Organization: IRC – International Rescue Committee
Location: Addis Ababa
Grade: Mid level – Mid level
Occupational Groups:
External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
Managerial positions
Grant writing
Closing Date:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
Job Overview:
The Senior Grants Manager contributes to overall grants management at IRC Ethiopia. The position reports into the Grants Coordinator. This position is based in Addis Ababa with occasional trips to field sites are required. The Senior Grants Manager will supervise grants managers under his/her portfolio and will be responsible to oversee the overall grants management of that specific grants’ portfolio, including the management of the more strategic grants within that portfolio. Additionally, she/he assists in or leads the development of proposals and budget realignment and project revisions. The Senior Grants Manager works collaboratively with the Grants and Partnership Unit members, program team including the technical coordinators, operations team, and the finance team. The IRC Ethiopia is made of grants mostly from BHA, BPRM, EU, GAVI, OCHA, SIDA, UNHCR, WFP and private foundations.
Major Responsibilities:
Grants Management
Lead/oversee all reporting within the designated grants’ portfolio, ensuring quality control of reports, coordinating HQ reviews and approvals before timely submission to the donor. This includes sending out the donor reporting templates a month before submission to relevant staff including setting clear timelines to ensure proper quality controls.
Ensure project start up is done according to the Start Projects On Time (SPOT) SOP. Share appropriate documents for MoU/LoU focal point ensuring MoU/LoU processes are initiated timely.
Facilitate or oversee all Project Cycle Meetings (PCM) are set up using the latest PCM guidance for the grants within his/her portfolio, where possible in the field and ensure representation of all relevant units and the Dashboard are updated before the meeting. Where needed coordinate with the Field Coordinator to ensure monthly BvA meetings are held and support follow-up actions to resolve grant challenges.
Ensure that grants within his/her portfolio are implemented in compliance with IRC and relevant donor regulations.
Ensure the Active Grants and Reporting Tracker and other information management systems and the grants filing on Box and OTIS are up to date.
Monitor burn rates and implementation progress monthly and flag grant underperformance and compliance issues to relevant Field Coordinators, Program Coordinators and the Senior Management Team.
Lead and timely submit any grants amendments, including technical and budget narrative revision, budget realignments (in close collaboration with the Budgeting and Compliance Coordinator).
Business Development/ Proposal Development
Coordinate and oversee new proposal development (including budget development) for the recurrent grant proposals (mainly foundations and UN grants), following the donor compliance guidelines, working with and gathering input from technical coordinators, technical advisors, the Finance Department, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation staff, and the Regional Unit.
Ensure accurate review of new proposals (including budget) prior to timely ET Finance, HQ and donor submission.
Collaborate closely with IRC NY, UK, Sweden and Germany to ensure proposals meet internal standards, apply IRC’s Outcomes Evidence Framework (OEF), are in line with IRC Ethiopia’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and are donor compliant.
Capacity building
Lead capacity development of relevant grants staff to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge on how to write donor reports and donor compliance
Provide orientation and on-the-job training to the Grants Managers.
Liaison and Special Tasks
Act as a focal point for all donor communications in his/her assigned portfolio. Communicate with donors and attend donor meetings in order to share IRC’s accomplishments as well as to stay up-to-date on the latest donor developments and requirements, with a special focus on Donor, HQ/Field communications and information exchange.
Lead and Coordinate donor field visits and follow up that monitoring feedback of the donor is addressed.
Oversee the distribution to IRC staff in Addis, HQ and field offices of all documentation (grant proposals, reports, budget, etc.) related to their specific programs.
Ensure an updated inventory of all communications related to programs/donors.
Oversee that all visibility requirements for the grants in the portfolio are met in a timely manner and properly documented and shared.
Ensure that the donor is timely updated for any new developments, security, and context changes, etc.
Complete special projects as assigned by the Grants Coordinator that may fall outside the job description and backstop the Grants Coordinator, as needed.
Team Management and Capacity Building
Undertake regular 1 to 1 meeting with grants team members under his/her supervision and follow-up action points.
Provide orientation and on-the-job training to the grants managers which may cover donor compliance rules and regulations, Power Bi, OTIS, budget development etc).
Safeguarding Responsibilities:
Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion and cohesion in IRC [team/office]
Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies
Minimum Qualifications:
Educational Requirements:
BA degree required; Master’s degree International Affairs, Social Sciences, Accounting, Economics, or STEM (Science, Technology and Math) strongly preferred.
Preferred experience & skills:
At least 4 years of experience in program management and or grants management and proposal/business development/design; or
At least 1 year of management experience
Prior knowledge of donor (ECHO, EU, USAID, BHA, BPRM, DFID, SIDA, UNICEF, UNHCR, OCHA etc.) and government regulations preferred.
Advanced MS Excel and Math skills required (skills will be tested through an exam) and are the most important requirement for this position.
Good communication with strong organizational, time management and analytical skills.
Excellent inter-personal, cultural and diplomatic skills.
Flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.
Strong capacity to mentor and build capacity of staff.
Ability to juggle competing priorities, meet demanding deadlines and work under pressure in unstable security environments.
Strong computer skills required.
Previous successful experience developing projects, writing winning proposals and donor reports preferred.
Language Skills:
Fluency in English, spoken and written, is the most important requirement for this job; Fluency in Amharic required. (The written English skills will be tested through an exam).
IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer.IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.
IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.
Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.