Grants Manager

Company DescriptionEducation Development Center (EDC) is one of the world’s leading nonprofit research and development firms. EDC designs, implements, and evaluates programs to improve education, health, and economic opportunity worldwide. Collaborating with both public and private partners, we strive for a world where all people are empowered to live healthy, productive lives.  Project DescriptionMastercard Foundation’s Leaders in Teaching (LIT) initiative aims to transform secondary education across Africa by strengthening secondary-level teaching and learning so that young people have the 21st-century skills and competencies needed for employment, lifelong learning, and adult life.

Education Development Center (EDC) is coordinating and implementing the LIT program in Liberia in collaboration with a consortium of over 10 local education partners and the Ministry of Education, focusing on all four LIT programmatic pillars: 1) Teacher Recruitment; 2) Teacher Training; 3) Education Leadership and Management; and 4) Teacher Motivation. Each program component under the respective LIT pillars will be implemented with a strong focus on inclusion and gender equity, addressing the unique needs of marginalized young women, youth with disabilities, and refugee students in underserved communities.

 LIT aims to strengthen the quality of teaching and learning by providing holistic support across the teacher lifecycle, improving pre- and in-service teacher training in secondary education across Liberia, increasing access and completion, raising learning outcomes with a focus on STEM, preparing future and work-ready youth, and strengthening the capacity of the education system to manage and supervise teacher professional development.   EDC will oversee program management and provide technical quality assurance, including the assessment and modification of curricula, as needed.

Additionally, EDC will conduct targeted capacity-strengthening activities for local partners, empowering them to take the lead in implementing sustainable, locally led education solutions that will strengthen Liberia’s education system beyond the life of the program. As the primary point of contact with the Ministry of Education at the central level, EDC will ensure a coordinated approach among all partners, leveraging lessons learned and tools from Mastercard Foundation’s regional African partners operating in the country.

 Job DescriptionThe Grants Manager will manage the Leaders In Teaching (LIT) Liberia sub-award program and ensure that it is runs efficiently and transparently in coordination with the LIT technical and finance staff. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: award strategy development, workplan development, development of grant and other award solicitations, and review of applications, grant and award applicant risk assessments, selection of grantees and/or sub awardees, grantee orientation and training, grantee and/or sub awardee capacity building and performance monitoring as well as financial management.

The Grants Manager will report to the Director of Finance and Operations and will manage the work of the Grants Assistant. This position is based in Monrovia. Essential functions include, but are not limited to:

Ensure the sub-award program complies with all EDC and the Mastercard Foundation rules, regulations and policies and in accordance with the Leaders In Teaching (LIT) Grants Manual;Develop the grant and sub-award strategy and selection criteria in consultation with senior technical advisors, EDC project management team;Develop the grants and sub-award program work plan;Direct the competitive Request for Application/Proposal (RFA/RFP) processes, including the development of the RFA document and providing oversight of the review of grant applications and selection of sub-awardees;Conduct and/participate in pre-RFA/RFP meetings or conferences as applicable;Ensure that risk assessments are performed for each sub-awardee and that results are incorporated into the grant;Negotiate final grant and sub-award content and budget for each grant;Prepare grant and sub-award agreements and coordinate with the Finance Director, Country Director and EDC headquarters on related matters;Build capacity of grantees and sub-awardees on grants compliance and financial management in line with EDC and LIT requirements and expectationsSupport the scope of work and budgetary review of grantees and sub-awardees for any modification or extension of the grant agreement, while maintaining focus on the ceiling budget;Review grant and sub-award modification applications and prepare grant modifications once approved;Review grantee and sub-awardee activity reports, deliverables, and expenses, and supporting documentation to ensure compliance with the terms of the grant and other agreements both financially and programmatically;Liaise with M&E teams to ensure milestones deliverables and reporting aligns with project performance indicators;Supervise the timely disbursement of funds to grantees and sub-awardees in accordance with the terms of the award and project compliance;Update milestones disbursement tracker and keep management up to dateConduct periodic field visits as well as audits to monitor compliance, filing of financial documentations in relation to the terms and conditions of the agreement; recommend corrective actions as necessary;Monitor and control the budget;Participate in the revision of the annual work plan and coordinate with the grantees and sub-awardees to revise the work plan and budget as necessary;Oversee the closeout of each agreements;Maintain a detailed status calendar and electronic filing system;Develop necessary guidelines for grantees and sub-awardees and organize training and guidance on grants and sub-award management, as required.

The person in this position is expected to communicate clearly and courteously; to develop and maintain positive relationships with clients, consultants, collaborators, co-workers, field sites, and funders; and to work respectfully with EDC colleagues. The job requires adherence to EDC policies & procedures. QualificationsThis position requires educational achievement; excellent writing skills; demonstrable initiative, creativity, and flexibility; ability to work independently and effectively in groups; and strong interpersonal & organizational skills. Specific requirements: Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Accounting or related field; advanced degree preferred in a field relevant to Business Administration and or project or program management.

Skills and Experience: A minimum of 7 to 8 years of progressively responsible and directly experience in grant and sub-award management of large scale programs (i. e. , grant and subaward programs of $5 million or more annually);Proficiency in advanced Excel and MS Word, OutlookExperience in project budget review and monitoring and cost controls;Excellent social skills at all levels, cultural sensitivity, ability to work under pressure and with a team, negotiate diplomatically, and the ability to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary work environment;Ability to prepare and conduct presentations; Availability to work and travel in all areas of Liberia.

Additional InformationEDC affirms its steadfast commitment to uphold the highest standards of conduct, ensuring the protection of all individuals from misconduct, and maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of these rights. Safeguarding refers to the measures and practices put in place to protect individuals, particularly vulnerable groups, from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Per EDC and funder policy, a police record, certificate of good standing, or other official document issued by local authorities will be required for candidates working with children and/or youth to verify suitability to work with those populations.

EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Total Rewards: As an educational organization, we support lifelong learning for our staff. We invest in our people so that each individual can learn, work, and be well. We support professional development for staff at all career stages, provide flexible work options, and cultivate an environment that promotes work-life balance. Additionally, we offer the following comprehensive benefits package for all eligible employees: Pay in USDComprehensive benefits package which includes medical coverageNote:

EDC doesn’t solicit for money from applicants at any level of the recruitment & selection process.