Grants Officer, Littorals Regional Initiative (LRI) at Creative Associates International

The Grants Officer will ensure effective and efficient management of grants administration and design flexible, innovative, and rapid-response mechanisms to target key zones. S/he will also ensure that the Grant Management and administration function is always in compliance with Creative and USAID’s policies and procedures; and will work towards capacity building of grant recipients as well as the other staff members in the area of grants management.

Location Note: This position is based in Tamale, Northern Ghana.

The Grants Officer reports to the Senior Grants Manager.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Activity Development

• Contribute actively to internal discussions on programmatic strategy and activity ideas.
• Conduct research and outreach to identify potential partners, consultants and grantees for the program.
• Support the Senior Grants Manager in developing targeted scopes of work and solicitations (Requests for Applications, Annual Program Statements.).
• Work in close collaboration with the Senior Program Development Officer and Grantees on the development of activity Implementation Plans and Budgets.
• Conduct on-site grantee capacity assessments, including reviews of financial and administrative systems.
• For each activity under development, ensure that the activity background, implementation plan, budget, and monitoring & evaluation plan are coherent and consistent.

Activity Implementation

• Ensure compliance with Creative’s grants policies as detailed in the Field Manual and the program’s Activity Manual Addendum (Grants Manual).
• Update and maintain grants files in Creative’s grants management system, SharePoint, as well as the USAID/OTI online database.
• Mainly regular contact with LRI grantees under the grants officer’s portfolio, at a minimum through a weekly call.
• Work with the Snr. Grants Manager in drafting Grant Agreements and related grant management documents (negotiation memorandum, environmental compliance forms, etc.) according to Creative’s policies and procedures.
• Conduct ad hoc activity site visits to understand how grantees are implementing their award. Write concise activity notes documenting such visits.
• Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning team and Snr. Grants Manager to ensure that activity notes have been uploaded to the USAID/OTI database on a weekly basis.
• Facilitate grant kick-off meetings, coordinating with finance, procurement, and program staff.
• Ensure quality control and the integrity of the data in Creative’s and USAID/OTI online grants databases and ensures that the data in the system is always up to date.
• Monitor activity budget and timelines, coordinating with the Programs, Procurement and Finance departments to ensure activity-level spending is on track and provide quality control on any required modifications. Maintain a budget tracker for each activity, updating them on a bi-weekly basis in close collaboration with Finance staff.
• Participate in grants regional department weekly meeting and provide updates for the site

Activity Close-out

• Conduct a financial reconciliation of the activity budget in partnership with Procurement and Finance staff and advise the Senior Grants Manager funds need to be de-obligated.
• Conduct final review of the grant files including media files (photos, videos) and ensure they have been uploaded to Creative’s grants management system (SMART), SharePoint as well as the USAID/OTI online database.

Teamwork and Relationship Management

• Work in close collaboration with Senior Program Development Officer, the Procurement & Logistics Officer and the Finance Officer.
• Function as part of a larger, multi-lingual program team operating across Benin, Togo, and Ghana, sharing experience and learning from the experiences of others.
• Present activity updates directly to USAID/OTI during weekly meetings; prepare Powerpoint slides documenting the latest activity updates.
• Assist the SGM to provide guidance and interpretation for program staff as well as grantees of Creative’s grants policies and procedures and USG regulation.
• Assist the SGM to provide training and support in grants compliance to Creative staff.
• Other duties as required from the Senior Grants Manager (SGM).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field or professional accounting/financial qualification required.
• Minimum of 4 years working experience with three (3) years professional experience working in complex and challenging field operational contexts.
• Minimum one (1) year working on an international donor program with a grant component. Previous USAID grant experience strongly preferred.
• Competence in computers and using financial software.
• Understanding of budget and cost control management.
• Excellent written and spoken English skills.
• Must be willing to be based in Tamale, Northern Ghana.
• Proficiency in languages spoken in Northern Ghana desired.
• French language proficiency is desired but not required.
• Must have existing work authorization for Ghana.