Programme Quality, Grants and Compliance Coordinator at International Alert

Location: Abuja, with regular travel to field locations
Reports to: Country Director

Job Purpose

The Programme Quality, Grants and Compliance Coordinator will play a strategic and operational leadership role to ensure that peacebuilding projects are implemented with a high degree of technical excellence, accountability, and impact. This role is integral to ensuring all project deliverables meet the required standards of quality, are aligned with contractual obligations, and are delivered on time and within budget.

The post-holder will coordinate across programme, finance, M&E, and operations teams to ensure high-quality implementation, proper financial and risk management, robust compliance to internal and donor policies, and strengthened systems for grants management. This role also ensures the entire project cycle—from design to delivery—follows a quality-assurance lens, safeguarding International Alert’s standards and supporting the broader mission of transformative peacebuilding impact.

Duties and Responsibilities

Project Quality Assurance

• Lead the development and implementation of quality assurance frameworks, tools, and procedures for project delivery.
• Ensure systematic integration of learning and accountability mechanisms into project design and delivery.
• Support project teams and partners in achieving programme goals while maintaining rigorous standards of technical quality and relevance.
• Conduct periodic quality audits and field assessments to track project progress, identify gaps, and drive course correction.

Grants Management and Compliance

• Oversee the full subaward cycle—solicitation, pre-award assessment, agreement development, implementation monitoring, reporting, and close-out.
• Ensure all grant activities are implemented in compliance with internal policies, contractual obligations, and applicable donor rules.
• Manage financial reporting, grant forecasting, and expenditure monitoring with a focus on cost efficiency, eligibility, and donor alignment.
• Collaborate with the finance team to strengthen internal controls, ensure effective grant budgeting, and support real-time budget vs actual (BvA) monitoring.
• Liaise with procurement to ensure subgrantee and project procurements are compliant, and value-for-money is achieved.

Programme Coordination and Support

• Work closely with Project Managers and technical teams to ensure coherence between programme and grants management.
• Provide oversight and capacity building for subgrantees on compliance, financial management, and programmatic reporting.
• Coordinate internal reviews, spot checks, and risk assessments and follow up on recommended corrective actions.
• Maintain a grants risk register and ensure mitigation measures are updated regularly.

Reporting and Documentation

• Coordinate and review donor reports, ensuring data accuracy, narrative coherence, and financial alignment.
• Support in drafting high-quality donor communications, including amendments, extensions, and contract modifications.
• Ensure that all contractual documents (agreements, MoUs, reports) are systematically archived and easily retrievable.

Institutional Development and Representation

• Contribute to the strategic growth of Alert Nigeria by participating in country strategy development and resource mobilisation.
• Represent the programme in strategic coordination forums and donor engagements, as delegated.
• Contribute to the design and costing of new project proposals, ensuring donor and partner requirements are appropriately addressed.

Person Specification

Education and Experience

• University degree in social sciences, peace and conflict studies, development studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in programme coordination, grants management, and compliance—at least 4 years in a conflict or fragile setting.
• Demonstrated experience working with development consultancies or organisations delivering commercial contracts for international donors.
• Strong experience in managing the financial, compliance, and programmatic aspects of multi-year, donor-funded projects.

Skills and Competencies

• Talent for systems thinking and ability to protect organisational processes from risk.
• Strong communication and relationship management skills, with a proven ability to deliver compliance messages effectively to diverse audiences.
• Excellent knowledge of donor funding mechanisms, particularly commercial contract management, cost recovery principles, and value-for-money approaches.
• Ability to design and implement programme quality assurance systems that support impact-driven delivery.
• Advanced proficiency in financial reporting, budgeting, compliance auditing, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Competency in standard software tools including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and financial management systems.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel to conflict-affected areas.
• High level of personal and professional integrity, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver results to tight deadlines.
• Commitment to International Alert’s peacebuilding mandate and values.

Travel Requirements

The position is based in Abuja but requires periodic travel to field offices and project sites across Nigeria.