Grants Coordinator

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as with those who remain within their homes and communities. 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. IRC leads the way from harm to home. Began work in Ethiopia, 1999 in response to severe drought that happened in Ethiopia’s Somali region. Currently, providing assistance in ten different regions implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response. 

The IRC has a focus on narrowing the gender gap in humanitarian aid and ensuring that we contribute to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in both our programs and operations by working to establish a context where our clients (including those from minority groups) enjoy the same rights and opportunities as well as an equal access to services. The IRC also has a strong commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive culture, where safeguarding is upheld in our workplace and programs. We are determined to protect our clients and staff from safeguarding violations through prevention and, where misconduct is alleged, to address it without fear or favor.

Major responsibilities include: 

Grants Management

• Coordinate all reporting for the full grants’ portfolio ensuring quality control of reports, coordinating HQ reviews and approvals before submission to the donor. This includes sending out the reporting tracker  to team members bi-monthly on all reports due in the coming 90 days.

• Oversees all government reporting requirements are met.

• Ensure all Project Cycle Meetings (PCM) are set up using the latest PCM guidance, where possible in the field. Where needed coordinate with the Field Coordinator to ensure monthly BvA meetings are held and support follow-up actions to resolve grant challenges.

• Ensure project start up is done according to the Start Projects On Time (SPOT) SOP.

• Oversees MOU/LOUs are initiated and signed promptly.

• Ensure that grants are implemented in compliance with IRC and relevant donor regulations.

• Ensure the Active Grants and Reporting Tracker and other information management systems and the grants filing on Box and OTIS are up to date.

• Monthly monitor burn rates and implementation progress and flag grant underperformance and compliance issues to relevant Field Coordinators, Program Coordinators and the Senior Management Team. 

• Lead and timely submit any grants realignments or revisions, including technical and budget narrative updates, budget realignments. 

Business Development/Proposal Development

• Coordinate and oversee new proposal development (including budget development) for the recurrent grant proposals, following the donor compliance guidelines, working with and gathering input from technical coordinators, technical advisors, the Finance Department, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation staff, and the Regional Unit. This includes facilitating design meetings where needed as per IRCs Project Design Meeting guidelines.

• Ensure accurate review of new proposals (including budget) prior to timely ET Finance, HQ and donor submission this includes OTIS workflows are up to date. 

• Collaborate closely with IRC NY, UK, Sweden and Germany to ensure proposals meet internal standards, apply IRC’s Outcomes Evidence Framework (OEF), are in line with IRC Ethiopia’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and are donor compliant.

Capacity Building

• Lead capacity development of relevant country program staff to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge on how to write donor reports and donor compliance

• Provide orientation and on-the-job training to the Grants team members. 

• Undertake regular 1 to 1 meeting with grants team members under his/her supervision and follow-up action points.

Liaison and Special Tasks:

• Act as a focal point for donor communications. Communicate with donors and attend donor meetings in order to share IRC’s accomplishments as well as to stay up-to-date on the latest donor developments and requirements.

• Coordinate that all visibility requirements for the grants in the portfolio are met in a timely manner and accurately documented. 

• Complete special projects as assigned by the Sr Grants Coordinator that may fall outside the job description and backstop the Sr Grants Coordinator, as needed. 

• Perform tasks and take the responsibility on behalf of the Sr Grants Coordinator when absent

Safeguarding Responsibilities: 

• Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion and cohesion in IRC [team/office]

• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies

Educational Requirements:

• BA degree required; Master’s degree in Business Management, International Affairs, Social Sciences, strongly preferred.

Preferred experience & skills: 

• Advanced MS Excel and Math skills required (skills will be tested through an exam). 

• At least 5 years of experience in program management and or grants management and proposal/business development/design; or

• At least 1 year of management experience

• Prior knowledge of donor (ECHO, EU, USAID, BHA, BPRM, DFID, SIDA, GAC, UNICEF, UNHCR, OCHA etc.) and government regulations preferred.

• Good communication with strong organizational, time management and analytical skills.

• Excellent interpersonal, cultural and respectful skills.

• Flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.

• Strong capacity to mentor and build capacity of staff.

• Ability to balance priorities, meet demanding deadlines and work under pressure in unstable security environments.

• Strong digital literacy required.

• Previous successful experience developing projects, writing winning proposals and donor reports preferred.

Language Skills:

• Proficiency in English, spoken and written, is the most important requirement for this job; Proficiency in Amharic required. (The written English skills will be tested through an exam).