Grants Manager at Catholic Relief Services

CRS/Nigeria is seeking a Grants Manager (GM) who will ensure quality project’s management and appropriate monitoring of fund use for all programs managed under the project. The GM will report to the Chief of Party and will maintain close liaison with the M&E Director and Technical Program Director. The GM will supervise programmatically a team of Finance and Compliance Officers and will ensure adherence to CRS management standards in implementation and compliance by partners and CRS.

GRANTS MANAGER

The CRS/Nigeria Grants Manager is responsible for overall budget monitoring, compliance oversight of the USG, other donors and private fund awards and all related sub-agreements. S/he assists in the interpretation of USG and other donor regulations for local partners, field management staff and CRS management. S/he coordinates the assessment and identification of needs for training in compliance, budgeting and financial management and their implementation. In coordination with the Chief of Party, program staff and country program compliance and finance staff, s/he develops and implements strategy to prevent or reduce compliance-related liabilities.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Sub-recipients Financial Assessment
Lead the continuous assessments of all sub-recipients using approved Finance’s checklists to have a stratification of the sub-recipients for Country Program and document progress appropriately.
Assist the sub-recipients in preparing a Corrective Action Plan within sixty calendar days of the assessment or monitoring visit that addresses each of the identified weaknesses in any of the ten assessed areas scored below 75%.
Assist Program Managers in making sure that the sub recipients address all issues listed in the Corrective Acton Plan within 120 calendar days of the assessment or monitoring visit.
Ensure financial and programming staffs participate in the financial monitoring, including site visits, of sub-recipient activities and document the monitoring steps performed, the processes reviewed, and the result of the testing and reviews.
Ensure all monitors prepare and submit a written trip report for each visit to a sub-recipient.

Sub-recipients Financial Monitoring
Serve as the principal point of contact on Grant Management and compliance issues with Program Managers, CRS/Nigeria Finance and Compliance staff.
Lead the implementation of the CRS/HQ sub-recipient monitoring policy for Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihoods Project.
Coordinate the development and implementation of Grant Management capacity building activities such as trainings at the sites in close collaboration with Compliance Staff.
Ensure Country Program has in place and adheres to a schedule of planned monitoring visits of sub-recipients during each year. The basis for the selection, timing and frequency of its monitoring visits should be properly documented.
Ensure financial and programming staffs participate in the financial monitoring, including site visits, of sub-recipient activities. The trip reports must indicate the monitoring steps performed, the processes reviewed, and the result of the testing and reviews.
Ensure all monitors prepare and submit a written trip report for each visit to a sub-recipient.
Review and analyze monitoring reports on a timely manner and sign off for further follow-up and record for at least three years after the related grant or project has expired.
Work with sub-recipients to correct weaknesses detected by auditors, management or CRS.
Ensure sub-recipients’ internal control systems are reviewed at least annually by auditors or CRS’ monitors to ensure that their financial duties are adequately segregated.
Ensure CRS Nigeria obtains assurances that each foreign sub-recipient to which it provides funding that expends $300,000 or more of USAID funds in the sub recipient’s fiscal year, complies with the requirement to undergo an independent annual audit each year it equals or exceeds that threshold.
Review and analyze monitoring reports on a timely manner and sign off for further follow-up and record for at least three years after the related grant or project has expired.

Sub-recipient Financial Support
Ensure that the Finance and Compliance Staff provide direct technical support in all aspects of finance for sub-recipient.
Orient accounting and project management staff in relevant and appropriate Donors financial management policies, procedures, and standards.
Ensure integrity of Donor grants financial reporting and the effective control of financial assets. Regularly monitor and assess sub-recipient ability to accurately record and post all financial transactions and provide feedback to Finance officers.
Advice on GAAP and basic accounting records to be maintained at Sub-recipient.
Coordinate the identification of training needs, and development of country-specific training curriculum for training of Sub-recipients

Grants Management and Budgeting
Monitor grant amendments, update grant files, submit copy of amendment documents to Catholic Relief Services by uploading relevant documents on gateway and monitor grant expiry period.
Ensure that donor required reports (including accrual reports) are prepared accurately and disseminated within the due dates.
Coordinate with HQ finance to ensure that donor reports that are generated by HQ finance are sent out to donor in a timely manner.
Coordinate grant closure activities with the respective project/grant manager and ensure that expired grants are fully closed out within 90 days limit
Review cash disbursement advance journals, ensuring accurate postings particularly to appropriate accounts codes.
Review and approve liquidation journals ensuring accurate postings particularly to designated account codes, and that proper sub-recipient accounts (T-codes) are charged.
Review posted journals for errors and recommend correction when necessary.
Participate in the preparation of the budget commensurate with the program implementation plan and provide advice to the Head of Programs on budgetary issues.
Review consortium members and or sub-recipient budgets and provide comments/recommend approval by CRS’ senior management.
Develop effective budget monitoring tools and implement them for all CRS sub-recipients.
Actively engage in budget discussions and generate feedback for senior management team on adverse budget variances in monthly BCR meetings.
Address the needs and the implementation of trainings on budgeting and compliance.
Contribute in new projects proposal budgets when required.

Staff management
Lead, direct, mentor and coach grants and compliance staff.
Take lead in setting annual finance and Compliance targets and ensure that specific tasks are built in every compliance staff Performance plan.
Motivate, develop, coach and appraise subordinate staff in accordance with Catholic Relief Services Performance Management System (PMS) and Catholic Social Teachings (CST)
Ensure that supervisees’ jo high levels of initiative;
Minimum of five years relevant experience, preferably with an International Organization.
Thorough knowledge of best practices in capacity strengthening with prior experience of integrating this with programming; Experience in curriculum design and development.
Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through participatory adult learning, mentoring, distance education, and other formal and non-formal methods; Experience in the design of and delivery of training workshops.
Must demonstrate a good understanding of contemporary management best practices
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
Strong otrengthening with prior experience of integrating this with programming; Experience in curriculum design and development.
Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through participatory adult learning, mentoring, distance education, and other formal and non-formal methods; Experience in the design of and delivery of training workshops.
Must demonstrate a good understanding of contemporary management best practices
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills
Demonstrate high level of initiative , diplomacy and tact
Excellent knowledge of computer software – MS Office (PowerPoint and Excel especially);
Must be flexible and be able to work independently and as part of a team.
Ability to travel as needed.
Fluency in Hausa language is an added advantage.

TO APPLY
Interested candidates should download the application form using this link http://goo.gl/8OOQcp and send with a detailed 3-page resume in a single file word document to ng.recruitment_agriculture@crs.org.

The position title must be expressly stated as the subject of the email quoting reference number 0902B17.

Equal Opportunity:

“CRS is an equal –opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, etc. Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply”.

Statement of Commitment to Protection:

‘’CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

DUE DATE: 24 February, 2017