ROLE PURPOSE:

The Director of Awards Management & Donor Compliance will provide the primary award and partnership management inputs for both development and humanitarian programmes, and on-going support to develop best practice relating to award management and partnership procedures and processes. The role has three main aspects to it: lead the Country Office award management and Partnership teams; capacity building of staff in their award management professional development and contributing to the development and advancement of award and partnership management processes and systems. If an international staff member is appointed, the intention is that s/he will recruit, train and hand over to a national staff member.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Country Director

Staff reporting to this post: Award Management and Partnership teams

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Award Management

• Provide strategic support within the SMT on all aspects of award and partnership management including all stages of Award Management Cycle.

• Lead on the development and implementation of the Country Office funding strategy, making recommendations and flagging issues to the SMT and Save the Children members as appropriate by supporting to PDQ team.

• Ensure accurate and up to date information on the award portfolio is readily available to SMT and members.

• Working with the Finance Director, ensure the CO has a clear framework for master budget development, cost allocation, monitoring of award budgets, phasing and forecasting, in particular ensuring alignment between the master budget and funding tracker.

• Ensure that necessary risks are taken knowingly with appropriate mitigating actions both on award partnership management related.

• Identify, assess, input, recommend on the existing and desired reconciliation process (reporting assurance mechanism) between PDQ, Finance, Procurement, Logistics, Distribution, and M&E to ensure accountable reporting to donors.

• Ensure that the Award Management System (AMS) is effectively manage and maintained, up to date and accurately records the audit trail (data and process) for all awards and sub-awards/partnerships.

• Recruit, train and manage award and partner management staff.

• Build and maintain relationships with relevant networks and award and partnership management staff of similar organisations in the country.

  Donor Compliance

• Ensure all donor requirements are met and there is a complete audit trail of the implementation and reporting for all awards and partners.

• Ensure that key contributing staff has a clear understanding of donor requirements and expectations at the agreement, kick off, implementation, amendment, reporting, close out and audit stage of awards.

• Ensure that key processes are in place so that formats, eligibility, compliance, reporting, receive optimum attention at the various stages of the award life cycle with a view of securing donor satisfaction.

• Work with the finance team and provide technical advice to strategic donor costs allocation with a view to minimise compliance requirements where possible (timesheets, co-financing etc.).

• Ensure potential issues and amendment requests are flagged promptly to donors via the relevant Save the Children member. This may include developing business cases where donor waiver/derogation requests need to be more thoroughly articulated or negotiated with donors.

• Ensure that all new staff receive an orientation to SCI award management processes, systems, tools, and donor compliance requirements that are relevant to the role.

• Work with internal and external auditors as necessary.

  Donor Reporting

• Support the reporting process to ensure that Ethiopia staff better able to capture relevant information in the process of implementation to aid quality report writing (information management).

• Ethiopia office able to submit quality reports to members and donors on time supporting the achievement of the global KPIs.

• Support better coordination between members, donors and field teams in terms of the reporting process, responsiveness and information flow with adherence to donor reporting and submission flow chart

• Support capacity building efforts across the Ethiopia country office through trainings, learning materials such as training manuals.

• Support the review of high-risk award donor reports periodically

  Program Development/Strategic Portfolio Planning

• Support the coordination of proposals, working with PDQ, Finance and Operations to produce high quality, fully costed proposals

• Support to support in the development of a Country Office funding strategy that enables proactive engagement across Save the Children globally and with donors to secure funding opportunities in a timely manner, making recommendations and flagging issues to Senior Management

• To engage with Save the Children globally and provide information to support in the building of professional relationships with donors to identify strategic fundraising opportunities

  Partnerships Management

• Work with relevant program staff to ensure all implementing partners undergo legal vetting and a capacity assessment prior to commencing work with Save the Children, are engaged with appropriate agreements and effective monitoring systems are in place so that partner delivery meets donor expectations and requirements.

• Work with program staff to ensure relevant donor requirements are effectively communicated and understood by implementing partners.

• Lead on partnership strategy development and adherence, roll out of global partnerships policies and procedures, and development of contextualized tools.

• Ensure partnership led project are properly managing and reach expected results by reaching projects goal.

• Ensure partner management and necessary tools are in place to avoid any financial/audit risk to the country program.

• Ensure effective partner coordination and partner consultations are properly managing to inputs for organisational strategic directions.

  Coordination and Networking

• Ensure member, centre and RO communication is effectively leading and managing both the issues on award management and partnership related in transparent process.

• Ensure, cross functional teams (PDQ, Finance, Operations) are properly engage and informed on Award and Partner Management process and decision-making process.

  Capacity Building

• Led the award and partnership management team to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of staff across all functions to manage awards and comply with donor requirements as relevant to their role by providing, induction, training and coaching consistent with their various roles and responsibilities.

• Lead the training needs are fulfilled to keep KPI performance on top line and sustain for the country program by having necessary discussion with other SLT members.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPEIENCE:
Essential

• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in senior management role out of which 5 years INGO experience with excellent grasp of operational issues.

• Master’s degree in relevant field or have CIMA or ACCA

• Sound knowledge of the requirements of major institutional donors including budgeting, eligibility issues, compliance management, and reporting.

• Proven track record of active contribution to a senior management team, and providing strategic support across multiple sectors and/or regions.

• Proven experience of establishing and running the award management function in the field.

• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner

• Action-oriented analytical skills; demonstrated experience in setting up and maintaining quality assurance /compliance systems

• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a demanding workload comprised of diverse and challenging tasks and responsibilities.

• Experience of engaging with donors at country strategy levels.

• Experience of and well-developed skills in staff management and supervision with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Proven strong coaching and capacity building skills.

• Strong communication (written and spoken), and interpersonal skills in English, with experience in managing multicultural teams

• Computer literate (i.e. WORD, advanced Excel, Outlook, Internet Explorer, financial systems).

• Patient, adaptable, flexible, culturally aware and able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure

• Commitment to Save the Children values

  Desirable

• Experience with Save the Children Award Management Policies, procedures and systems (AMS)

• Able to use Agresso accounting software

• Experience of Project Management, M&E Management or Funding Coordination