TIF - Sr. Grants Specialist

Project Background:

The USAID/Lebanon Trade and investment Facilitation (TIF) Activity will facilitate the export of Lebanese goods and services to generate foreign exchange through investments and business enabling environment reform that simultaneously promote job creation, income generation, and improved livelihoods throughout the country. TIF has three objectives: 1) increased exports of Lebanese goods and services, 2) investment facilitation leading to increased domestic investment, and 3) improved business and investment enabling environment. Communicating results through outreach and sharing knowledge with private and public sectors is a crosscutting objective.

Purpose:

The Senior Grants Specialist will play a pivotal role in implementing the grants fund guided by the TIF work plan needs.  The individual will be responsible for adherence to project’s Field Operations Manual (FOM), USAID regulations, contract requirements and limitations, grants policies, procedures, controls, and reporting systems. The individual will proactively coordinate with all staff on planning, developing, and implementing grants through open communications and proactive price analysis, as appropriate. 

Responsibilities and Key Tasks:

Planning and Implementation

• Proactively sit with technical staff to discuss work plan ideas; assist with developing timeline and details required for any activities needing grants.
• Ensure compliance with USAID regulations and DAI Field Operations Manual grants policies, procedures, and instructions during implementation.
• Conduct pre-award assessment for potential grantees including but not limited to reviewing legal documents, checking professional references, completing pre-award questionnaires, and checking audited financial reports. 
• Develop grant budgets and conduct market research and price analysis in coordination with technical staff.
• Follow up on grants implementation and provide guidance to grantee when needed.
• Generate reports of status of grant activities, such as forecasting payments, inventory, amendments, close outs, and sector specific data (i.e. monthly and quarterly reporting).
• Assist Finance and Technical team to ensure on-time deliverables, payments, and cash flow requests by monitoring milestones and payment schedules.

Compliance

• Provide training, guidance and direction to project staff on planning, implementation, and compliance of grants policies, procedures, and instructions, specifically their role in the process.
• Responsible for gaining comprehensive knowledge of project’s Field Operations Manual (FOM) and for identifying areas where policies, procedures and/or practices may not be fully aligned with project practice and make recommendations to project management.
• Responsible for ensuring documentation requirements are met with various departments, i.e. technical, procurement, and finance.
• Reviews grants for completeness and appropriateness with the TIF work plan.
• Ensure all required documentation is uploaded in the grants database, TAMIS.
• Review grant milestones and requests for payments against grant agreement to ensure compliance.
• Train on and enforce policies and procedures to prevent improprieties, intentional and unintentional.
• Assist in the audit of grant files no less than annually.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Degree in business or related field preferred.
• At least 7 years of professional experience, including increasingly responsible grants experience, preferably with international donor-funded organization.
• Demonstrated experience working with diverse teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with USAID rules and regulations preferred.
• Previous experience with DAI policies, procedures, and systems (TAMIS) preferred.
• Ability to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solution in solving complex problems.
• Strong communication skills - both written and oral – in English and Arabic.