Afghanistan: Grants Manager
Country: Afghanistan
Closing date: 01 Oct 2013
Context:Under the overall guidance of the Chief of Mission in Kabul, and under the direct supervision of the Community Cohesion Initiative (CCI) Programme Manager, the successful candidate will be responsible for organizing, tracking and managing all aspects of the grant cycle, ensuring the thorough administration of all grant requirements from nomination, to approval and monitoring. The Grants Manager will oversee all aspects of the donor-provided grant activity database as a means of tracking each grant from start-up through to close out. The Grants Manager will be the principle administrator of CCI grant activities, with the overall responsibility of ensuring that grant content and process consistently meet programme objectives, and IOM standards. The successful candidate will strengthen and maintain the necessary administrative structures and inter-departmental processes, both within the programme office and between the programme and IOM Afghanistan, in order to ensure grant transparency, smooth implementation, reporting, requisite controls and monitoring.
The CCI programme is funded by the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). Through CCI, IOMseeks to improve community stabilization in order to foster an enabling environment for sustainable peace and traditional development programmes. This is done by strengthening ties between and among local actors, customary governance structures, and the local government authorities. To achieve these objectives, CCI will design and implement small-grant activities through a process-oriented, community driven approach and will emphasize project processes. The IOM/CCI programme will be primarily focused in the North and West of Afghanistan.
Core Functions/Responsibilities:1. Oversee the rapid development, tracking and control of grant ideas and approved grant activities and supervise the staff of the Grants Unit.2. Provide training on all related aspects of the grants process and database, and ensure the overall integrity of performance within the Grants Department and Database team.3. Manage, modify, update and maintain the Activity Database to ensure that all hardcopy and electronic (i.e. Country Room and database "Document Registry") documents for all grants are completed, filed and in order.4. Maintain and update the Grant Matrix, and provide weekly updates of the Grant Matrix and key reporting to the Programme Manager and the Community Stabilization Unit.5. Be responsible for the overall quality of grants documentation, in English, and for the timely entry of all relevant grant information; serve as a focal point for all changes made to grant records and grant approvals in the Database.6. Develop, enhance and maintain systems of communication and data transfer with programme counterparts in field offices and maintain appropriate, programme-wide standards of grant integrity, data collection and management, and information flow.7. Review the narrative components of all grants and reports closely to ensure that the grant development process and approved grant records successfully convey the goals and strategic objectives of CCI.8. Track the programme's grant process including but not limited to financial and procurement aspects to ensure appropriate standards of accounting and controls are met, and programmatic aspects to ensure that grant activities reflect the overall 'intentionality' and objectives of the programme.9. Establish and maintain the reporting system of programmatic activity for donors, and counterparts within the programme, IOM Afghanistan and IOM at large as required. Provide to the donor and the IOM Community Stabilization Unit weekly activity notes/grant updates, and undertake a weekly upload of the Database on Country Room, and all other requested grant-related information.10. Ensure Database includes centralized financial tracking of all grants; liaise regularly and actively with financial, administrative, and logistical and procurement units in order to further programme objectives and ensure that programme standards are followed.11. Liaise with the donor and programme counterparts as needed to revise and update the database, including submission of grant, budget and grant amendments, if required.12. Produce reports and run queries on the database in a rapid fashion as requested by the Programme Manager and/or Coordinators; develop reporting templates and refine existing mechanisms as required to ensure appropriate institutional memory in the area of grants activities and management.13. Monitor and maintain a full inventory of costs for each specific grant in the region; coordinate closely with the finance and procurement teams on grant and programme financial reporting.14. Working in close coordination with the administrative and finance teams of the programme and of IOM Afghanistan, ensure the regular reconciliation of Grants Database financial tracking with IOM financial systems.15. Act as OIC in the absence of the Programme Manager, if required.16. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.
Required Competencies:
Behaviourala) takes responsibility and manages constructive criticism; b) works effectively with all clients and stakeholders; c) promotes continuous learning; communicates clearly; d) takes initiative and drives high levels of performance management; e) plans work, anticipates risks, and sets goals within area of responsibility; f) displays mastery of subject matter; g) contributes to a collegial team environment; h) creates a respectful office environment free of harassment and retaliation, and promotes the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA); i) incorporates gender-related needs, perspectives, and concerns, and promotes equal gender participation; j) displays awareness of relevant technological solutions; k) works with internal and external stakeholders to meet resource needs of IOM.
Technicala) delivers on set objectives in hardship situations; b) effectively coordinates actions with other implementing partners; c) woks effectively with local authorities, stakeholders, beneficiaries, and the broader community to advance country or regional objectives.
Emergency and Crisisa) works effectively in high-pressure, rapidly changing environments; b) coordinates actions with emergency response actors and making use of coordination structures; c) supports adequate levels of information sharing between internal units, cluster partners, IOM and other emergency response actors; d) establishes and maintains effective relationships with implementing partners; e) makes correct decisions rapidly based on available information.
Required Qualifications and Experiencea) completed advanced University degree from an accredited institution preferably in Business Administration, Management or a related field; b) five years of professional experience (or seven years for candidates with a first level university degree) in an international setting; c) at least two years of experience in operational activities in a complex crisis or emergency area; d) previous experience in community-based and/or small-grants programming desirable, particularly in the areas of infrastructure works, procurement and civil-society strengthening; e) at least one year specific work experience with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programmes required, preferably with the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI); f) familiarity with political analysis in complex crisis settings; g) knowledge of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) protocols, and experience working in a phase III or above security environment; h) experience managing stafffrom diverse environments and backgrounds ; i) experience in graphic design, Power Point or other software to generate sophisticated reporting; j) strong general analytical skills; k) significant reporting and database experience required, preferably with Microsoft Access.
LanguagesFluency in English is required. Working knowledge of Dari or Pashtu an advantage.
How to apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications via PRISM, IOM e-Recruitment system, by October 01, 2013 at the latest, referring to this advertisement.
For further information, please refer to:http://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home/about-iom-1/recruitment/how-to-...
In order for an application to be considered valid, IOM only accepts online profiles duly filled in and submitted with a cover letter not more than one page specifying the motivation for applications.Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. You can track the progress of your application in your personal application page in the IOM e-recruitment system.
