Tetra Tech Job Vacancy For Grants Specialist

The Grants Specialist (GS) will work as an integral member of the WA BiCC Program team under the Grants Unit. Under the overall supervision of the Grants and Subcontract Manager, the Grants Specialist will be responsible for day-to-day management of a designated portion of the WA BiCC Grants Under Contract portfolio. The GS will be responsible for ensuring that his/her grants portfolio is managed in compliance with the WA BiCC Grants Management Plan and Tetra Tech and USAID rules and regulations. He/she will also work directly with the Technical Component Leader responsible for providing technical oversight of grant activities assigned to him/her and with WA BiCC’s Knowledge Management and Learning Unit and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) staff to ensure that the grant contributes to WA BiCC’s overall goals, objectives and results. This position is full time and will be based in Accra, Ghana.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

The Grants Specialist will be responsible for the following:

Grant Development and Implementation

• Manage a portfolio of WA BiCC grants assigned to him/her in compliance with the official WA BiCC Grants Management Plan which defines grants management procedures, policies, and systems.
• Provide grantees with ongoing support in the areas of administrative and financial management. This typically consists of the following tasks:
  • Reviewing and approving proposed procurement packages
  • Reviewing and approving requests for new positions, replacement staff for existing positions or proposed changes to staff remuneration or benefits
  • Finalizing consulting agreements, services agreements and subcontracts to be issued by the grantee to consultants, service providers or subcontractors
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  • Assisting grantees when conducting UN, OFAC and SAM security checks for personnel, vendors and others
  • Assisting grantees in preparing lists of trainees and other beneficiaries that have the authority to search, detain and arrest, and who must be vetted prior to partaking in WA BiCC-supported activities
  • Reviewing financial reports and supporting documents, confirming that expenses are reasonable, allowable and allocable
  • In coordination with the Grants and Subcontracts Manager, reconcile grantee financial reports and authorize payments
  • Follow up with grantees to ensure they submit financial projections in a timely manner.
• Following up with grantees to ensure their technical reporting and deliverables are submitted in a timely manner.
• Serve as the grantee’s primary point of contact with WA BiCC and support communication between grantees and other WA BiCC staff (KLM, Communications, MEL) as necessary.
• Conduct formal semi-annual trips to visit grantees, sub-grantees and subcontractors under grants to monitor grant management and ensure it is done in compliance with Tetra Tech and USAID applicable rules and regulations.
• Assist WA BiCC technical staff in designing and implementing Grantee Learning Workshops.
• Assist WA BiCC technical staff in gathering from grantees input that is necessary to develop communication, knowledge management and learning products.
• With respect to the development and awarding of new grants the GS will assist the Grants and Subcontracts Manager in:
  • Liaising with technical staff to develop new Annual Program Statement (APS) and/or Request for Application (RFA) packages for publication
  • Posting/disseminating APS/RFA packets
  • Organizing the review of new grant applications and ensuring subsequent communication with applicants
  • Negotiating grant budgets and Scopes of Work with grantee applicants
  • Preparing the various components of new grant packages for submission to the Grants and Subcontracts Manager and onward to Tetra Tech Home Office and USAID, for approval. This includes drafting of the grant agreement, finalization of the grant budget, drafting of the negotiation memo, less than adequate competition memo (if applicable), Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (if applicable) and other necessary documents
  • Conduct pre-award surveys of potential grant awardees to assess financial, program, and organizational capabilities to manage USAID funds
  • In close coordination with the Grants and Subcontracts Manager and WA BiCC technical staff, facilitate grant agreement signing, work plan development, and initial fund requests (if advances are allowable)
• Provide guidance and training to grantees as needed during all phases of grant implementation
• Receive, review and distribute grantees’ technical reports to WA BiCC technical, KML and MEL staff for comment; compile WA BiCC comments and send to grantees for their review and/or action.
• Working with the MEL Unit assist in ensuring that grantees are reporting results and uploading documents onto WA BiCC’s cloud-based database to support those results.
• Close out all grants according to the procedures detailed in the approved Grants Management Plan and reconcile all final deliverables and payments.

Information Management

• Establish and maintain grants information management system including hard and soft copy files on each grant activity in his/her portfolio.
• Monitor and ensure grantee organizations are aware of and in compliance with record retention regulations.
• Ensure grantees maintain updated required certifications and renew their DUNS numbers each year.

Planning and Overall Grants Program Management

• Assist the Grants and Subcontracts Manager in planning and monitoring spending of WA BiCC Grants Under Contract.
• Contribute to the overall strategic planning and management of the Grants program.
• Assist the Grants and Subcontracts Manager in negotiating and administering any budget realignments and modifications that are necessary with grants in his/her portfolio.

USAID and Tetra Tech Grant Administration Compliance

• Ensure adherence and compliance with the WA BICC Grants Management Plan and Tetra Tech and USAID regulations.
• Ensure all proposed costs for grantees are reasonable, allowable and allocable.
• Provide training to grantees about regulations and monitor their compliance with regulations throughout the life of project.
• Provide compliance training as necessary to project staff.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: (MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS)

 EDUCATION: University degree or Equivalent Experience. An accounting degree or certification is a plus. 

WORK EXPERIENCE: At least seven (7) years of professional experience in project management. Extensive and substantive experience contributing to international development assistance projects, preferably in West Africa.  At least five (5) years of experience managing grants programs (preferably Grants Under Contract under USAID-funded projects) and an in-depth understanding of the full grants cycle. Prior administrative experience, with demonstrated excellence in data management, filing and record-keeping. Prior financial management and internal controls systems management experience. 

SKILLS:  Excellent oral and written communication skills. Meticulous attention to detail. Excellent interpersonal skills, including patience, diplomacy, willingness to listen and respect for colleagues. Must be willing to travel to project sites throughout West Africa.  Must be capable of working both individually and as part of a team and able to create a supportive working relationship among all project teams.

 LANGUAGES: Fluency in English is required. Professional proficiency in French is also preferred.