The Senior Awards and Operations Specialist, Centennial Campaign is critical to the successful implementation of the $100 million in new funding secured via the Promise of Childhood Campaign; much of which will be received post the campaign (2019) and well into 2023. This position will be responsible for liaising with key stakeholders to ensure effective implementation and oversight across the full funding portfolio of privately funded low to high-risk awards (grants and contributions).
The primary responsibility is to ensure donor compliance and successful implementation of all awards within the campaign portfolio from the opportunity to closeout. This role will serve as the primary award manager for the Office of the President, supporting funding designated to the President’s Fund and the Center for Girls and Gender Equality. This position must also ensure timely implementation and effective flow of information and resources for all awards within the campaign’s portfolio to Save the Children International via our Award Management and Financial systems (where appropriate) and is accountable for meeting agency-wide award management targets and metrics..
The position requires extensive collaboration with the Office of the President, Business Teams Finance and Resource Development to ensure all stakeholders receive timely and accurate information. This role actively contributes to the continuous improvement of the award management function, helping to drive change through the identification and implementation of best practices in the Agency’s award management function.
Essential duties include effectively managing the campaign portfolio from opportunity through to closeout in line with donor requirements and agency standards. Award management responsibilities will include financial oversight, donor reporting and sub-award management as needed.
The Senior Specialist requires the knowledge and experience to provide management, administrative and financial support related to contributions and grants of varying levels of size and complexity. Strong attention to detail and ability to manage complex tasks. Assists in developing longer-term plans and organizes resources to achieve results. Accountable for day-to-day decisions around execution of job, and for setting clear measurable objectives for self and those the position partners with. Exercises independent judgment and discretion on significant matters related to functional area. Requires little or no supervision. General regulations exist, but incumbent must interpret the regulations. Keeps manager informed of important issues. Builds effective relationships within their immediate or peer workgroup.
Specifically:
Monitor and Manage Award Portfolio (50%)
Oversee campaign portfolio of low to high-risk awards from opportunity to close out:
- Provide guidance and oversight to team members on the management of awards as per Save the Children guidelines
- Advise campaign leadership and RD SMT on complex awards.
- Review draft agreement documents and negotiate donor terms and conditions in coordination with Country Office and Grants and Contracts staff
- Serve as main point of contact / troubleshoot award management challenges for all campaign awards as well as for escalated issues from unit staff with donors, Country Offices and SCUS stakeholders (i.e., TA providers, program officers, other Business Teams, Finance, Grants and Contracts, HR, and relevant partners and sub-grantees)
- Ensure all donor communications, requests, and amendments are addressed effectively, and maintain records in a readily auditable manner in line with Save the Children procedures
- Partner with business teams for successful project start-up of awards by team members in collaboration with Country Office staff
- Monitor full campaign portfolio throughout life of awards
- Lead budget planning as needed for campaign awards
- Escalate issues or risks as appropriate to departmental and functional leaders’ attention as needed
- Review audit reports and address/escalate risks as needed
Planning and Reporting (25%)
Accountable for accurate private award reporting to RD, IP, DHR, USP, Finance and OOP:
- Manage monthly portfolio review with each division/department/business team receiving campaign funding and partner on spend-down plans.
- Ensure campaign funds are appropriately reflected in the finance generated monthly revenue report, quarterly New Raise report, Win Rate report and RD Business Team reports.
- Responsible for all aspects of reporting process to ensure timely, accurate narrative and financial reporting for campaign’s portfolio of contributions/awards. Must ensure relevant stakeholders have clear deliverables and deadlines to meet donor requirements.
- Ensure all donor reporting (narrative and financial) is accurate and timely.
- Ensure coordinated response to donor queries when needed
Support New Business Development (15%)
- Support new business priorities and pipeline
- Draft and/or review financial components of proposals in collaboration with HQ and country office staff
Knowledge Management (10%)
- Ensure CO award-related capacity building support (such as technical advice, award management, donor information/compliance, SCUS structure) needed from SCUS is identified for unit’s award portfolio and coordinate with the relevant SCUS stakeholders
- Develop best practices, share resources, and participate in ongoing trainings in coordination with IPG and RD
- Minimum 5-7 years' experience in area of expertise
- Professional level of technical or managerial knowledge, skills, and experience to manage the operational activities of a unit or team, or provide the technical and management support related to various size programs, grants or projects.
- Strong managerial knowledge and experience
- Strong written and verbal communications skills
- Advanced financial skill
- Advance Excel skill
- Aetna Medical and Dental insurance with a concierge service
- Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
- Vision Insurance
- Life insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Commuter Benefit Program
- Vacation and Sick leave
- Paid holidays
What makes us special!
- Generous Retirement Savings with matching company contributions of up to 8%
- Family Leave – 10 additional days of paid time off for you to use to care for your family members
- Additional Maternity and Paternity Leave – 30 days where parents can take additional paid leave (beyond short-term disability and FMLA) at the birth or adoption of a child during that critical first year!
- Critical Child Illness Leave – We hope you never have to use it, but we will provide an additional 30 days of paid leave per year should your dependent child be faced with a critical illness.
- Pet Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Identity Protection, Home, Auto and additional Life insurances
- Summer Fun Fridays – During the summer months, early release at 1:30 pm every other Friday!
- Volunteer Day – One paid day a year to support the causes that matter to you!
- Ergonomic Options – Every employee at our HQ offices has the option of a sitting/standing desk
- Leadership and Employee Development Training, including:
- Our remarkable in-house CORE, Senior Management Development, and Leadership Development Programs
- Language learning opportunities
- Continuous Improvement skill development programs
- Brown Bag information sharing sessions
- Work hard/Play hard! We make sure there’s ample opportunity for fun, engagement, and celebration while you work, such as networking events, March Madness, World Cup, Dodgeball Tournaments, Take Your Child to Work Day, Founder’s Day, and our annual Day of Service