Grants and Contracts Manager for USAID’s Esho Shikhi Project

Position Description POSITION TITLE: Grants and Contracts Manager LOCATION: Dhaka, Bangladesh DEPARTMENT: Human Rights, Education, and Empowerment REPORTS TO: Director of Finance & Administration NUMBER OF POSITION: 1 (one) DATE OF STARTING: 01 October 2023, one year contract (renewable) POSITION SUMMARY: Winrock International is inviting applications for the position of Grants and Contracts Manager for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Esho Shikhi (Come and Learn) Activity in Bangladesh. The overall objective of Esho Shikhi is to improve Bangla reading skills of Grade 1 and Grade 2 students to develop them as independent readers. Esho Shikhi works to increase learning opportunities, improve quality education, and build the capacity of communities to support education and respond to disasters. The Grants and Contracts Manager will be responsible for monitoring the performance and compliance of all activity subcontractors and the recipients of grants under contract (GUC). S/he will also oversee the selection process, negotiate agreements, perform spot checks, and site visits for quality assurance, and oversee the implementation of capacity strengthening plans for Bangladeshi subcontractors and GUC recipients. S/he will develop and ensure adherence to the terms of contracts with Esho Shikhi sub-implementation partners in Bangladesh, according to USAID and Winrock policies, and be responsible for ensuring Esho Shikhi grants are awarded and implemented rapidly and effectively, in full compliance with USAID and Winrock regulations and policies. S/he will be responsible for the implementation of both existing and new sub-implementation partner contracts as well as the award, management, and reporting for all grant activities, working in coordination with other team members, including the Director of Finance and Administration, Operations & Administration Manager, Chief of Party or Deputy Chief of Party, technical specialists, the home office, and regional staff. The Grants Under Contracts Manager will report to the Director of Finance and Administration. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to: Assist in the design, development, implementation, program monitoring, and evaluation of grant-making and grant management policies, procedures, and practices in coordination with the Director of Finance and Administration, Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, and other staff. Provide policy guidance and interpretation for other Esho Shikhi activity staff involved in grant making and grant and subcontract management, as well as grantees and subcontractors. Develop and communicate best practices in award compliance to ensure that activity staff, subcontractors, and grantees understand and adhere to relevant USAID and Winrock grants and policies. Analyze and evaluate subaward applications, proposals, and grant agreement/award documents to ensure adherence to established grant management policies. Ensure proper negotiation of the terms and conditions for subawards and review and analyze budget estimates for allocability, reasonableness, and consistency. Establish the overall policies, practices, and procedures relating to all aspects of subawards under the Esho Shikhi activity and according to the Grants Manual that will guide the implementation of subawards and other activities. This will include specific procedures relating to subaward solicitation and selection, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and close-outs. Ensure the proper preparation and execution of subaward documents and grant disbursements consistent and compliant with USAID and Winrock requirements, procedures, and best practices. Assess subrecipient capabilities related to activity implementation and provide support to address potential weaknesses resulting from the assessment. Undertake audits of grantees and partners if requested by the Director of Finance and Administration. Analyze, assess, and assist with budgetary and financial aspects of grant proposals, recipient financial management capacities, and planning for implementation, procurement, and cash disbursement needs for grant implementation. Ensure adequate cash flow for grant and contract activities throughout their implementation. Ensure effective liaison between activity staff, grant recipients, and subcontractors; provide activity grant recipients with technical advice and assistance in areas such as financial management, financial sustainability, procurement requirements, and implementation planning. With the Director of Finance and Administration, develop financial controls and procedures for the management of funds and subawards and contracts. Produce budget projections and reports for submission to USAID. Liaise with the COP to ensure the activity needs are being met in terms of accounting, contracts, and human resources. Coordinate with the Director of Finance and Administration to ensure monitoring of partners management of funds and cross-checking source documents, related sub-grants, and associated financial oversight. Any other tasks and duties as assigned. REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS: Education: A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, management, or a relevant discipline. Work Experience: Minimum of 6–8 years of experience working on subcontracts, grant management, and capacity development in Bangladesh. Previous experience with USAID contracts or cooperative agreements and knowledge of U.S. Government (USAID) regulations, policies, and procedures are desired. Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills, creative problem solving, conflict resolution, and ethical management skills. Excellent written and oral communication in English and Bengali is required. Computer literate in word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software (Microsoft). Winrock is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and value diversity and inclusiveness. Winrock recruits, employs, trains, promotes and compensates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law. At Winrock we have a clear mission: Empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources through unwavering dedication to accountability, equity, innovation, integrity and transformation. Winrock knows that its success comes from the hard work and steadfast dedication of its diverse workforce. Winrock remains committed to maintaining diversity, inclusion and equity across the entire organization