Grants and Communications Coordinator at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Requisition ID: req1056
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Full-Time
Sector: Grants

Scope of Work

• The Grants and Communications Coordinator (GCC) will be directly supervised by the Deputy Director for Programs (DDP).
• The position is based in Maiduguri, Borno State with occasional travel to other IRC field sites in the North East.
• S/he will be central to coordinating all grants and communications matters for the country program and directly supervising the Grants Managers.
• S/he will ensure to increase visibility of both the humanitarian context in the NE as well as IRC Nigeria profiling.
• The GCC will work collaboratively with the IRC’s senior management team, the technical coordinators, operations team, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team.

Key Responsibilities
Proposal Development:

• In coordination with the DDP, oversee the grants unit development of concept note and proposal development (including program design meetings meetings) working with programs and M&E staff and ensuring proper Regional Unit review.
• Ensure that all opportunities under development are aligned to the IRC Theories of Change and that the Outcome Evidence Framework is the main reference for technical proposal development
• Liaise with the Regional Unit, Award Management Unit and Institutional Partnerships and Philanthropic, technical units, and IRC UK to ensure proposals meet internal standards, apply IRC Program Framework principles, are in line with IRC Nigeria’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP), and are donor compliant.
• Liaise with NY grants units, technical units and IRC UK to ensure proposals meet internal standards, apply IRC Program Framework principles, are in line with IRC Nigeria’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and are donor compliant
• Conduct final quality control reviews of all proposal packages assembled by the Grants Managers

Reporting:

• Support the Grants Manager in the reporting process with in-country staff for updates and HQ for approvals before submission to the donor.
• Streamline report writing processes to ensure that narrative reports to donors are submitted on time and are coherent and accurately written (quarterly, interim and/or final report) and liaise with finance to ensure finance reports accompany narrative reports, when required.
• Monitor and support the use of management tools such as FM01 and Budget vs. Actual (BvA) for the proper monitoring and the successful implementation of programs and early warning in case of obstacles or challenges.
• Play a key role in Grant Opening and Closing Meetings, as well as monthly/regular grants management meetings, which include representation from each unit (finance, programs, and logistics) and ensure proper follow up of issues raised.

Grants & Compliance:

• Ensure that the Grants Managers are maintaining IRC Nigeria grant portfolio hard and soft files according to procedures.
• Monitor and support the use of grants management tools such as FM01, BvAs, and OTIS to ensure accurate tracking of grants reporting.
• Distribute and share with all IRC staff copies of all documentation (grant proposals, reports, budgets, etc.) related to their specific programs.
• Review donor agreements and coordinate their review with the relevant IRC HQ office.
• Ensure that grants are implemented in compliance with IRC and relevant donor regulations.
• Ensure that partnership and sub-grant related administrative processes and procedures are consistently implemented throughout the program, including pre-award compliance checks, agreements, and disbursements and reporting.

Fundraising & Strategy Action Plan (SAP):

• Lead the development process of a comprehensive and coherent fundraising strategy and help prioritize approaches to donors for the Country program.
• Research and analyze the changing donor environment and strategies and advise on effective influencing of donors, linking in with affiliate HQ (donor leads) as appropriate.
• Oversee the delivery of the Grants and Communications commitments in the IRC Nigeria 2020 SAP implementation plan.

Communication:

• Design a country program communication strategy.
• Work with program sector leads to develop and produce IRC information and communication materials such as brochures, factsheets, emergency situation reports, newsletters, contributions to global IRC news bulletin, and annual and sector reviews.
• Assist in training program staff on communication strategies and facilitate development of success stories, lessons learned, personal experiences (blogs), etc. from field-based program staff
• Provide briefing papers and situational reports as well as support NY and UK communications departments in development of external communication tools for stakeholders both in and out of country on the IRC’s work in Nigeria.
• Keep an updated inventory of all communications related to programs/donors and ensure communication and visibility requirements are met.
• Work with the DDP to coordinate any donor visits and facilitate any reasonable requests from funding affiliates and governing bodies

Management and Capacity Building:

• Supervise Grants Managers and provide on-the-job training. Discuss job expectations, set objectives, and provide appropriate and timely feedback regarding performance.
• Offer training and capacity building to all IRC and local partners’ staff on program reporting and IRC program specific documents.
• Provide training and mentoring to various program and M&E staff on priorities and essential practices necessary to ensure high quality donor reports and proposals

Administrative/Other:

• Act as main point of contact for New York and UK offices, ensuring HQ staff are kept informed of important issues affecting the country program’s portfolio and that IRC business practices are rolled out to Nigeria staff.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in international affairs, communications, development or related subject
• At least four years of experience working in project and/or grants management and proposal/business development/design
• Excellent oral and written reporting skills and demonstrated ability to write and edit reports and proposals and to meet required deadlines
• Working knowledge of budget development and management
• Experience conducting assessments, preferably using participatory approaches
• Excellent inter-personal, cultural, and diplomatic skills
• Ability to work in unstable security environments
• Prior knowledge of donor regulations (UN, SIDA, USAID/OFDA, Europe Aid, USIAD/FFP, DFID, SV, SDC and ECHO)
• Fluent written and spoken English required
• International experience with preference in Africa
• Previous successful experience developing projects and writing proposals and reports for public donors
• Good communicator with strong organizational, time management, and analytical skills
• Strong capacity to mentor and build capacity of staff
• Ability to juggle competing priorities, meet demanding deadlines, and work under pressure in unstable security environments
• Strong computer skills
• IRC experience is an asset.

Specific Security Situation/Housing

• The Grants and Communications Coordinator will be based in Maiduguri, Nigeria with travel throughout the country.
• The security situation in Nigeria continues to be volatile in the NE with the security level at 4 (red).
• The candidate should be prepared to work in insecure environments.
• This is a non-accompanied position. The Grants and Communications Coordinator will live in shared housing.  

Standards for Professional Conduct:

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct.
• These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.
• In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.