Grant Manager, BlueAction Project at Fauna & Flora International

Purpose:

On the ground implementation of the BlueAction project in Tanzania will be partner-led. This role will maintain oversight for the project and financial management, to ensure the effective delivery of the project, on time and budget. This will involve working closely with key project partners and coordinating technical input from FFI staff, to deliver the project, within the terms of the BlueAction Grant Agreement and in compliance with FFI and donor financial guidelines and with FFI policies and procedures. The role will support strengthening of internal systems and procedures for the lead project partner to maintain an effective and dynamic implementation team that delivers impactful conservation action.

Specific Duties:

Under the line-management of the Grant & Development Manager, Eastern Africa (GDM EA) and working with the roles listed above the Grant Manager, BlueAction Project, will have the following responsibilities:

Grant Management

• Act as primary project contact point with the donor
• Manage the project to ensure delivery of the grant within timeframe and budget, in compliance with all obligations within the terms of the Grant Agreement, and in accordance with FFI policies and procedures, in close cooperation with partner leads
• Ensure all grant agreements, sub-grant agreements and contracts are in place, appropriate to, and comply with, FFI operating standards, the Delegation of Authority (DoA), and implementation context within the region
• Lead FFI and donor technical report writing, coordinating the inputs of FFI staff and partners, ensuring accurate and timely technical, operational and institutional reporting as per FFI and donor requirements
• Ensure any non-compliance is addressed or raised through appropriate policies and procedures
• At grant end, lead the grant management and administrative steps required for smooth grant closure and finalisation of all requirements with the donor

Financial Management and Reporting

• Manage project finances with specific attention to tracking and forecasting expenditure to ensure project delivery is on budget and satisfies donor compliance requirements, FFI regulations and the FFI Delegation of Authorities (DoA).
• Ensure maintenance of project financial records that meet both FFI’s in-country and UK-based institutional auditing requirements and internal and donor reporting and auditing requirements. Oversee maintenance of project financial records by lead partner that meet institutional auditing requirements and internal and donor reporting and auditing requirements
• Analyse project financial performance, including postings and spend, working closely with the FBP (E&SA)
• Be responsible for regular budget forecasting and re-budget throughout the year in collaboration with project team as required
• Oversee main implementing partner to ensure appropriate maintenance of project financial records and that financial management meets both FFI’s institutional auditing requirements and donor reporting and auditing requirements, working with FFI finance team and FBP (E&SA)
• Prepare project financial reports, with support from the FBP (E&SA), and ensure timely and accurate financial donor and institutional reporting
• Prepare periodic disbursement requests and budget justifications for the donor
• Prepare periodic transfers to project partners as per sub-grant agreements in place, following receipt of accurate and timely project financial reporting from them as required
• Ensure grant budget details are accurately entered into FFI’s institutional annual budget within agreed timeframes

Project Management

• Lead the development of budgets and work plans for the project, in close coordination with the project implementing partners and key FFI staff
• Responsible for ensuring effective and timely delivery of project activities and deliverables against the work plan, targets, reporting timeline and budget, coordinating the inputs of implementing partners, Kenya-based and UK-based FFI staff and contractors as necessary
• Manage procurement processes for FFI in accordance with institutional and donor
• Manage project inputs from relevant technical and operational staff, consultants and implementing partners
• Coordinate project data and results management, ensuring compliance with FFI’s data management framework
• Identify support needed to build the organisational and technical capacity of the lead implementing partner to deliver the project

Communications & Representation

• Bring to the attention of the Communications Department news worthy items arising within the project and, as agreed, work with the lead partner’s Communications officer to develop materials as required (e.g., web pages, articles, reports) to support FFI’s work in East Africa and FFI’s brand
• As required, represent FFI at appropriate external meetings and fora, including consultations, meetings and briefings
• Assist with documentation and dissemination of lessons learned internally and externally as agreed and appropriate

Programme resource and personnel development

• Provide motivational line management through objective setting, continuous performance management, annual appraisal, training provision and personal development planning in line with FFI best practice
• Identify support needed to build the organisational and technical capacity of the lead implementing partner to deliver the project and to support the development and resilience of the partner

Other

• Undertake regular international travel to project sites, Tanga region, Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba), relevant conferences and international meetings as required
• Support a culture of excellent communication, sharing of knowledge, lessons learnt and best practice and collaboration between project staff, wider FFI team members, implementing partners and other stakeholders as appropriate
• Undertake any other tasks commensurate with the position that may be requested from time-to-time by Line Manager, GDM EA

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

• Excellent project management skills with proven experience in project design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation· Excellent financial management and numeracy skills, including budgeting and reforecasting
• Strong organisational skills, with structured and methodical approach to work
• Excellent interpersonal skills, specifically ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organisations and donors
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including report writing
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Outlook and Excel
• Fluency in English (spoken and written)

Desirable

• Fluency in Swahili strongly desirable

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Proven experience in financial management of high-value grants (budgets totaling in excess of 1m €/USD pa)
• Experience of project management - delivering complex statutory grants, involving diverse actors, and requiring delivery and monitoring of multiple streams of work
• Experience of grant management - legal compliance and the responsible management of donor funds
• Proven experience in managing donor relationships effectively
• Degree or qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience in a similar role
• Proven experience working in the environment and/or development field internationally