Grants and Risk Senior Officer, East Africa at Palladium International

Primary Responsibilities
Key responsibilities and tasks may include, but are not limited to:
Strategic Grants Oversight

• Lead the development and implementation of regional grant management strategies to align with the programmes objectives.
• Oversee the entire grants lifecycle, from solicitation and evaluation to disbursement and closeout.
• Ensure the regional grants portfolio is balanced and aligned with programmatic and donor priorities.

Team Leadership and Capacity Building

• Supervise and mentor the Regional Grants Officer(s) to ensure high performance and adherence to policies.
• Provide training and technical guidance to grantees and internal staff on grant management processes, financial reporting, and compliance.
• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, and collaboration within the grants management team.

Risk Management

• Identify and assess risks across the grant portfolio during project identification and throughout implementation of awarded grants, including environment, social and governance (ESG) risks, and financial, operational, safeguarding and reputational risks, ensuring that risks are effectively mitigated in line with the programme’s risk management framework, or that risks are escalated as appropriate.
• Conduct due diligence on prospective grantees (this may be shared/supporting project officers).
• You will serve as the regional risk lead, acting as a point of contact for regional risk management, including providing support to risk owners to facilitate management of portfolio and grant-level risks, mitigation activities and overall management of risk registers.
• Manage the regional risk register, ensuring adherence and understanding of the programme’s risk appetite and management framework to manage risks and opportunities.
• Oversee regional reporting updates on the risk register, working with internal risk owners to ensure timely and quality updates of risks.
• Facilitate/attend risk committees, working with the global Risk Lead and risk owners.
• Engage and train/guide grantees where appropriate to communicate the programme’s risk management requirements and build capacity of grantees to meet risk reporting standards.
• Familiarity and experience of working with Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Risk management is desirable, as it is one of the key risk areas in which this role will operate. However direct experience with ESG risks and risk management more generally is not a barrier to starting in this role, as we will offer training on the aspects of the job that involve risk management.

Finance, Compliance and Reporting

• Ensure all grants adhere to the programmes policies and the donor’s compliance requirements, including safeguarding, anti-corruption, and environmental standards.
• Monitor grant budgets, expenditures, and financial reports to ensure compliance with agreements and donor requirements.
• Oversee the preparation of grant-related reports and data for internal and donor reporting.
• Support the preparation of financial forecasts and budget allocations for regional grant activities.
• Support internal and external audits, ensuring the availability and accuracy of all required grant documentation.

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships

• Serve as the primary point of contact for grantees on grant management issues.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with grantees, ensuring effective communication and addressing challenges collaboratively.
• Work closely with regional teams, including project officers, technical advisors and monitoring & evaluation staff, to align grant activities with programmatic goals.

Process Improvement and Knowledge Management

• Regularly review and improve regional grant management processes to enhance efficiency and transparency.
• Capture lessons learned and share best practices across the region and the wider program.
• Contribute to the development of tools, templates, and systems to streamline grant administration.
• Any other tasks requested by your Manager.
• The role may include national and international travel.

Reporting Lines

• The role will report directly to the Regional Manager.
• You will indirectly report to the Grants Fund Manager and work closely with the Risk & Grants Lead and Grants Fund Senior Officer.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in grants management, program management, or financial administration, with experience coordinating or supervising others.
• Familiarity with UK FCDO compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated familiarity with donor-funded programs, particularly in development or sustainable land-use and forestry sectors.
• In-depth knowledge of financial management, grant compliance, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships across diverse stakeholders and cultures.
• Proficiency in grant management systems, financial tools, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Proficient in written and spoken English Language.