Awards Manager - Beirut

ROLE PURPOSE:

The role offers a leadership opportunity for an individual highly experienced in grants management. This role will work collaboratively with members and other departments of the Country office programme to ensure smooth management of development and humanitarian programme awards, sub awards and contracts. The position will be also responsible for capacity building of staff and improving internal ways of working. The person will be responsible for delivering an efficient and effective award management function. They will lead award management for all programmes, and develop best practice award management processes across the Lebanon Country Office.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Awards and NBD Senior Manager

Staff reporting to this post: 2 Awards Coordinators

Role Dimensions:  

Ensure compliance of members /donors rules & regulations through timeliness and quality reporting by building capacity of all relevant staff about donor rules & regulations and by introducing mechanism and tools for effective grants management.

Strategic lead to ensure quality in Grants Management Process and ways of working by; close coordination with members, serving as a resource person for all stake holders and providing Key Performance Indicators [KPIs] for effective decision making on grants.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Lead on the delivery of capacity building both within the field office team and across the Country Office.
• Carry out orientations and staff trainings for award management procedures, donor requirements for Save the Children staff and partner organisations.
• Provide strategic support to the Awards and NBD Senior Manager on all aspects of award management including pipeline management and donor compliance; champion Award management at the Country Office.
• Coordinate the processes for donor reporting to ensure that reports are high quality, delivered on time and supported by auditable records.
• Maintain effective communications with Save the Children members regarding donor related issues.
• Lead Award Kick off meetings to ensure that all award information is shared effectively with relevant staff, including field offices and partners.
• Coordinate award close out processes and work with members to ensure awards are closed out on time, as well as  partners Sub-award agreement assure it’s closed on time.
• Coordinate with auditors as necessary.
• Compliance (systems, processes, donor)
• Clear understanding of SCI processes and key donor requirements, and support teams across CO to ensure all opportunities, proposals, contracts and amendments follow SCI processes.
• Ensure that all appropriate donor formats are available in-country and staff have a clear understanding of donor requirements/expectations throughout the award cycle.
• Ensure potential issues and amendment requests are flagged promptly to the Awards and NBD Senior Manager, then to donors via the relevant member.
• Prepare donor waiver/derogation requests.
• Ensure all AMS records are an accurate reflection of current award status at all times, and have all required documentation attached.
• Ensure all partners and sub-award agreements undergo legal vetting, are input into and approved through AMS, and work with relevant staff to ensure relevant donor requirements are understood by implementing partners (this may include capacity building).
• Lead on partner’s Sub-award agreement amendment process and to be adhered with the donor requirements. 
• Award Management leadership, portfolio management and strategy
• Ensure award management systems and processes are successfully implemented, and key controls are in place to support effective portfolio management and compliance with donor requirements.
• Ensure regular award monitoring across the country office and facilitate regular meetings with key stakeholders to ensure individual award performance is being tracked effectively, and that risks and issues are being recognised and action taken.
• Provide regular management information to the Awards and NBD Senior Manager on the performance of the allocated portfolio.
• Support in making sure all awards Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are monitored and follow up with the Awards Coordinators to ensure a green level KPI is achieved and retained.
• Ensure that the Award Management System (AMS) is effectively maintained, up to date and accurately records the audit trail (data and process) for all awards and sub-awards by ensuring that all proposals, contracts and amendments are appropriately authorized, that new grants documentation is properly registered and updated on AMS and that any issues with the grant management system are addressed promptly and effectively.
• Support the Awards and NBD Senior Manager in the implementation of plans to address any performance issues identified through management information and KPI results.
• Conduct a monthly awards management check-up calls with the Regional Office to discuss the situation of the portfolio and any red flags to take into consideration.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor degree in Business, Finance, Accounting or International Development.
• Strong communication (written and spoken) in English and Arabic.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

•  5 to 7 years of experience in Awards Management.
• Proven track record of in-country award portfolio management and knowledge of major donors’ compliance requirements.
• Significant experience with NGOs in an international environment.
• Experience communicating with impact in a complex stakeholder environment.
• Experience of staff management, supervision and capacity building in Award Management.
• Proven track record of supporting a senior management team.
• Problem solving skills to identify and lead the resolution of issues.
• Good attention to detail and analytical skills.
• Computer literate (i.e. Word, advanced Excel, Outlook, financial systems).
• Cultural awareness and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people.
• Patient, flexible, able to improvise and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure.
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities.
• Basic understanding of operational programming, including the realities of the context and understanding of the financial aspects of award management.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.