Vacancy: Grants and Contracts Officer – REGAL- IR
Organization: Adeso – African Development Solutions
Reporting to: Grants Manager
Reporting to: Grants Manager
Working with: REGAL-IR Program and Finance Teams
Program / Duty station: Nairobi
Duration: 1 year (Renewable)
Starting date: February 2016
Organizational Context: Adeso is an expanding and vibrant African based international development and humanitarian organization.
At Adeso, we work with African communities who are yet to realize their full potential; working inside these communities to create environments in which Africans can thrive. Our belief that economic, social and environmental security is the bedrock of a healthy community drives the nature and intent of our programming.
We work to prevent and overcome situations that adversely affect community well-being by: reinvigorating the economy, developing skills for life and work, providing humanitarian aid, and influencing policy.
For the past 20 years we have strengthened rural livelihoods through environmental awareness, training, technology transfer and innovative humanitarian projects in pursuit of a peaceful, self-reliant, and greener future. At present, Adeso has programs in Somalia, Kenya and South Sudan.
Adeso is an exciting and dynamic organization experiencing managed rapid growth. It offers sound employment conditions with opportunities for personal growth and development.
Project Summary: Resilience and Economic Growth in Arid Lands-Improving Resilience (REGAL-IR) is a 5-year program sponsored by USAID/Kenya and Feed the Future (Ftf) to reduce hunger and poverty, increase social stability and build strong foundations for economic growth amongst pastoralists and transitioning pastoralists in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
The program is designed to empower communities to take charge of their development and to strengthen their capacity to select, design, implement and monitor activities toward increasing their social, economic, and environmental resilience to natural and human-induced shocks.
REGAL-IR is led by Adeso and is implemented by a consortium of partners. An intensive community engagement process – Participatory Learning, Planning and Action (PLPA) – guides program implementation in six thematic areas including diversifying livelihoods, improving value chain inclusiveness, natural resource management, conflict management and mitigation, disaster risk reduction, and improving nutrition.
REGAL-IR is based in Isiolo Town and implements in Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit, and Turkana Counties.
Position Summary: The REGAL-IR Grants and Contracts Officer will report to the REGAL-IR Grants Manager and will be responsible to support International NGOS, Local NGOs and other recipients participating in the REGAL-IR program across five project counties.
The Grants and Contracts Officer will help strengthen the capacity of beneficiaries to receive grants to implement resilience projects.
The officer will assist the Grants Manager to strengthen the internal controls of grant recipients, monitor grants budgeting and reporting per USAID guidelines.
The officer will work to minimize operational risks and ensure compliance with USAID’s grant management rules and regulations.
Specific Roles and Responsibilities
- Provide technical assistance to partner organizations and other recipients to implement and manage the grant cycle/process, budgeting, financial reporting and donor compliance;
- Assist the grants manager in planning and executing partner trainings and capacity building on USAID Rules and regulations, financial reporting and procurement guidelines.
- Assist the grants manager in partners’ budgeting and necessary realignments.
- Coach and mentor partner organizations on donor guidelines and financial reporting.
- Periodically review the internal controls and policies of partner organizations and advise on strengthening of the same through reports and monitoring.
- Timely receipt, review of partners’ financial reports and subsequent submission to the Grants manager on monthly and quarterly basis.
- Timely follow up on periodic partners’ fund requests and submission to grants manager.
- Periodically conduct regular financial monitoring visits to partner organizations’ offices to verify transactions. Through transaction analysis and reviews.
- Ensure accuracy in partners’ accounting and financial reporting. Proper budget allocation of expenses, reasonability in expenses in terms of prudence, and allowability of the same as per donor regulations.
- Develop and maintain all partner financial reporting files in soft and hard copies for accountability and audit purposes
Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and minimum 3 years grants experience in an international NGO or donor organization;
- Ability to supervise partner organizations and oversee compliance in regard to USAID rules and regulations.
- Accounting professional qualification
- Demonstrated experience managing donor funds and ensuring compliance with donor requirements;
- Experience in transaction analysis, auditing transactions, and submission of timely and accuracy in financial reports.
- High level skills in written standard English and ability to transform documents and reports developed by program staff into dissemination standard documents
- Knowledge of USAID Rules, regulations and guidelines
- Knowledge of personal computer based applications including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
- Knowledge of general accounting and fiscal management principles.
Desirable
- High level skills in coaching, mentoring, capacity building, team development, around grants management and donor compliance;
- Evidence of strong team player and demonstrated ability to supervise others;
- Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships and partnerships;
- Demonstrated experience to work and travel productively in ASALs environment;
- Ability to work as an effective member of the REGAL-IR consortium team which involves International NGOs, Local NGOs and private companies
- Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
Application Process
This is an interesting opportunity for a dedicated and highly motivated young professional.
If you would like to join this dynamic team and be part of building resilience and economic growth in Africa, please submit your application to jobs@adesoafrica.org quoting the position in the subject matter and your county of application by December 25, 2015.
Your application should be addressed to the Human Resources Officer and include the following:
- An updated CV
- An application letter which should include expected remuneration and contact information for three work-related referees.
Applications not including all of the above information will not be reviewed.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Adeso is an equal opportunity employer.