Career Opportunities at Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

Purpose

The Grants Officer will support the Programme Development and Quality Assurance team in ensuring high quality grants’ administration and compliance with both DRC and donor requirements. Specifically, the Grants Officer will support the Head of Programme in regularly updating country programme milestones in the Grants Management System; review of reports for both external and internal use; and provide oversight in the implementation of systems and procedures that are in compliance with both DRC and donor regulations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Regular and timely updating of deliverables for all Kenya Programme projects in the Grant Management System.
• Ensure the grants management filing system is maintained and all donor grant documentation (both soft and hard copies) is properly filed.
• Assist the Head of Programme in proposal development tasks; edit contributions and compile inputs from programme staff, technical advisors, or the regional office in line with the proposal development plan.
• Organize and lead grants meetings according to DRC grants management guidelines (kick-off, project closure meetings)
• Assist the Head of Programme in bi-monthly budget analysis, in coordination with Finance, and highlight potential issues.
• Support and liaise with the M&E department in conducting monitoring and verification of project activities to highlight potential compliance issues for management action.
• Support proper management of sub-grantees including clarifying grant requirements and ensuring timely report submission.
• Ensure that relevant grants management and donor regulations and requirements are adequately shared and understood by the programme and support teams, through trainings and mentorship for staff.
• Support the Head of Programme in ensuring timely donor reporting through sharing and follow-up of quarterly reporting action plans with area managers.
• Based on Rolling Action Plans, follow up with the relevant staff on the timely submission of draft donor reports, and assist in the review to ensure quality and compliance with relevant requirements.

Personal Specifications

• Have a university degree in international relations, social science, development or a relevant field.
• At least three years of professional experience in reporting, grants management, and/ or monitoring and evaluation in humanitarian or development programming.
• Knowledge of project cycle management.
• Knowledge of donor rules, regulations, and procedures including but not limited to US and European donors, EU funding mechanisms, and UN agencies.
• Knowledge of database use and management.
• Excellent writing and editing skills in English for external audiences (including governments and donors).
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Good personal organizational skills, including time management, team work, ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure with minimal supervision

Posting details: This position is based in the Regional Office –Nairobi with travel to project sites in Kenya.

Reporting Arrangements: The Grants Officers reports to the Head of Programme.

Start of Contract & Duration: 9 months with possibility of extension

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Responsibilities and Tasks:

The Head of Programme refers to and works in close collaboration with the Country Director. Specific responsibilities include:

Strategic Programme Development

• In co-ordination with the protection, livelihoods and other technical advisors, lead the strategic development of DRC/DDG’s work in Kenya.
• Support the Country Director in drafting, promoting, and rolling out of all DRC-relevant strategic programme and planning documents in broad consultation with all relevant staff. These documents include the country strategic plan, as well as strategies for all program sectors.
• Ensure proper understanding of DRC programmatic approaches and strategies by relevant actors (e.g. staff members, partners, NGOs, government counterparts, and donors).
• As an SMT member and head of programme, manage regular and critical review of the country strategic and action plans and initiate corrective actions/problem solving if and when needed. Follow-up on the action plan and report against its indicators.
• In close coordination with the Country Director, represent DRC in key programme relevant meetings with donors, local government authorities, partners, UN agencies and international and local NGOs and various local co-ordination forums.
• Support development and review of the country programme emergency preparedness and response plan.

Fundraising

• Design and implement a resource mobilization strategy
• Manage and develop strong strategic programme proposal development to maintain, direct and expand DRC’s current programme portfolio in Kenya

Management

• Management, operational oversight, coordination and implementation of DRC projects within the DRC/DDG Kenya programme.
• Manage the programme development& quality unit to ensure effective support to field teams in program design, program quality assurance, and consistent application of grant compliance standards/policies.
• Provide appropriate and timely feedback to the programme development & quality assurance unit staff regarding their performance, including annual staff performance appraisals. Identify with staff their needs and opportunities for professional development.
• Support the development of an organizational culture that reflects DRC mandate, values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourage a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation.

Programme Quality Assurance

• Ensure high quality project implementation for DRC and DRC/DDG joint projects in line with agreed results, budgets, and work plans.
• Contribute to regular programme risk analysis and development of mitigation plans in consultation with Area Managers and Technical Managers/Coordinators.
• Ensure cross-cutting themes e.g. age, gender & diversity (AGD); CHS & relevant technical standards (like Sphere) are mainstreamed in all programs where appropriate and relevant.
• Contribute to the improvement and application of the country programme monitoring, evaluation and learning system in order to facilitate continual learning and adaptive management.
• Contribute to active dissemination and communication of program findings and research outcomes widely.
• Oversee the planning and implementation of capacity building of key staff on issues relating to programme strategies and quality.

Compliance and Grants Management

• Ensure that relevant grants management and donor regulations and requirements are adequately shared and understood by the programme and support teams by overseeing the regular conduct of grants inception meetings, follow up meetings and trainings on donor requirements.
• Plan and execute quarterly and annual review sessions and oversee implementation of corrective measures.
• Support the review and timely submission of high quality donor reports in collaboration with the grants officer and area managers.

Qualifications:

• Relevant university degree (Master or Post graduate), in Social Sciences, International Development, International Relations, Law or any other relevant field.
• Excellent understanding of displacement issues and related international policies and standards/frameworks.
• Minimum of five years’ management experience with International NGOs or operational UN agencies, including at least two years' experience of community-level programming.
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize resources and expand programmes.
• Proven experience in protection, food security and livelihoods and/or related fields in a management capacity.
• Proven experience in programme design and management, including budget expenditure, donor relations, reporting, proposal writing, staff management, and monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Preferably familiarity with requirements of key donors including USAID, DFID, DANIDA, ECHO, OFDA, UNHCR among others.
• Communication Skills: Excellent writing and verbal skills in English.
• Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to manage a large workload and multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Work style: Highly organized team player, pro-active and with demonstrated strong personal initiative and decision making ability. . Proven solid analytical and problem solving skills.

Personal competencies

• Leadership skills, including ability to build and motivate a team and willingness to deal with challenges.
• Political and cultural sensitivity, including ability to adapt well to local cultures.
• Demonstrated successful experience working within a complex security environment is preferred.

Position Description

Posting details: This position is based in Nairobi with travel to project sites in Kenya.

Start of Contract & Duration:1 April or as soon as possible;12 months with possibility of extension dependent on both funding and performance.

For Expatriates; Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Global Expatriates (available at www.drc.dk under Vacancies). This position is graded as A9. For qualified National staff the terms of employment will be in accordance with DRC terms for National staff

Reports to: Country Director Kenya

Supervises: Grants Officer, M&E Officer, Project Officer – Advocacy and Governance and Programme Consultants