Grants Specialist at Land O’Lakes Venture37: (Deadline 16 May 2023)

Grants Specialist at Land O’Lakes Venture37: (Deadline 16 May 2023)

Grants Specialist

Rwanda

Posted: 17-Apr-2023

Closing date: 30-Apr-2023

Ref#: 1661

Project Description:

The Feed the Future Rwanda Orora Wihaze (Raise Animals for Self-Sufficiency) Activity is a USD 13.8M five-year (October 2019 – September 2024) Market System Development project that works with local partners and private sector actors in Rwanda to strengthen the animal-sourced foods (ASF) market system. Implemented under a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) contract, the project works across 8 districts of Rwanda including Burera, Gakenke, Nyamagabe, Nyamasheke, Rutsiro, Ngororero, Kayonza, and Ngoma Districts. The goal of Orora Wihaze is to sustainably increase the availability of access, and consumption of ASF through the development of a profitable market. This will be achieved by a selection of interventions under two broad objectives i) Private Sector-Led ASF Value Chains Strengthened; ii) Increase Demand for ASF Consumption for Women and Children. To accomplish this goal, Orora Wihaze seeks to remove production, marketing, and consumption constraints affecting the dietary diversity of households, especially for women of reproductive age and children of 6-23 months. For households that do not produce or sell ASF, Orora Wihaze will enhance access to safe ASF through the development of the existing market system.

The Orora Wihaze activity will use a private sector-oriented, market facilitation approach to achieve the intended goal. The approach must sustainably increase livestock productivity, improve relationships across actors in the ASF value chains, build the capacity of enterprises in the ASF sector, facilitate access to finance and increase private sector investments in ASF value chains.

Position Summary:

The Grants Specialist is responsible for grants and contract management and record-keeping. He/She implements the administrative and operational aspects of the Activity’s grant-making and contracting. The Grants Specialist works with colleagues to ensure grants, contracts, or other agreements are made by Venture37’s organizational policies and systems and implements the established Orora Wihaze processes and procedures. The incumbent is accountable for maintaining complete documentation about all contracts and grants for the Activity and will use a contract management software system. The Grants Specialist guides the project team on USAID compliance questions as needed.

In addition, this position oversees grant compliance. He/She ensures the completeness and quality of agreements, foundational documentation, grantee and partner information, vetting, approvals, and tracks and monitors authorized grant expenditures. The Grants Specialist coordinates all processes for soliciting concept notes and supports the evaluation and selection of enterprises or organizations awarded grants or contracts. The Grants Specialist also helps the recipients of grants and contracts to manage and comply with the terms of the agreement and communicates and follows up with partners to secure reports, cost-share documentation, and/or get general updates. The Grants Specialist reports to the Senior Finance and Administration Manager.

Primary Responsibilities:

The main responsibilities include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Help prepare, review, update, or adapt the Orora Wihaze Grants Plan to forecast and track the development of partnerships, award of grants or contracts, funds expended, and achievement of the sub-objectives detailed in agreements.
• Conduct the due diligence of grant applicants to determine their eligibility and complete all pre-award assessment paperwork required for grants, including project environmental reviews
• Work in coordination with Market Systems, Nutrition, Behavior Change, and Policy Teams to design, promote, and distribute solicitations for concept notes.
• Assess grant submissions for technical and budget soundness and compliance with USAID regulations, recommending award actions to the team.
• Support the Chief of Party and Senior Finance and Administrative Manager to submit sub-awards and grants to the donor for review and approval and help to respond to questions from USAID’s Contracts Office.
• Develop grant packages and coordinate the issuance of awards.
• Maintain grant and sub-award documentation, fully utilizing and managing information in the Cobblestone contract and grant management database and document management system.
• Facilitate grant kickoff meetings with new grantees to review key terms and conditions of their grant agreements.
• Ensure and structure regular grantee and sub-award reporting on an agreed (quarterly) timeline.
• Monitor and track cost-share contributions, performance reports, and compliance with award conditions.
• Communicate and collaborate with MEL, Finance, and Technical Teams to gather data and share information.
• Guide team members to also monitor grant compliance when conducting site visits, grantee deliverables and milestones review, and training and capacity building activities.
• Act as a resource for USAID rules and regulation compliance.
• Communicate as necessary with project grantees, assisting and training the partners to complete reports requirements and maintain compliance with the terms of grant and sub-award agreements.
• Create a grants closeout plan and lead the closeout process for all grants issued by the project.
• Ensure all required grant records and supporting documents are completed and stored online

Reporting & Supervision:

This position reports to the Senior Finance and Administrative Manager

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, management, or another related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in managing or administering grants programs.
• Experience monitoring compliance with terms of sub-award or grant agreements, including developing tools and tracking schedules.
• Experience with online grants management platforms for documentation management, compliance tracking and audit, and system for managing each stage in a grant cycle and utilizing template documents.
• Experience with writing and reviewing clear and deliverable-based program descriptions for sub-awards and grants.
• Proven attention to detail throughout work history, including managing and organizing electronic and hard copy files that are subject to review or audit.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Experience collaborating on work teams to achieve project results.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Relevant computer software skills, including standard applications within MS Office.
• Fluency in oral and written English and Kinyarwanda.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience with grants management in a USAID-funded project and familiarity with U.S. Government regulations and rules preferred.
• Experience with online grants management platforms for documentation management, compliance tracking and audit, and system for managing each stage in a grant cycle and utilizing template documents.
• Experience conducting Environmental Review and conducting Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plans
• Demonstrated capability and history in producing high-quality, formal written documents and agreements. 

Application Link:  

https://lol.avature.net/Careers/JobDetail/Rwanda-Grants-Specialist/1671

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is an equal-opportunity employer and an organization striving to help global communities thrive through agriculture. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status, among other factors. Our culture values diversity of voices. So, bring us your unique experiences, your workstyle, and your dreams — they’ll only make us stronger.

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