Grants Coordinator

BACKGROUND:  The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of natural disaster, oppression and violent conflict in 42 countries. The IRC is committed to bold leadership, innovation and creative partnerships. Active in public health, education, livelihoods, women's empowerment, youth development, and protection and promotion of rights, IRC assists people from harm to home. The IRC began emergency operations in Sierra Leone in 1998 during the civil war. In the post-conflict reconstruction period, the IRC consolidated its operations into three core programmatic areas: health, education, and women’s protection and empowerment. In response to the Ebola outbreak, the IRC has initiated a range of activities from community-based awareness raising to operating isolation units to care for people suspected to be infected. In addition, the IRC leads an Education Consortium and the Ebola Response Consortium (ERC) which is comprised of nine international NGOs working in all districts of the country on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in primary health care facilities and Ebola disease surveillance.

SCOPE OF WORK: The Grants Coordinator (GrantsCo) will lead grant management for the IRC in Sierra Leone. The position reports to the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) and is based in Freetown with trips to field sites as needed. The GrantsCo will work collaboratively with the IRC’s senior management team, the technical coordinators, the finance team and the Education and Ebola Response consortia teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Grants Management & Compliance:
• Ensure that reports to donors are submitted on time; that reports are coherent and accurate (quarterly, interim or final reports);
• Support the technical and finance teams to prepare and submit timely narrative reports and accurate financial reports;
• Monitor and support the use of grants management tools such as FM01, BvAs, spending plans, forecast vs expenditures, and activity plans amongst program teams to ensure accurate tracking of implementation and spending  and timely alerts to potential challenges/obstacles;
• Play a key role in Grant Opening and Closing meetings, as well as monthly/regular grants review meetings which include representation from each unit (finance, programs, logistics) and ensure proper follow up of issues raised;
• In coordination with IRC-UK and IRC NY, monitor field implementation of programs to ensure they are in accordance with donor and IRC internal requirements; this includes conducting routine reviews of financial and compliance documentation of procedures, asset checks and field monitoring visits; 
• Along with the DDP and CD, represent the country office as liaison between the donors and the IRC;
• Maintain hard and soft files on the IRC SL grant portfolio.

Proposal Development:

• Support the DDP and the program team in the writing of new proposals and revision / renewal of ongoing activities;
• Liaise with NY grants units, technical units and IRC UK to ensure proposals meet internal standards, apply IRC Program Framework principles and are donor compliant;
• Participate in meetings with in-country donor representatives to discuss ongoing and future programs.

Communication and Information management:

• Develop briefing papers and support development of external communication tools;
• Maintain a monitoring database for program performance;
• Work with the communications manager to develop an IRC SL branding strategy in line with donor requirements and regulations.

Other:

• Perform other relevant duties as assigned;
• Adherence to IRC policies and procedures is required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in relevant field;
• Previous experience managing a multi-million dollar, multi-donor grant portfolio;
• Knowledge of international donors requirements, in particular UN, US government, and European donors;
• Demonstrated ability to compile complex technical proposals, including: narrative, logical framework, budget and certification documents;
• Excellent oral and written communications skills and demonstrated ability to produce and edit documents (reports, proposals) under deadline pressure;
• Proficient in spoken and written English;
• Working knowledge of budget development and management;
• Experience working in a multi-cultural setting and in preference in Africa;
• Competence with Windows, Microsoft Office;
• Ability to work in unstable security environments.

Working Environment:  

Security:

The security level for the IRC in Sierra Leone is 3 orange. There is an ongoing outbreak of infectious disease, common criminality and potential risk of civil disturbance. The IRC is firmly committed to staff safety and wellbeing. Measures are in place in all offices and guest houses to mitigate against risk.

Housing:

Housing will be in an IRC-maintained guest house with hot and cold running water and air conditioning.