Career Opportunities at Act Change Transform - 2 Positions

Job Description

Ref Number ACT/HOG/29/2017

The Head of Grants will be based in Nairobi and will ensure the proper functioning of the entire grants management function. This will include monitoring the entire grants management process from solicitation through close out and ensuring proper compliance with all donor regulations.

He/she will play a leadership role towards supporting Act! and its partners in achieving rigorous financial and grants reporting and management. The incumbent will be in charge of ensuring that the tools and materials Act! uses to deliver effective grants and financial services to its partners are of the highest standard.

Job Responsibilities

• Ensure effective implementation of the grants management policies, rules and procedures that meet industry best practices and ensure full understanding by the grants team as well as compliance of the grants management process at all levels within Act!.
• Develop procedural documents and processes and ensure full understanding of the grants management process at key levels within the institution as well as coordinate grants management systems across programs to ensure high quality and consistency.
• Ensure Act!’s grants management policies in relation to selection of partners are fully adhered to.
• Oversees overall tracking of grants pool while closely monitoring the obligations from donors and grant obligations to recipients/grantees. Ensure that Act! never commits more funds than obligated by donors.
• Ensure that all grant documentation is maintained according to Act! standards and donor policies to the extent they can be fully audited with limited or no adverse findings.
• Ensure that pre-award risk assessments are carried out on each grantee and that decisions are incorporated into grant awards.
• Ensure strong links between the grants management and M&E systems to improve partners reporting and link to Act! requirements.
• Ensure responsible proposal processing and timeliness of responses to agencies.
• Ensure that grant modifications for cost/program changes are completed accurately.
• Ensure the timely and appropriate close-out of issued grants.
• Capacity Development Coordination
• Coordinate grant recipients’ organizational assessments, identified in collaboration with the Capacity Development Officers.
• Oversee the development of a tracking system to monitor and measure growth.
• Collaborate with the Capacity Development Officers to identify priority areas for training of partners and develop strategic interventions to assist partners.
• Coordinate the development of training materials for potential grantees on proposal preparations and budgeting skills.
• Coordinate, organize and facilitate (as necessary) grants management workshops for grantees/partners to provide guidance on good grants management and on compliance with donor regulations.
• Monitoring and Reporting (financial and programmatic)
• Monitor partners procedures designed to comply with regulations.
• Liaising with the Compliance Officer as necessary, coordinate the investigation of suspected violations of proper applications.
• Oversee the assistance to grantees to resolve audit problems identified in audit management letters

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Accounting or related business field. A Master’s degree in the relevant field will be an added advantage
• Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K) or ACCA qualifications
• Ten years’ experience managing financial administration of major donor grants and contracts.
• At least five years’ experience in administering grants and contracts.
• Excellent analytical skills to successfully perform financial reviews and other quantitative analyses.
• Familiarity with major donors’ auditing requirements and demonstrated ability to exercise financial oversight of grant programs.
• Highly proficient in MS Office, spreadsheets and database skills.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Ability to independently prioritize and successfully perform assigned tasks.

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Job Description

The Grants Officer will be based in Nairobi and will primarily ensure proper maintenance and functioning of the grants management system. This shall include monitoring the grants making and management process from solicitation through close out and ensuring proper compliance with all donor regulations.

Job Responsibilities

• Support in the solicitation process of potential grantees.
• Carry-out pre-award assessments of potential grantees to establish their level of capacity.
• Prepare grant documents (selection memos, negotiation memos, budget reviews, grant agreements, modifications, closeouts and related correspondences) Maintain Act’s grants financial tracking systems and share relevant information with concerned parties as appropriate.
• Undertake regular financial reviews and give appropriate recommendations to grantees on areas that need correction or improvement in their systems and procedures.
• Prepare grant modifications for cost/program changes where need be.
• Ensure the timely and proper close-out of grants.
• Review financial reports from grantees to ensure financial compliance against grant budget
• Review cash requests from grantees to ensure the amounts requested are reasonable and within approved budgets.
• Review all partners’ deliverables to ensure grant compliance provide feedback as appropriate.
• Assist in the compilation of data and preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual reports,
• Regularly visit the partners to conduct compliance reviews and provide mentorship as necessary.
• Ensure that all partners’ expenditures comply with the final and approved budgets (i.e. budgetary controls).
• Conduct monthly reconciliations with Finance department to ensure grant and finance records are up to date.
• Maintain and update hard copy grant and working files. Slots within these files should be clearly labeled and organized for ease of reference.
• Open new grant file for every new grant.
• Ensure that all grant files are kept under lock and key.
• Scan all key grants documents and have soft copies saved in the sever.
• Assist in budget preparation for the CSOs consistent with their project proposals.
• Prepare indicative budgets for all planned new work.
• In consultation with the finance officers track budgets to ensure compliance with Act! and donor funding guidelines and requirements.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Accounting or related business field.
• At least CPA II professional certification.
• At least Three (3) years’ experience supporting administration of grants and contracts.
• Previous work experience in grants or finance related field especially on USAID, SIDA and DFID funded projects.
• Willingness to travel extensively within Kenya, work extended periods in the field and interact effectively with local communities and willingness to learn new approaches.
• Good negotiation and problem solving skills.
• Good analytical, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Highly proficient in MS Word, Excel, Access, Power-Point and applications and use of internet for research purposes