Senior Grants Manager
Manage grants, oversee compliance, and support proposal development for effective program delivery.
Overview
Manage grants, oversee compliance, and support proposal development for effective program delivery.
You have:
- Bachelors/master’s degree in development studies, social sciences, English or another relevant field.
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in Grants Management with international humanitarian/emergency contexts with multiple sectors, preferably with INGOs.
- Experience in effectively dealing with international and headquarters staff, as well as donor agencies, government officials, and other NGOs; ability to work with a broad spectrum of people.
- Experience with key UN, US and European government donors as well as private funding sources, and familiarity with donor compliance rules and regulations.
- Strong understanding of project planning and management cycles, and strong program design skills.
- Demonstrated successful experience developing projects and writing proposals for public and private donors.
- Fluency in English, with strong writing and analytical skills, including ability to communicate technical matters to a range of audiences.
- Proficient in MS Office, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint.
Work Arrangement:
Job Description
Background/IRC Summary: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a private, non-political, non-profit, and non-religious organization. For over 90 years, we have been providing humanitarian assistance to communities affected by conflict and natural disasters in more than 40 countries. Since 2008, the IRC has been active in Myanmar, delivering humanitarian assistance in areas such as health, protection, water, and sanitation, specifically targeting families impacted by conflict and natural disasters.
Job Overview/Summary: IRC Myanmar’s Senior Grants Manager will work closely with Head of Grants and Partnerships for the management for the Grants department, directly overseeing one Senior Manager and one Sr Grants Officer. The Sr Grants Manager will provide strategic guidance and support to the team issues of grants management and compliance, and donor relations and project cycle management. S/he leads proposal development processes and supports a variety of aspects of projects cycle management, including information management, problem analysis, evidence-based program design, negotiation with donors and partners, grant and sub- grant monitoring and modifications, reporting, and grant closure. This position is based in Yangon with periodic travel to field offices as security permits.
Major Responsibilities:
Program Design & Proposal Development
- Support the Head of Grants and Partnerships and contribute to proposal development initiatives. Ensure proposals are tracked with standard IRC tracking tools (e.g., OTIS, grants tracker) - Consolidate written inputs into a cohesive proposal narrative; write non-technical sections of proposals as needed.
Grants Management and Compliance
- Support the grants team in ensuring that all grants are well administered, and that programs and support teams are fully informed of relevant donor compliance regulations and IRC procedures. - Mange and/or support all agreements reviews, revisions, amendments, and budget realignments in coordination with the Head of Grants and Partnerships. - Manage and provide overall oversight of the grants portfolio and regularly update the grants tracker for dissemination internally and to regional colleagues - Ensure open, timely and accurate information flow within the Grants team and between the team and relevant departments - Ensure the submission of timely and high-quality narrative and financial reports to donors, including the development and update of regular funding and reporting trackers and schedules for dissemination to relevant staff - Maintain strong oversight of the portfolio and pipeline, including grant opening and closing dates to ensure timely submission of all related deliverables - Provide technical guidance on IRC and donor regulations to ensure compliance within operations, program implementation and reporting - Raise compliance issues proactively with technical staff and the Head of Grants and Partnerships, DDP, DDF and DDO for timely action and keep senior management informed of any projected inability to meet contractual obligations, reports submission and of spend rates/signification budget variances. - Coordinate closely with finance teams and review project spending plans and financial health to ensure effective spending amendments, and close-out activities - Work closely with the partnerships department to ensure that partner spending and activity progress is regularly monitored and integrated into grants reporting and trackers.
Staff Management and Development
- Direct supervision of the One Senior Grants Manager, and one Senior grants officer. Manage and build the capacity of staff to ensure a responsive and well-organized Grants department. - Discuss job expectations, set objectives and provide appropriate and timely feedback regarding performance, including timely implementation of the annual staff performance management system. - Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promote a strong team spirit and provide oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions including staff development plans. - Provide leadership support for the successful implementation of and adherence to the IRC Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures. - Lead with commitment, integrity and accountability to the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
- Position Reports to: Head of Grants and Partnerships - Position directly supervises: Sr. Grants Officer
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelors/master’s degree in development studies, social sciences, English or another relevant field.
Experience
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in Grants Management with international humanitarian/emergency contexts with multiple sectors, preferably with INGOs. - Experience in effectively dealing with international and headquarters staff, as well as donor agencies, government officials, and other NGOs; ability to work with a broad spectrum of people. - Experience with key UN, US and European government donors as well as private funding sources, and familiarity with donor compliance rules and regulations.
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
- Demonstrated successful experience developing projects and writing proposals for public and private donors. - Strong understanding of project planning and management cycles, and strong program design skills. - Demonstrable high-level performance management and team-working skills; well-developed negotiation skills and ability to communicate effectively in internal and external settings. - Strong proficiency in budget management, grants management and reporting. - Proficient in MS Office, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint. - Excellent diplomacy skills, patience and clear communication skills. - Ability to independently organize work and prioritize tasks - Staff management experience preferred.
Languages:
- Fluency in English, with strong writing and analytical skills, including ability to communicate technical matters to a range of audiences.
Myanmar nationals with relevant skills sets and proven experience of working at international level are strongly encouraged.
Professional standard - IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates
Potential interview questions
| Describe your experience with grants management in a humanitarian context. What challenges did you face? | This question assesses your practical experience in managing grants under challenging conditions. | Provide specific examples of your past roles, highlighting how you managed grants successfully despite challenges. |
| How do you ensure compliance with donor regulations? | This investigates your understanding of compliance within grants management. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you share a successful proposal you developed and what made it effective? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you manage communication within your team and with external stakeholders? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What strategies do you employ in budget management for grants? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How would you handle a situation where a project is not meeting its goals? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What makes you a strong leader in managing a grants team? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you discuss a time when you had to negotiate with a donor? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |