Grants And Procurement Assistant

Position title:     Grants and Procurement Assistant Type:                     Long-term local professional Reports to:         Grants and Procurement Manager General Scope of Work The Grants and Procurement Assistant is responsible for day-to-day administrative documentation and management of grants, subcontracts, and procurement for the USAID-funded Lebanon PACE program managed by Management Systems International (MSI). The Grants and Procurement Assistant assists the Grants and Procurement Manager for ensuring grant and procurement activities are in compliance with USAID and MSI rules, regulations, and policies. The Grants and Procurement Assistant reports directly to the Grants and Procurement Manager. Specific Duties and Responsibilities   The principal responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited, to the following tasks:   Understand and adhere to all USAID, MSI and program rules and regulations concerning grants, procurement, and subcontracts, and keep abreast of all changes made to these policies Under the guidance of the Grants and Procurement Manager, monitor and manage all administrative and financial details concerning issuance of grants. This includes: Ensuring that all grant competition requirements are met, if required. In the absence of competition, preparing appropriate justifications for exemption from competition. Documenting the decision of the grants committee and following up with applicants. Drafting an initial grant agreement using provided templates and in partnership with the proposed grantee and program team. Ensuring efficient processing of all grants documents through the required approvals, throughout the life of the grant. On each grant, close coordination with the Civil Society Specialist in charge, including tracking milestones, payments, compliance, delivering training to improve grantee administration capacity, ensuring proper files are kept in Lebanon and with the grantees Work with grantees and assist them when necessary with procurement procedures and documentation as needed Assist the Grants and Procurement Manager in conducting Pre-Award surveys for potential PACE grantees as per the requirement of the ADS Chapter 303 Collect market cost data to assist the Grants and Procurement Manager to analyze grant budget estimates Update the grant tracking database and coordinate with the M&E Specialist for updating the MIS and AidTracker databases Produce reports on request from the Grants and Procurement Manager. Ensure timely communications with program and M&E units on any and all issues and items concerning grantee achievements, notable events, performance, completion of milestones, and any other issue of interest Keep complete files of all documentation generated with each grantee, including applications, contracts and deliverables, communications (posters, press releases, printed documents, media documents), documentation of emails and letters, brief records of all phone conversations. The Grants Assistant must also ensure that program staff keep and archive these records in the grant files. Prepare all documentation related to closeout of grants Under the supervision of the Grants and Procurement Manager, conduct procurement for program support goods and services in full compliance with USAID and MSI regulations: draft RFQs/RFPs, advertise them or identify potential suppliers, verify their eligibility, supervise the bid analysis process, prepare purchase or delivery orders, maintain adequate documentation Carry out other duties as assigned including, on an ad hoc basis, support to other USAID-funded projects carried out by MSI in Lebanon.  Qualifications  Educational background and work experience:   At least a graduate degree (or equivalent) in management, logistics, contractual law or a related field (experience can substitute formal education); and 2+ years of experience in project management, procurement, contracts, grants (from donor or grantee side), or a related field  Professional skills:  Experience with local and/or international NGOs/civil society organizations and/or donor organizations – alternatively, experience in a procurement or administration department Excellent organizational skills Experience in overseeing procurements and service contracts in compliance with donor regulations; knowledge of USAID regulations strongly desired Strong teamwork skills, creativity, and initiative Computer literacy with a variety of software programs Fluency in Arabic and English (written and verbal) Ability and willingness to conduct site visits throughout the country on a regular basis