Grants Manager at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Catholic Relief Services is the official agency of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops for relief and development assistance overseas.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is recruiting to fill the following position:

Job Title: Grants Manager

Band: Band E-1
Location: Benue
Duration: Full Time

Responsibilities

• Reports to the DCOP

Sub-recipients Financial Assessment:

• Lead the assessments of all sub-recipients using CRS HQ Finance’s guidance for stratification of the sub recipients for SMILE grant.
• 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 addresses all issues listed in the Corrective Action Plan within 120 calendar days of the assessment or monitoring visit

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 training and implementation of the new CRS/HQ sub-recipient monitoring policy for SMILE project within CR5 Nigeria.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of Grant Management capacity building activities such as trainings at the sites, in close collaboration with CRS Nigeria finance and compliance staff.
• Ensure SMILE project within the 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
• Work with sub-recipients to correct weaknesses detected by internal and external auditors, SMILE project management or CRS Nigeria finance and compliance staff.
• Ensure sub-recipients’ internal control systems are reviewed at least annually by auditors or CRS/SMILE project monitors effectively to ensure that their financial duties are adequately segregated.
• Ensure SMILE project and CRS Nigeria obtains assurances that each local and 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.
• Ensure SMILE project Sub-recipients evaluate and effectively monitor their lower tier sub-recipients.

Sub-recipient Financial Support

• Ensure that the CRS Nigeria finance and compliance staff provide direct technical support in all aspects of finance for sub-recipient under SMILE project
• 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 CoP, DCoP and CRS Finance Manager.
• Advice and ensures on GAAP and basic accounting records to be maintained at Sub-recipient.

Grants Management and Budgeting

• In coordination with SMILE CoP and DCoP prepares all required sub-recipient agreements and monitors grant amendments, update grant files, submit copy of amendment documents to CRS Nigeria and HQ finance and monitor grant expiry period.
• Ensure that donor required 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 the relevant donor.
• Coordinate grant closure activities with the CoP, DCoP and respective CRS Nigeria staff and ensure that expired sub-grants are fully closed out within 90 days limit
• Review cash disbursement advance journals, ensuring accurate postings particularly to accounts 1231, 1232, and 6166.
• Review and approve liquidation journals ensuring accurate postings particularly to accounts 1231, 1232, and 6166, and that proper sub-recipient accounts (T-codes) are charged.
• Review posted journals for errors and recommend correction when necessary
• Takes a leaden developing SMILE cash projections and communicates to CRS Nigeria and HQ finance units
• Participate in the preparation of the budget commensurate with the program implementation plan and provides technical advice to the COP and DCoP on budget submissions from all SMILE sub-recipients
• Review consortium members and or tub-recipient budgets and provide comments/recommend approval by Cop.
• Develop effective budget monitoring tools and implement them for all SMILE project sub-recipients.
• Actively engage in budget discussions and generate feedback for SMILE senior management team on adverse budget variances in monthly 6CR meetings and results from sub-recipient monitoring
• Actively attend SMILE Management Team Meetings on weekly basis and contribute to the overall team work spirit of SMILE project and CRS Nigeria.
• Address the needs and the implementation of trainings on budgeting and compliance with all relevant SMILE protect sub-recipients.
• Contribute in new project sub-recipient proposal budgets review and revisions when required. Staff management:

Staff Management

• Lead, direct, mentor and coach SMILE Finance and compliance officers.
• Take lead in setting annual SMILE project 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 CR5 Performance Management System (PMS) and Catholic Social Teachings (CST)
• Ensure that supervisees’ job descriptions are reviewed and updated at least on annual basis to ensure adequate workload distribution and support to staff

Requirements

• Associate Member of ICAN Nigeria
• Maser’s Degree in Administration or Finance, Organizational Development, Management or other relevant field.
• Must be a matured, motivated, problem solving individual with 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 organizational skills and attention to detail
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills
• Familiarity with HIV/AIDS and working in PEPFAR projects is added advantage
• 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

Application Closing Date
9th October, 2013

Method Of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to download the CRS application form and send with a detailed CV attached as a word documents to: [email protected] applicants must state the position applied for in the CRS application form and in the subject of the email e.g ADMIN OFFICER