Description
Position Description
Department: Awards Management Team
Location: US: Washington, DC or Portland, OR; UK, Netherlands
Employee Type: Full-time
FLSA Classification (US Positions Only): Exempt
Reporting To: Deputy Regional Director Programs โ West and Central Africa (WCA)
Closing date: Please submit application documents CV and cover letter by February 5th 2025
Supervisory Responsibility
The Leader supervises a team of Senior Program Officer(s) and Program Officer(s)
Budget Management Responsibility
none
Position Summary
The AMT Leader provides strategic direction, vision, and leadership to the WCA Awards Management Team (AMT) to ensure country teams have the resources, tools, and information they need to succeed in the implementation of high-quality programs. The AMT Leader will champion a unified and collaborative approach to awards management across both US and Europe portfolios, fostering strong relationships within the regional team and across global support offices. This role is critical in ensuring effective and compliant award administration throughout the program lifecycle, from opportunity identification to project close-out. The AMT does so by:
โข Stewarding award management from kick-off to close out, supporting adherence to donor requirements, aligning donor contractual deliverables with internal program quality and compliance standards to deliver program impact, resolving compliance issues, and promoting knowledge management;
โข Contributing to strategic new business development by supporting high-quality program design and leading submission efforts aligned with donor requirements; and
โข Serving as liaison between Mercy Corps' country and regional program teams and their most critical relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY & PLANNING
Oversee award performance pertaining to programmatic deliverables across the regional portfolio for the effective administration of all donors (inclusive of, but not limited to, US donors, European donors, United Nations, and other Emerging Institutional Donors) to ensure compliance with donor policies and internal procedures to safeguard program integrity and quality.Ensure that Awards Management team members based across offices globally work together as a cohesive regional program support unit and collaborate closely with country teams to ensure effective grant administration.Partner with the Deputy Regional Director โ Programs (DRD-P) to contribute to the effectiveness of the Awards Management Team, providing strategic direction for regional awards management while ensuring alignment between country-level strategies, regional goals and Mercy Corpsโ Pathway to Possibility.Enhance strategic alignment and effectiveness across regional and country programs, leveraging specialized knowledge and effective communication.PROPOSAL AND AWARD MANAGEMENT
Ensure efficient and compliant management of awards (grants and contracts) per Mercy Corps and donor requirements from review and negotiation through to close-out. Maintain effective internal knowledge management and streamlined communication channels with a range of internal and external stakeholders to enhance organizational capacity and contribute to successful program outcomes. In support with the relevant Grant and Contract Compliance partners and within established organizational and donor guidelines, lead on the intake of award compliance queries, including ensuring interpretations of donor regulations are documented, advising on general award compliance, escalating any compliance issues to Award Compliance partners in accordance with established organizational guidelines.Collaborate with Regional Business Development Advisor and the Institutional Donor Engagement Division to effectively and efficiently analyze calls for proposals, assess eligibility, share relevant opportunities with country teams, and plan pre-positioning efforts in business development.Oversee (or support, based on opportunity) proposal development processes within the AMT to ensure proposals meet internal quality standards and donor requirements. This includes making decisions about timelines, assigning responsibilities, and coordinating inputs from different stakeholders.Monitor the reporting schedule, ensuring that the preparation of narrative and financial reports is completed in a timely manner by country program management and financial teams.Ensure that written communications to donors are appropriately managed and filed consistently. Oversee the management of award amendments, including cost and no-cost extensions, amendments, modifications and realignments to awards, with the correct approvals received. Support, where relevant, in the preparation of teaming agreements with consortium and/or international NGO partners, and the liaison with external stakeholders in support of the final submission of proposal. Foster and maintain strong working relationships with country offices, addressing issues and maintaining regular communication regarding grant and award management in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor requirements.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
Coordinate with regional and global stakeholders to ensure award systems and processes evolve according to Mercy Corpsโ practices for adherence to award and donor compliance.Collaborate with other Regional and Country Program Teams to identify and promote systemic enhancements aimed at increasing the efficiency of award delivery. Oversee and ensure effective coordination of information flow between AMT and country programs, the regional management team, relevant Global Programs and Operations Support departments, and donors.Collaborate closely with Institutional Donor Engagement department to strengthen and maintain positive relationships with donors, ensuring effective communication and responsiveness to their inquiries and concerns. In collaboration with the Institutional Donor Engagement department, understand regional donor priorities to align organizational strategies with donor expectations to enhance program funding and sustainability in accordance with Mercy Corpsโ Pathway to Possibility priorities. Coordinate communications and facilitate meetings between country teams, donors, and Donor Relations team members as required.As required and at the