Grants & Sub Award Manager at TechnoServe Kenya

Position Description:

• TechnoServe seeks an experienced Grants Manager for an anticipated food systems development program in Kenya. The Grants & Sub Award Manager will be responsible for the implementation and management of the project’s grants program. The position will manage grants activity reporting, budget and program monitoring, and other operational activities in compliance with grant making guidelines.  S/he will lead the design of a Grants Manual and develop criteria for recipients of grants. S/he will also monitor the performance of sub-awardees and compliance, including conducting monitoring visits. The Manager will provide technical assistance to sub-awardees to support their compliance and optimal performance.
• This position will report to the Senior Finance and Administration Manager.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

 Sub-Award Management

• Maintains programmatic and financial management files for grants and ensures audit trail for all necessary grant documentation.
• Provides compliance support on sub-awards, including solicitations, due diligence, awards, implementation and post-sub-award close-out.
• Ensures that sub-awardees are aware and trained on requisite flow-down requirements from the donor
• Ensures that sub-awardees are adhering to the terms of their awards, are in compliance with requirements, and are submitting required deliverables on time
• Works with the project and finance teams to align on process flow for invoices, payments and anticipated milestones 
• Works with TechnoServe’s Awards team on all sub-awards to issue new sub-awards and modifications
• Aligns with the Awards team, finance and procurement staff to ensure that the right instrument is selected for different types of partnerships
• Create and manage sub award monitoring plans. Coordinates and ensures timely financial disbursements, compliance with grants financial management policies, monitors all grant expenses, and provides regular updates on grant status.
• Review sub award financial and narrative reports and ensure they align for the reporting period

Grants Planning and Implementation

• Provides end-to-end support on grant planning, design, awards, implementation and post-grant close out
• With guidance from the TechnoServe Awards team, develops and implements the use of a comprehensive grants manual that includes a range of modalities for creative and flexible implementation of grants.
• With the TechnoServe Awards team, reviews technical and financial proposals from local partner organizations, including negotiating annual budgets, and reviews grantee financial expenditure reports for accuracy and adherence to the SOW and budget.
• Participates in work planning and activity planning to align the grants program with overall project activities.
• Coordinates the development of Annual Program Statements and Request for Applications (RFAs); co-host informational meetings (in person or virtual) for potential grantees.
• Maintains timelines and details required for all grant activities;
• Leads or supports market search and price analysis in coordination with technical staff.
• Manages the evaluation and selection committee process for grantees.
• Ensures all due diligence is conducted prior to grant awards, including environmental compliance. 
• Secures approvals to ensure compliance with internal and external award and policy requirements
• Prepares grant agreements and amendments, explaining terms, conditions, roles, and responsibilities. Ensures that identified weaknesses in initial grantee assessments and related requirements are incorporated into the agreements explicitly/clearly with the required monitoring and actions on the part of the grantee.
• Organizes kick-off meetings and apprises grantees of the responsibilities, requirements and policies and procedures to be followed during the life of the grant.
• Ensures post award grant management in accordance with relevant regulations and generates reports of status of grant activities, such as forecasting payment, inventory, amendments, close outs, and sector specific data (i.e. monthly and quarterly reporting). 
• Monitors milestones and payment schedules, with Finance and Technical Teams to ensure on-time deliverables, payments, and cash flow requests.
• Stays up to date with the latest developments in grants management, particularly as it pertains to grants to private sector actors, and within USAID’s market and food systems programs

Compliance:

• Provides training, guidance, and direction to project staff on planning, implementation, and compliance of sub-award and grants policies, procedures, and instructions, specifically their role in the process. 
• Reviews grants for completeness and appropriateness with the work plan. 
• Ensures all required documentation is stored in required TechnoServe systems. 
• Monitors sub-award and grant milestones and requests for payments against grant agreements to ensure compliance. Provide regular milestone updates to internal stakeholders such as the Award team. 
• Trains on and enforces policies and procedures to prevent improprieties, intentional and unintentional. 
• Leads an annual audit of grant and sub-award files 

Management:

• Providing ongoing training, guidance, and direction to project technical and grants staff on planning, implementation, and compliance of grants and sub-award policies, procedures, and instructions.
• Ensures that policies, procedures, and/or practices are being met.
• Work closely with Finance and Admin team to develop clear process flow documents and templates to support the team in determining appropriate instruments for partnership engagement
• Provides quality control on all documentation required with various departments i.e. technical, grants, and finance.
• Supervises grant specialists and assistants.
• Review newly awarded contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements advise teams on donor terms and conditions to support project implementation and compliance.
• Prepare and disseminate Award Management Summaries, including coordinating with the project team to capture relevant project implementation detail as it relates to compliance.
• Coordinate administrative kick-off calls for new sub-awards and grants.
• Develop and review sub-agreements in accordance with prime agreements and their respective flow-down provisions.
• Ensure donor milestones are completed and recorded, sub recipient monitoring is conducted and recorded, and closeout reports are completed and documented.
• Prepare or review requests for donor approvals and modifications such as no-cost extensions, changes in key personnel, changes in the scope of work and program add-ons, and budget realignments.
• Review and approve procurements for goods and services contracts and purchase orders in accordance with TechnoServe procurement policy and donor terms and conditions.
• Monitor award closeout process and assist program/country staff in collecting necessary close-out documents in accordance with TechnoServe and USAID regulations. Develop donor-specific close plans for use by country staff.
• Complete other tasks as assigned
• Coordinate closely with other staff on partnerships requiring contracts or other procurement instruments

Basic Qualifications:

• At least 5 years’ professional experience in grants or contracts management for a large-scale, complex international development assistance program. 7 years’ experience for Bachelor’s degree.
• Progressively responsible work experience in managing grants as outlined in this job description.
• Experiencing managing grants funds under USG especially USAID regulations strongly preferred; 
• Knowledge and ability to interpret and apply USG regulations (CFR and FAR) required
• Experience with USAID required
• Understanding of different partnership modalities (including MOUs, grants, sub-awards, and sub-contracts) particularly as they pertain to complex food systems programs that will include a mix of private sector, government, civil society and NGO partnerships.
• Experience working with local organizations in Kenya preferred 
• Knowledge of development issues in the program regions, ability to travel and work in the field with administrative and subject area specialists. 

Required Languages: Kiswahili and English Fluency Required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and adapt to changing priorities
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and organized
• Able to thrive in a dynamic team environment