Grants Manager & Organisational Capacity Advisor at Options Consultancy Services Limited

Position

Options Consultancy Services seeks a Grants Manager and Organisational Capacity Advisor for the bid What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls: Impact at Scale (What Works II) programme which is funded by the UK Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The Grants Manager and Organisational Capacity Advisor will assess, oversee and manage grantees, including providing effective due diligence of grantees and supporting their organisational capacity development in areas such as, financial management, safeguarding and duty of care.

The Grants Manager and Organisational Capacity Advisor will be responsible for:

Supporting the management, development and implementation of the programme granting component:

• ​Under supervision of the Deputy Programme Director/Fund Manager and in collaboration with the VAWG Technical Lead, support the development and implementation of the grants management process including application, review, selection process, and tracking and monitoring systems, ensuring all the systems and information are clear and easily communicated to relevant stakeholders and potential applicants.
• Agree selection criteria with the senior management team to ensure awarded grants are in-line with and contribute to the programme’s objectives.
• Coordinate development and use of all grants management tools and processes required during the course of the programme. This includes maintaining and revising as appropriate the programme Grants Manual, and liaising/developing additional tools as required including financial monitoring etc.

Overseeing and managing a portfolio of grantees

• Manage calls for proposals and review grant applications, in consultation with others, according to set criteria, ensuring applications are in line with selection criteria and the programme aims and that selected organisations are financially and operationally sound.
• Prepare and respond to the selection committee requests and coordinate approvals of the selected grantees as appropriate.
• Under supervision of the Deputy Programme Director/Fund Manager, manage all due diligence and contracting of grantee organisations as per the grant management guidelines (with support from the finance and programme management teams).
• Oversee overall progress of grantees’ delivery against workplan, performance objectives, and budget, and establishing management mechanisms where delays or issues arise.
• Develop risk matrix for each grantee (with inputs from team and grantees) and regularly track it, escalating potential issues to the Deputy Programme Director/Fund Manager and in accordance with Options’ policy.

Capacity building and learning

• Support the capacity assessment and capacity building of grantee organisations.
• Support in developing and overseeing implementation of an organisational capacity building plan for each grantee organisation
• Provide / coordinate capacity building support to a portfolio of grantees on organisational capacity including financial management, managing fiduciary risk, programme management, donor compliance, safeguarding and duty of care
• Facilitate and support cross-learning among grantees on organisational capacity where appropriate

Requirements

To succeed in this role, you will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or relevant subject area in finance, management, economics…
• Accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA…)
• Grant management experience, particularly with civil society organisations and preferably on large grant programmes
• Significant experience of managing programmes and grants, with a proven track record in disbursing grants directly to grassroots organisations in remote and diverse contexts, across a multi-country programme
• Experience of contracting and contract management
• Experience in designing and coordinating delivery of organisational capacity building plans
• Proven experience in planning, budgeting and programme management (including financial management)
• Experience in Monitoring and Evaluation
• Experience in knowledge management and learning, including peer to peer learning
• Experience working in organizational development and developing capacity of grassroots organisations

Other information

• Options is an equal opportunities employer
• Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment.
• We seek people who are pro-choice, energetic and enthusiastic about Options’ vision.
• Overseas candidates require a valid work permit for Kenya or Nepal