The Senior Specialist, Grants & Contracts leads support to SCUS and SCI in the contractual oversight of Save the Children US (SCUS) awards throughout the award lifecycle.
The Senior Specialist’s portfolio includes a wide variety of donors including but not limited to international and domestic US Gov’t funding (e.g. USAID, OFDA, BPRM, DHHS, DOE, USDA), Global Fund, UNHCR, World Bank, WFP, and various corporate and foundation funders such as the Gates Foundation.
The Senior Specialist leads support in proposal and award review & approval; researches award compliance concerns and develops recommendations to support SCUS and donor requirements; reviews and assesses award data in SCUS systems; develops and leads training & capacity building; leads and participates in working groups; develops department resources; and sub award reviews.
Areas of Responsibility:
- Award Administration: Support assigned grant and contract award portfolio, ensure records are accurately set up in our award management and financial system; Review of cost proposals, solicitations, awards, modifications and other related grant and contract documents; provide feedback and identify risk factors on cost proposals, solicitations, awards, sub awards and modifications, FAR and AIDAR contract references; update and maintain templates and manuals; review and approve award-related data/ information in the organization’s award management and financial systems; assess the data quality within the systems, flag issues, and correct as needed. Liaise when contacted by relevant stakeholders in finance, billing, Award Management, on grant and contract reporting issues. Exercise independent judgment and discretion on significant matters related to functional area (70%)
- Infrastructure: Work with Grants & Contracts Policy & Compliance (GCPC) leadership, SCI, and other stakeholders, departments to ensure grants and contracts are managed efficiently through a variety of means; update policies; support SCUS and SCI in developing organizational capacity to administer grants and contracts. Facilitate, support, perform country office USAID readiness assessments as needed, and develop/update relevant rules and regulations. Develop and build relationships with peers, team, and other stakeholders. Provide information to managers and others so that they can make accurate decisions. Identify highlights and challenges, propose and develop solutions as needed. (10%)
- Training and Technical Assistance: Update, develop and deliver formal and informal trainings on grant and contract topics and develop/maintain resources, including innovative and interactive communications tools, share best practices; provide timely support. Focus on transferring knowledge on both grants and contracts administration and associated rules and regulations within and across teams, and with SCI to build increased organizational capacity. Lead targeted capacity building efforts to support internal stakeholders such as business teams. Take detailed rules, regulations, policies, etc. and clearly explain fundamental points to various audiences using a variety of training and capacity building methods (10%)
- Compliance: Maintain knowledge of USG and other major funder rules and regulations; communicate changes to SCUS and SCI; perform other duties as may be required (10%)
Educational Background:
Bachelor degree in Contracts Management, International Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration, or other relevant degree, or equivalent relevant experience required
Skills/Experience:
- You have a minimum 5-7 years' experience in regulatory and contracting activities throughout the award lifecycle
- Proven experience in the compliance function in the area of grants, contracts, especially USG federal awards (USAID). Global Fund, DHHS, UN agencies, WFP, and other donors helpful.
- Expert knowledge of federal assistance regulations and applicability is essential as is a strong foundation in USAID acquisition regulations (FAR, AIDAR).
- Demonstrated extensive experience in USAID budget review, award negotiation, donor rules and regulations interpretation, sub-agreement and subcontract management, and procurement regulations/process
- Extensive grants and contracts portfolio management experience
- Experience leading or supporting assessments such as USAID contract readiness assessments of country offices
- Ability to assess data quality within award and/or financial systems, flag and document issues, and correct when needed
- Proven experience in training and capacity building of various stakeholder groups
- Strong analytical and research skills
- Demonstrated collaborative and problem solving orientation with internal/external stakeholders
- Strong strategic planning, communications, and organizational skills
- Ability to prioritize workload and multitask in a high-paced, demanding environment
- Ability and willingness to travel approximately up to 15% of the time (US and international travel).
Preferred Qualifications
- French language proficiency to develop and facilitate training and capacity building of country office staff
- Experience working with documentation/workflow systems and financial systems
- Experience developing user-friendly policies, procedures, online training modules, and other resources for a variety of stakeholders with varied levels of understanding
- Experience supervising interns and consultants
- Understanding of federal and other donor audit requirements and related process for grants and contracts
Compensation/Benefits:
- 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 – Early release at 1:30 pm on selected Fridays during the summer months.
- 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
- Lunch and Learn 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
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Oct 4 2019
Active Until:
Nov 4 2019
Hiring Organization:
Save the Children US
industry:
Nonprofit