Grants Coordinator

BACKGROUND
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The IRC in Ukraine has established operations and programming working out of offices in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odessa/ Mykolaiv, and is looking to continue programming in eastern geographic areas with high concentrations of IDPs and to expand programming in scale, scope and geographic support in hard-to-reach locations as well as increase programming in areas of early recovery and resilience.

The Ukraine Country Programme seeks a Grants Coordinator to coordinate and lead business development and grant management on a diverse and growing portfolio.

Job Overview/Summary: The overall aim of the grants team is to ensure a positive donor relationship and that awards are managed efficiently and effectively to meet the needs of our clients, as well as IRC and donor compliance. Grants supports the IRC’s mission in helping people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster, including the climate crisis, to survive, recover, and gain control over their future by ensuring funding is available for country offices to implement quality programming. The Grants Coordinator, in collaboration with the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP), will provide support on all components of the grant lifecycle to ensure on-track, on-time, and on-budget implementation. This will include managing the grant process from developing and leading on business development opportunities, initial evaluation of an opportunity to proposal development to grant management to closeout, developing and strengthening systems to support pre-award, post-award, and communications that enhance IRC Ukraine’s external and internal visibility.

Major Responsibilities:

Grants and Compliance
Lead and coordinate on Project Cycle Management (PCM), including initiating the GNG process
With leadership from DDP, coordinate the proposal development process by creating proposal calendars, following up with all relevant staff members to receive timely inputs, consolidating inputs and ensuring coherence with proposed budgets, and submitting to technical advisors for review.
Lead the grants unit in the submission of high-quality activity and donor reporting on a timely basis according to IRC and donor regulations. Ensure all required documents are included, complete, and correct and approved by the respective Program Coordinators, Partnership Unit focal points, and country management.
Ensure that partner capacity building is a key component of all program plans in development for upcoming awards.
Provide technical guidance on IRC and donor regulations to ensure compliance within operations, program implementation, and reporting. Raise compliance issues proactively with program staff and the senior staff in relevant departments.
Keep the DDP and senior management informed of any projected inabilities to meet contractual obligations, report submission and spend rates/significant budget variances. Also, be able to proactively mitigate risks through proposing remedial solutions.
Ensure quality information management related to grants by overseeing the regular maintenance of grant files, reporting calendars, and updating of internal IRC documentation and Grant Unit tools. Maintain proper records of all Grants and sub-grants.
Act as focal point in facilitating proposal and donor report reviews and approvals by technical advisors and other relevant persons at HQ (including maintaining Opportunity Tracking Information System--OTIS).
Work closely with compliance staff on issues related to compliance with donor rules and regulations.
Assist senior management in donor liaison and communication as requested.

Proposal Development
Work with the program and operations teams to support the development of new proposals and the preparation process and writing of superior quality proposals.
Assist the DDP to align new proposals to the country Strategy Action Plan (SAP).
Liaise with IRC Awards Management Unit and technical units to ensure proposals meet internal standards and are donor compliant.
Work directly with program staff on the development of proposals and regularly visit IRC program activities to ensure understanding of implementation.

Fundraising & Visibility
In coordination with DDP and CD, cultivate donor relationships nationally and for specific target regions.
Track upcoming opportunities by priority sector.
Develop and implement Strategic Business Development Plan aligned to the country strategy

Human Resources Management and Development
Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting quarterly performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
Technically support field office grants officers as needed.
Holds high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least bi-weekly.
Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.
Promote and monitor staff care, well-being and self-care; approve and manage all time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage.
Develop a detailed capacity building plan for the grants department with regular trainings (minimum quarterly).
Identify top performing national staff and prioritize these staff for capacity building and mentoring investment.
Build the capacity of key program staff and field management in grants management including reporting, compliance, proposal development, compliance etc. through regular trainings and collaboration.
Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
Work with HR staff to identify and implement recruitment and retention strategies.


Key Working Relationships
Position Reports to: Deputy Director of Programs (DDP)
Position directly supervises: Grants Manager and Grants and Partnership Compliance Manager
Works closely with: Country Director, Technical Coordinators, Field Coordinators, DDF, DDO and Partnerships
Indirect Reporting: Grants Officer and Grants Assistants

Requirements:

Education
Bachelor’s Degree with significant grants management experience and superior writing skills.

Work Experience
At least 5 years of demonstrated field-based experience with grants management including significant experience working with sub-grantee partners to build their capacity to access and account for resources.  Experience working in humanitarian and development contexts required and experience in conflict and highly

Demonstrated Technical Skills
Excellent writing skills and experience in writing proposals/concept notes.
Strong understanding and knowledge of USAID/BHA, EU/ECHO, FCDO, GFFO, SIDA, UHF/UN and other donor rules and regulations.
Proven competency with program design, M&E, proposal writing (including logical frameworks) and building budgets.
Excellent management and coordination skills.
Solid ability to provide team-building, coaching, and development for staff as well as encourage cross-functional collaboration and cooperation.
Superior understanding of the challenges facing partner organizations in access to and management of sub-grants, incorporating robust capacity-building in all sub-award programs.
Ability to work independently while being a strong team player.
Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively represent IRC at forums and with donors.
Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies
Languages
Professional fluency in spoken and written English.
Familiarity with Ukrainian and/or Russian is an advantage.
Excellent leadership and management skills including coaching, mentoring and managing teams
Politically astute, with well-developed diplomatic and negotiating skills.
Superior oral and written communication skills, with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders.
Extensive representation and fundraising success, including prior experience with European, US and international donors.
Established capacity to deal with ambiguity in stressful situations.
Strong commitment to IRC’s vision, mission and core values.
Proven ability to design and lead training engagements with staff and partners to enhance skills and adapt to changing program demands.

Computer/Other Tech Requirements
Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
Familiarity with file sharing systems such as SharePoint desirable.

Ability to Travel
About 25% throughout Ukraine to field offices

Working Environment

Standards of Professional Conduct
IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service,Equality and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality
IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

IRC is an Equal 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, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.