Grants and Program Development Coordinator At International Rescue Committee

Akwajobs   (Yaoundé, Cameroon)

Posted : 23 November, 2019

Category : Project Management, Administration   Location : Yaoundé, Cameroon

Job type : Full Time

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The IRC started operations in Cameroon in 2016 to respond to the increasing concerns for people affected by violence linked to Boko Haram, in the Far North of the country. Assistance to displaced populations extends across the Far North, notably Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone & Chari, delivering lifesaving programming to increase access to water and improving hygiene practices in vulnerable displaced and host communities, cash programming to enable poor families to meet basic needs and improve food security, and protection programming, including meeting specific needs of women and girls. Following the increasing crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, the IRC expanded its operations into the South West region in August 2018, delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance to internally displaced populations. The IRC's field offices are located in Maroua and Kousseri in the Far North, Buea in the South West, and a representation office in Yaoundé.

IRC Cameroon is committed in its 2020 Strategic Action Plan to continue to provide essential humanitarian services, with a focus on safety in communities and ensuring affected populations can meet their basic needs, whilst also building the resilience of beneficiaries, especially women and girls. IRC Cameroon is funded by European and American donors.

Scope of Work

The Grants Coordinator will lead grant management and program development for the IRC in Cameroon. The position reports to the Deputy Director for Programs (DDP) and supervises the Grants Manager, and the Grants & Communications Officer. This position is based in Yaoundé with frequent trips to field sites. The Grants Coordinator will work collaboratively with the IRC's senior management team, the technical coordinators, M&E, finance, field management and operations teams.

Main Responsibilities:

Program & Strategy Development

• Lead coordination of proposal development process from review of solicitation to final submission, gathering input from Technical Coordinators (TCs), M&E staff, Field Coordinators, Deputy Directors of Programs and Operations (DDP/DDO), Finance, Technical Advisors, and ensuring proper review at the HQ level;
• Ensure management of review process through IRC's electronic grants database, OTIS;
• Working closely with DDP, support facilitation of program design meetings, travelling to field sites & program activities in order to ensure high quality design processes;
• Lead in drafting of non-technical sections of proposals, budget narratives, editing of proposals and review against solicitation requirements and donor rules & guidelines;
• In liaison with HQ, ensure proposals meet internal standards, including use of IRC's Outcomes Evidence Framework (OEF) Theories of Change, in line with IRC Cameroon's Strategic Action Plan (SAP), Good & Great Standards and donor compliance;
• Conduct review of proposal budgets for donor responsiveness and matching technical narrative;
• Act as focal point with donors in-country for the proposal development process;
• Working closely with the DDP, provide inputs to program development strategy through conducting donor mapping, analysis of upcoming opportunities, IRC's competitive strategy, and updating the program development workplan;
• Lead coordination the strategic evaluation & drafting of go-no-go decisions.

Grants Management & Program Support

• Lead on coordination and management of the grant cycle, from kick-off to close-out, including ensuring regular conduct of grant/project meetings and budget versus actual (BVA) meeting. Ensure communication and follow-up with SMT on issues raised;
• Ensure sound management of reporting requirements, ensuring timely and quality submission to donors;
• Ensure support provided to field offices for management of project cycle and compliance requirements as per donor agreements;
• Monitor and support the use of spending management tools such as FM01 and BVA for the proper monitoring and the successful implementation of programs and early warning in case of obstacles or challenges.

Communications & Representation

• Ensure implementation of in-country communication strategy, managing Grants & Communications Officer to produce external communications materials for use in in-country advocacy and business development efforts;
• Support in-country engagement with donors and key stakeholders;
• Support representation in sectoral, cluster working groups or thematic/ad hoc humanitarian coordination meetings as needed.

Donor Compliance

• Act as focal point with donors in-country on grants management issues for ongoing, past, and potential future projects;
• Review donor agreements and coordinate their review with the relevant IRC HQ office;
• Ensure that grants are implemented in compliance with IRC and relevant donor regulations;
• Ensure that partnership and sub-grant related administrative processes and procedures are consistently implemented throughout the program, including pre-award compliance checks, agreements, and disbursements and reporting;
• Ensure comprehensive grant files are maintained up to date and are available for use by key staff.

Management and Capacity Building

• Supervise the Grants Manager and the Grants & Communications Officer and provide on-the-job training. Discuss job expectations, set objectives and provide appropriate and timely feedback regarding performance;
• Support the training and capacity building to all IRC and local partner staff on program reporting, donor compliance, and IRC program specific requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in international affairs, development or related subject
• At least five years of experience working in project and/or grants management and proposal/business development/design
• International experience with preference in Africa
• Prior knowledge of donor regulations (UN, OFDA, USAID, ECHO, DFID, Irish Aid, SIDA, SDC, etc.)
• Previous successful experience in developing projects and writing proposals for range of donors
• Good communicator with strong organizational, time management and analytical skills
• Excellent inter-personal, cultural and diplomatic skills
• Strong writing and editing skills with close attention to detail
• 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 environment
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite
• Fluency in English and French, spoken and written
• IRC experience is an asset

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Security: Yaoundé is currently security level yellow and has no curfew in place. Maroua and Kousseri are security level orange and the IRC has a curfew in place, while Buea is level red with a curfew in place. The situation is calm though there remains a risk of terrorist attack and kidnap.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

This is an unaccompanied position.

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