Grants Specialist (National)

Programme & Policy

Overview

Oversee grants management for the DRC Venezuela country office portfolio.

You have:

• At least 3 years of experience in grants management, preferably with an international NGO or other donor-funded organization.
• Fluency in English (speaking, writing, reading) is essential.
• Communication skills in Spanish is mandatory.
• University Degree in Social Sciences, International Development or relevant fields.
• Knowledge of donor rules and regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize large workloads, to consistently meet deadlines and adapt in a complex and challenging work environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge and experience working with multiple sectors including protection, food security and livelihood, WASH.

Contract

This is a DRC - National contract. More about DRC - National contracts.

The Danish Refugee Council is one of the world's leading humanitarian NGOs, working in over 30 countries to provide adequate assistance and protection to refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, returnees, people on the move, and vulnerable local populations/host communities. Currently, DRC is seeking a highly qualified national Grants Specialist based in Caracas, Venezuela.

About the job: DRC is managing its operations in Venezuela under the direction of the country office in Caracas and four field offices located in the states of Sucre, Apure, and Zulia (Maracaibo and Santa Barbara de Zulia). DRC Venezuela is implementing an integrated Action encompassing the Protection, Food Security & Livelihood, WASH and Disaster Preparedness sectors.

The overall purpose of the role:

The Grants Specialist is responsible for overseeing the grants management of Venezuela CO portfolio in accordance with donor and DRC regulations. This includes ensuring effective proposal development, donor compliance, timely reporting, and overall accountability to donors. The position reports to the Head of Programme and collaborates closely with Support Services Managers, Technical Coordinators, and the Senior Management Team on all grants-related matters, compliance, and partnerships.

Responsibilities:

Daily Grants Management and Administration

• Ensure high-quality contract management in close cooperation with SMT, anticipate and identify potential risks, and implement mitigation strategies; communicate with donors and prepare modification requests and other contractual documentation as required.
• Coordinate and facilitate meetings for grant kickoff/opening, review and closing, including monitoring progress against timelines and action points and actively participate in the KPI meetings hosted among CO and HQ.
• Monitor and update that DRC's Grants Management Card on Dynamics and internal documentation systems (SharePoint) are fully updated and ensure high-quality of Project-Grant data and work with HQ focal points and the Grants Management Specialist to address any issues.
• Review and update the grants tracker and ensure regular communication with DRC regional offices, headquarters, and field teams when required in line with the Workstreams.

Compliance Monitoring and Quality Assurance

• Act as the Grants/Contract Management Donor Compliance Focal Point in the CO, ensure understanding of contractual obligations and regulations, and seek support from HQ GMS for any questions.
• Provide advice on DRC Grants Management Volume and Donor Compliance matters in collaboration with the HQ GMS to HoP, HoSS and CO and raise any grants and contract management risks to the relevant SMT member for further action.
• Quality control on all contracts before signature, seeking DRC HQ GMU and finance advice when required and facilitating the signing of grant agreements.
• Ensure that contractual obligations (including visibility requirements) and reporting deadlines are known and met by Programme, M&E and Operations team.
• Troubleshooting identified gaps for meeting deliverables in the given timeframe and budget, informing relevant staff in the country and seeking DRC HQ Program Department advice on potential solutions that would meet donor rules.
• Lead on contract amendments, including cost /no-cost extensions and project revisions, in coordination with relevant internal stakeholders.
• Actively participate in Global Grants Community Meetings to stay up to date with DRC Grants Management Best Practices as well as new regulations and requirements from donors.

Reporting and New Business Development

• Coordinate provision of training in proposal development and reporting for grants and program teams, including relevant field staff.
• Work with the HoP to update the donor mapping and funding tracker, keeping abreast of funding trends and donor strategies, paying special attention to diversifying the funding portfolio and the CO fundraising strategies.
• Support HoP in maintaining active and regular communication with donors, ensuring timely response to communications and coordinating with relevant country team members on high-quality feedback.
• Participate in external Coordination and fundraising-related meetings as delegated by HoP
• Support the HoP in the Go No Go meetings for new grants and lead the proposal planning meeting.
• Collaborate with program technical coordinators, base managers, support services and implementing partners to gather their input for proposal development. Edit and compile the final draft of the proposal and annexes and ensure that they meet the required quality standards before submitting them to the Head of Programmes for review.
• In collaboration with MEAL team, ensure that Project proposal development and donor reporting are informed by reliable organizational data and learning.
• Ensure involvement of DRC HQ in Quality Assurance of reports or proposals when needed, particularly for strategic grants.
• Assist on communication, negotiations and coordination with donors and external stakeholders.

Promote Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and display respect, care and interest in all employees.

******Any ad-hoc tasks assigned by the Head of Programme******

Experience and technical competencies:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• At least 3 years of experience in grants management, preferably with an international NGO or other donor-funded organization.
• Knowledge and experience working with multiple sectors including protection, food security and livelihood, WASI
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other relevant software, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Solid experience in the compilation of donor proposals, modification requests and reports; with practical experience in working with UNHCR, SIDA, ECHO, GFFO, VHF and private foundations.
• Knowledge of donor rules and regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize large workloads, to consistently meet deadlines and adapt in a complex and challenging work environment.
• Excellent communication, coordination, influencing and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate ability in thinking creatively and practically to improve the quality of projects.
• Ability to lead and work within a multi-cultural/diverse team.
• Commitment to Humanitarian principles and DRC values.

Education:

• University Degree in Social Sciences, International Development or relevant fields.

Languages:

• Fluency in English (speaking, writing, reading) is essential.
• Communication skills in Spanish is mandatory.

We offer:

• The opportunity to be part of one of the best NGOs worldwide.
• Access to over 1,000 free online trainings and certifications.
• Contract duration: subject to budget availability.
• Salary: Band G2 / Non-management. National contract.
• HCM insurance fully covered by the organization.

DRC Core Competencies:

• Achieving Excellence: Focus on achieving results and ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaboration: Engage relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the Initiative: Take ownership and initiative while seeking innovation.
• Communicating: Listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating Integrity: Act in accordance with DRC's vision and values.

Application Process: All applicants must upload a cover letter (max. 1 page) and an updated CV (max. 2 pages, without attachments) in English or Spanish, on the DRC employment platform. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application Deadline: Sunday, April 19 at 11:59 pm Local Time. Please note that applications will be reviewed continuously, and interviews will be scheduled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. DRC reserves the right to close the vacancy before the deadline once a suitable candidate is identified.

Start Date: 1st of May 2026.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 1 month ago - Updated 1 month ago - Source: drc.ngo