Openings at Bioversity International

Responsibilities

The specific tasks of the position include the following:

• Promote CGIAR’s compliance with existing international and national genetic resources-related policies and laws.
• Coordinate CGIAR engagement in international fora dealing with genetic resources policy issues.
• Coordinate and execute projects, especially within the Africa region, to strengthen capacity of national partner organizations to implement/operate under the framework of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Nagoya Protocol.
• Develop guidelines, model agreements and other supporting tools for implementation of relevant policies, laws and rules by CGIAR and national partners.
• Identify and apply new frameworks to design and implement projects or services worldwide and especially within the Africa region, especially with regards to genetic resources.
• Evaluate existing projects in the Africa region, bringing insights and improvements.
• Communicate with partners and institutions in the Africa region to ensure project objectives and work plans are conveyed and coordinated.
• Support scientists with literature reviews, assembling and analyzing datasets, surveying experts, and writing reports, briefs and journal articles.
• Contribute to the preparation of project proposals, work plans and reports.
• Collaborate with members of the team regarding other activities and objectives.

Requirements

• Degree in law. An additional university degree in a relevant field (law, policy, agronomy, biology, agricultural economics, rural sociology) is desirable.
• Previous work experience with national or regional organizations in Africa dealing with genetic resources policy including access and benefit sharing policies.
• Experience in planning, implementing, and monitoring capacity strengthening and training programs.
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor work plans.
• Excellent teamwork skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to work effectively with people at all levels in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment, including external stakeholders.
• Experience in drafting policies and or writing guidance documents for policy implementation.
• Proficiency in relevant software packages (Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Willingness to travel.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

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Job Description

Grant’s administration: 

• Provide support to the management, administration, and monitoring of the portfolio of projects assigned and ensure that the commitments of the Legal documents with the donors & partners are accomplished in the dates established. 
• Conduct review of donor contracts and facilitate their negotiation following the Alliance’s policies and procedures and facilitate the process of contract clearance and signature. 
• Set up new grants in the systems and communicate grant opening to internal stakeholders, maintain   an   overview   of   reporting   requirements (deadlines, templates, etc.)   and communicate it regularly to relevant internal stakeholders. 
• Ensure comprehensive information management and filing system,  ensuring  donor contractual documents, reports, and key correspondences are consistently and frequently filed in the Alliance system and other data bases. 
• Liaise with donors on all grant-related issues, including submission of donor reports and 
  requests for project variations. 
• Work closely with the resource mobilization unit, finance, legal, researchers and other areas of the organization to ensure that contracts are executed on time 
• Support scientists in the overall management and monitoring of grants, sharing information about compliance requirements and reviewing adherence to them. 

 Sub-grants administration: 

• Coordinate capacity assessment and due diligence review of prospective partners. 
• Ensure Partners’ awareness of reporting requirements, research ethics and contractual  compliance. 
• Draft Sub-grant agreements connected to the assigned project portfolio to ensure  compliance with prime donor’s requirements. 
• Track and collect cleared reports to be filed in the appropriate digital repositories. 
• Provide ongoing support to internal stakeholders and partners throughout theSub-grant  lifecycle on administrative and compliance issues including contract modifications. 
• Development, maintenance, and updates to the Grant Management Unit manuals, tools, templates,  policies,  SOPs,  and  guidance  documents.  Sharing Africa perspective and experiences. 
• Proactively proposes strategies or procedural changes required for the Alliance to stay 
  compliant with changing donor regulations or requirements. 
• Participate in project review meetings and provide input from Grant Management Unit. 

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International Relations, Economics, Business Administration or another relevant field;  
• Minimum of 3 years progressively responsible experience in the administration and 
• Monitoring of grants (review and negotiation of grant contracts, donor reporting, 
• Monitoring of grant implementation, development or implementation of grant-related procedures, grants management training and facilitation.  
• Previous experience working for international development and/or research, organizations, NGOs or UN agencies.  
• Experience of project management, including understanding of project budgeting, budget management and financial issues.  
• Proficiency in relevant software programs (Word, Excel), PowerPoint;  
• Excellent organizational skills including the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet 
• deadlines while still maintaining attention to detail and accuracy, and problem solve effectively;  
• Proven track record of building collaborative relationships across and within internal teams, and with external stakeholders.  
• Demonstrated to ability to work effectively as part of a team with people in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment, including with external stakeholders; excellent interpersonal skills.  
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written including the ability to organize and write clear and concise reports.  
• Communication skill in French is highly desirable. 
• Experience of implementing and/or using information management systems (grants databases, ERP systems, etc.)