Grants & Contracts Specialist-2SCALE at International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

Position Summary

Partnerships are the key modality of 2SCALE. They are established with private partners (including the business champions/ lead partners) and other relevant stakeholders and formalized in partnership agreements with lead partners or Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and contractual agreements with supportive partners. Partnership agreements mainly specify the purpose of the partnership, the business strategy, the joint interventions, the responsibilities and the indicative contributions of the various partners, including 2SCALE. The 2SCALE contribution in turn is implemented by our own staff, but also through local business support services (BSSs) that partner with the program. 2SCALE has developed a unique system to award subgrants to these BSSs. This system includes administrative procedures, selection processes, evaluation criteria, monitoring and evaluation of these agreements, and close-out activities; it is detailed in 2SCALE’s subgrants manual. The Grant and  Contracts specialist supports 2SCALE partnership facilitators and country team leaders to finalize and monitor partnership agreements or MoUs/ contractual agreements in some of 2SCALE’s focus countries (to be determined, most likely Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia). She/ he is responsible for developing and monitoring subgrants, in consultation with the country teams and in compliance with partnership agreements and the 2SCALE subgrants manual. She/ he is also responsible for building the financial/ administrative capacity of the local BSSs that were awarded a subgrant.

Duties

• Support 2SCALE technical staff in finalizing partnership agreements, MoUs and contractual agreements, including advisory on legal clauses, and review of responsibilities and budgets in some of 2SCALE’s focus countries.
• Update the system to monitor key deliverables (e.g. governance meetings and filing of minutes; annual financial statement; private sector contribution, etc.) agreed upon in the partnership agreements as well as in MoUs/ contractual agreements and consultancy contracts related to all active partnerships. Anticipate reminders to partnership facilitators and country team leaders.
• Conduct and document the due diligence of potential new contractors, i.e. BSSs or consulting organizations identified for specific partnership-related services, as per the partnership agreements or related action plans.
• Review action plans and budgets proposed under subgrants and consultancy contracts. Whenever needed, assist in revising or finalizing them.
• Submit subgrants and consultancy contracts for approval and monitor the contract-making process until the subgrant/ consultancy contract is fully executed.
• File each fully executed subgrant/ consultancy contract and related payment documentation, through 2SCALE’s agreed-upon filing system.
• In collaboration with the Grant and Contracts Manager and using the unique 2SCALE subgrant tracker, monitor schedules for installment disbursements, alert field teams about deadlines, and make disbursement projections for the following month.
• Identify and prioritize needs and gaps of BSSs in financial, management, and governance systems, including operational policies and manuals in the focus countries.
• Under the leadership of the Grant and Contracts Manager develop an efficient approach to guide and train BSSs in the management of the subgrants.
• In close collaboration and consultation with 2SCALE country teams and the Grant and Contracts Manager, visit the selected organizations that are implementing activities through 2SCALE subgrants. Monitor BSSs to assess performance, attainment of targets, adherence to contractual obligations stated in subgrants, and quality of interventions.
• Write and submit quality progress reports and notes with strict respect to deadlines for the countries focused on.
• Under the leadership of and in collaboration with the Grant and Contracts Manager prepare monthly subgrant recaps and projections, for all focus countries.
• Propose improvements to systems to develop and monitor contracts.
• Document lessons learned from the focus countries, share them in reports, and integrate them into subsequent program activities.
• Collaborate with the 2SCALE admin and financial officers of host offices (from both IFDC and SNV) to ensure adequate financial reporting/ forecasting to the management team under the supervision of the Grant and Contracts
• Develop and ensure excellent working relationships with BSSs, lead partners, and other actors involved in partnerships.

The Grant and  Contracts specialist is also responsible for any other assignments that the management deems necessary for the success of the program.

Supervision and team collaboration

The Grant and  Contracts specialist reports to the Grant and  Contracts Manager. She/ he collaborates closely with the 2SCALE country teams and the budget and finance administrators.

Duty station

The candidate can be posted in any of the following 2SCALE countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali, and or Nigeria

Required Experience

• First degree in a relevant field of expertise with 7 years of Previous experience on grant management, contract facilitation and related or second degree (master’s level) and 5 years of experience.
• Previous experience in grant management in \agribusiness programs
• Experienced in working in multi country and multi-cultural settings.
• Good track record in working Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)
• Fluency in English and or French, being bilingual is a plus.
• Willingness to travel within and outside of the country