desirable: experience of UNHCR and/or WFP awards management
• Ability to demonstrate practical know-how of award management at operational level.

Capacity building:

• Excellent skills in developing manuals, guidance and tools that are accessible and user-friendly.
• Knowledge of the design and delivery of face to face and online trainings

Personal skills:

• Excellent project management and prioritisation skills; strong organizational and follow-up skills
• Highly developed interpersonal skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching; ability to work across different cultures.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to explain complex issues to a wide range of audience.
• Ability to manage a complex and varied workload; to work effectively under pressure; and to organise and prioritise work to ensure deadlines are met.
• An energetic, flexible and proactive approach with the ability to work both independently and cooperatively within a team setting and across teams.
• Solid skills in Microsoft applications. Experience managing content on intranet type systems a plus.
• Ability to challenge and negotiate assertively and cooperatively with senior staff.
• Demonstrable commitment to equal opportunities and awareness of what constitutes good practice.