Fund Manager at Palladium Group

Project Overview and Role

• Propcom Mai-karfi (PM) is a market-driven programme funded by UK aid which aims to reduce poverty in northern Nigeria by intervening in markets that matter most for poor women and men. Partnering with the private sector and government agencies, Propcom Mai-karfi uses an adapted ‘Markets Development’ Approach to create systemic changes in agricultural and rural markets in northern Nigeria so that poor people get a better deal for their businesses and have access to vital goods and services.
• During its first phase which ran from 2012 to 2017, Propcom Mai-karfi raised the incomes of 628,000 poor men and women in northern Nigeria by a cumulative NGN 9 billion. The programme also stimulated more than NGN17.6 billion in private sector investment into the rural economy.
• Now in its 3-year extension phase which runs till March 2021, PM is focused on post-conflict market development and climate smart agriculture initiatives in the north east (Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi states), as well as continuing markets for the poor; with interventions in DFID partner states of Jigawa, Kano, and Kaduna. During this phase, the programme aims to increase the incomes of an additional 350,000 rural poor people by 2021. This extension allows Propcom Mai-karfi to improve markets that are most active and relevant to smallholder farmers in 9 targeted districts. The component will support farmers by first identifying the underlying causes of the non-performance of markets and then work in close partnership with local actors to invest in providing tailor made and lasting solutions for economic activities benefitting poor farmers.

Using a combination of innovative interventions, the project will:

• Where required scope and extend our understanding of  existing market systems that are relevant to smallholder farmers in the target States / LGAS and Communities and the extent to which they are working to support the needs of poor smallholder farmers, especially women - and where the market systems are failing this target group, support  PM’s Technical Teams  to take appropriate action to  help correct those failings;
• Promote sustainable systemic change in agronomic practices to help SHFs improve their resilience and better alignment of their engagement with key market functions and players with the incentives and capacity to work more sustainably;
• Seek scalable impact through prioritizing interventions that benefit significant numbers of poor people; and
• Pursue a facilitative approach that will provide a catalytic role in the market without negatively displacing and distorting current market functions or players

Responsibilities
This position reports to the Director of Operations. The tasks and responsibilities assigned to the Grant Manager will include:

Grant Management:

• Coordinate the process of submissions of grant proposal (e.g. request for applications, receipt of application, address questions from potential grantees, internal coordination, etc.)
• Lead on confirming eligibility of grantees. Perform formal evaluation of each application (Administrative and Compliance Evaluation).
• Work in collaboration with the Contract and Compliance Manager throughout the grant implementation to perform Due Diligence on potential grantees such that PM can take the necessary care, attention and discretion prior signing grant agreements and during the implementation. These include:
  • Ensure adequate and transparent institutional and governance structures, and robust and reliable financial internal control systems.
  • Assess the institutional capacity of grantees and subcontractors to effectively implement PM and recommend actions to strengthen their administrative and financial management systems.
  • Perform spot check visits and compile visit reports.
  • Consolidate compliance issues within Palladium required compliance reports.
• Track and report risks. Coordinate risk management measures throughout the life of the grants.
• Monitor grants implementation including workplans and budgets submitted by the grantees and manage the provision of funding to grantees. Provide support to the grantees, verify that the grant activities are progressing as per requirements of the Grant Agreement, and that any variances to the workplan are explained and justified. They will also verify that the appropriate milestone / contractual point has been reached successfully. Coordinate review meetings that are expected to take place on a quarterly basis with the involvement of relevant grantees and PM representatives.
• Be the liaison between PM and the grantee whenever a contract amendment is required.
• Ensure grantees compliance in relation to their grant agreement and report any risk or issue.
• Track and maintain tight control of key cost drivers, pursuing cost reductions and efficiency gains where possibilities emerge.
• Ensure that goods and services are purchased by each grantee according to Palladium Procurement policy and guidelines. Ensure that good and services are maintained according to processes and specifications that maximise quality and minimise lifetime cost and fully comply with DFID Guidelines with asset management.
• At close out verify the completion of all grant funded activities, confirm that they are completed to the expectations set out in the Grant Agreement, and confirm that all the expected deliverables have been provided and outputs achieved. Any variances to either the technical implementation or the budget must be explained and justified.
• Work with team members in the preparation and completion of financial audits as required.

Training:

• Advise and assist grantees in drawing up business agreements alongside the Technical Team Members
• Provide necessary training, capacity building and information to grantees to enable compliance with the financial accounting, reporting and procurement requirements of their funding agreements.
• As necessary recommend and facilitate organisational development and capacity building in partner organisations

Reporting:

• Ensure that monthly Technical Reports and Quarterly Technical and Financial Reports are submitted in the right format and on time by each grantee; review and provide feedback to the grantees.and feed into PM’s Reporting Requirements.
• Work with the PM team in preparation of quarterly and annual reports and work-plans.

Analysis:

• Assist in the provision of data to enable review, research and analysis within PM on grants disbursement use and resulting VfM.
• Participate in the collection and analyses of key performance data of grantees as part of an early warning system' to track the validity of the theory of change, to pinpoint potential risks to the programme's VfM proposition with grant disbursement,

Other Duties:

• Other duties as assigned by the Director of Operations.

Requirements

• A relevant Bachelor's degree (with a Master’s degree in Business Administration preferred).
• A minimum of 7 years’ relevant work experience.
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience managing grants (with experience in Northern Nigeria preferred).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Financial acumen and the ability to interpret and analyse financial reports.
• Sound problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Strong management skills with ability to train grantees.
• Willingness to travel and work in the 9 targeted States.
• Ability to work with a low level of supervision and as a part of a team when required.