Director, Opportunity Grants at Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa

Role Purpose

• The Director of Opportunities Grants Management will oversee an embedded Grant Associate function. The Director will work cohesively with the Senior Director, Grants Managements and OSF’s senior leadership to ensure urgent leadership directed grants are processed and managed effectively.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for leading a team of Grant Associates including, but not limited to, performance management, talent development and resource management
• Oversee resource allocation of Grant Associates to Opportunities as required
• Implement vision and ideas into prioritized action and plans. Coordinate among other units across OSF that provide operations, support, and programmatic activities
• Establish new budgets/maintain existing or modifying budgets within the Opportunity Grants Management Unit and oversee their overall alignment with one another
• Serve as a key people manager within the Opportunity Grants Management Unit, managing staff and coordinating across the sub-units in the Grants Management family
• Lead efforts to nurture and develop team values and culture, including thinking strategically about how the team works together and with other teams
• Oversee and accountable for advanced administrative support for grant making activities
• Manage annual Expenditure Responsibility (ER) report end to end collection/review/approval process
• Contribute to the Opportunity Grants Management’s planning for their evolved role relating to their alignment with Opportunities
• Responsible for creating structure and generating clear goals to enable the team to accomplish its objectives and helping the team analyse their effectiveness
• Train Associate Directors and Grant Associates as well as continuously develop their knowledge of legal, business, and system requirements for grant processing from receipt of an application through grant closure.
• Problem-solve complex grant scenarios on behalf of grant associates, consulting General Counsel and Finance functions as appropriate.

People Responsibilities (Total Team/DRs)

• Yes (2 team managers)

Key metrics

• N/A

Key internal relationships

• Senior Director, Grants Management; Director, Global Grants Management; Associate Director, Policy, Knowledge & Training; Director, Opportunity; Senior Director, Opportunities

Key external relationships

• N/A

Qualifications
Essential:

• University degree – BA or BSc

Essential
Experience

• Significant people management experience, with substantial experience in providing high-impact management and leadership across organizational functions directing resources to achieve objectives
• Extensive prior experience with grant processing, grant making systems, compliance, and risk management
• Thorough understanding of compliance law for US-domiciled foundations and reporting requirements for US-domiciled foundations administering grants to global grantees
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale complex, cross-functional projects including designing implementation plans, managing diverse teams , and owning risk mitigation

Competencies
Functional Competencies

• Future-oriented and international mindset, with an eagerness to think radically
• Project management capability
• Excellent analytical and problem- solving capability to assess needs and direct resources effectively
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence and build agile teams
• Business acumen to manage budgets

Personal Competencies

• Demonstrates commitment to OSF’s core values of humility, commitment, collaboration, respect, inclusivity and integrity
• Commitment to continuous learning and growth in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism, and social justice
• Commitment to listening and working with humility; ways of working that are respectful to all people; and that support space and voice for all diverse perspectives in our workplace

Languages

• An excellent knowledge of English
• Knowledge of other languages would be an asset