Somalia: Grants Manager, Somalia

World Learning is an 83-year-old global non-profit organization with operations in 77 countries. Through its award-winning international education programs – The Experiment in International Living, the SIT Graduate Institute, SIT Study Abroad and the International Honors Program (IHP) – World Learning fosters global citizenship by connecting over 3,000 young ambassadors annually across cultural differences and social barriers. Through its International Development & Exchange Programs, World Learning practices what it teaches, undertaking community-driven international development, training and exchange projects in sixteen countries. For more information visit www.worldlearning.org

World Learning’s International Development & Exchange Programs seeks a Grants Manager for an upcoming five year USAID-funded Engaging Somalis in Peaceful Political Processes (ES3P) project. The project will work to promote credible political processes in Somalia through the following three objectives: 1) increased citizen participation in political and electoral processes; 2) increased capacity of election management bodies and other relevant government bodies to administer credible elections and political processes; and 3) political party-sponsored promotion of inclusion and contribution to peaceful political processes. Recruitment contingent upon successful award of the project. Regional candidates highly encouraged to apply.The position will be based in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Grants Manager (Full time position)

The Grants Manager will be responsible for the small grants portfolio of the project.

Job Responsibilities:

· Administer and manage open competitions for awards;

· Provide overall award (grants and contracts) management, from start-up to close-out, in administering agreements and contracts;

· Responsible for day-to-day management of the grant-making mechanism including grant competitions, awarding, and monitoring;

· Prepare quarterly financial and activity reports;

· Contribute to the development of annual project work plans for submission to the donor;

· Manage the grant mechanism’s project budget and update spending pipeline on a regular basis;

· Work closely with the Chief of Party, the Finance Team, HQ Agreement Officer and Compliance representatives, and other key stakeholders to develop and maintain the award mechanism.

Grants-Making Mechanism Management

· Coordinate the preparation of solicitations including contributing to the writing and oversight of the advertisement of the solicitations.

· Manage program overall work to ensure proper sub-grantee assessments, project start-ups, phase-ins/phase-outs, workshops, meetings, publication, communications, reporting, monitoring and/or evaluation activities all in compliance with program requirements.

· Develop selection criteria for USAID/Somalia and determine the eligibility of applicants, and, in coordination with USAID/Somalia, manage the review of proposals, and participate in the technical reviews.

· Work with project staff to ensure proper set up of project accounts, systems, and tools to monitor compliance with agreement terms and conditions; manage spending against budget.

· Ensure proper close out of grants in coordination with project staff.

· Supervise daily administrative and program tasks of program officers and associates.

· Exercise full financial oversight and provide reporting to all stakeholders

Specific to work with Grantees

· Oversee the project support staff, especially in relation to:

o Obtaining grantees' annual external or project specific audit reports.

o Reviewing/approving payments to sub-grantees

o Reviewing grantees' Branding and Marking plans

o Reviewing and approving sub-grantees' monitoring and evaluation

o Maintaining proper agreement files for grantees in master filing system.

o Monitoring progress on deliverables by overseeing the review of sub-grantees' quarterly reports.

· Monitor changes to approved work plans.

· Provide support on general grant and financial management matters.

Agreement/Compliance Issues

· Monitor and facilitate overall compliance of sub-grantees’ agreement implementation with donor and World Learning requirements

· Conduct pre-award assessment to determine potential partner’s level of risk and necessary mitigation required

· Communicate with donor on compliance issues as necessary.

· Oversee the grant award and modification processes to be implemented by project staff.

· Provide guidance to project staff and grantees on compliance with applicable USG and/or other donor rules and regulations.

· Oversee the requests for procurement approvals.

· Provide guidance to all issues outside of standard policies and procedures in coordination with the donor

Capacity Development

· Participate in the organizational capacity assessments of beneficiaries to determine current capacity in grants administration, and provide input in the development of capacity development plans;

· Monitor overall sub-grantees’ progress and performance (as per grant goals and objectives and the capacity development plans);

· Strengthen sub-grantees’ overall fiduciary responsibilities, governance and technical capacity in coordination with other technical staff;

Required Qualifications

· Minimum six (6) years of experience in a management position;

· Minimum four (4) years of experience (which may be concurrent with the above six (6) years of experience) in managing large grants facilities in fragile contexts, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa;

· Experience providing grants to nascent or low capacity organizations;

· Familiarity with capacity assessment tools and methodologies;

· Prior experience working on USAID or other international donor funded projects;

· Knowledge of USAID rules and regulations;

· Appropriate and relevant university degree; and

· Fluency in written and spoken English required; Fluency in Somali preferred.

Please transmit: CV or resume not to exceed 3 pages; cover letter (in English) with the post title on the subject line explaining why you are best qualified for this position; and three references within the last 3 years with current contact information (phone, mail address and email address). Somali nationals are highly encouraged to apply.To apply: Please visit our website www.worldlearning.org and click on the employment tab to submit your application. If you do not see the job you are interested in, please “search all.” Only finalist candidates will be contacted. No telephone enquiries please. Thank you.