Grants Manager

Job Summary / Responsibilities:

• Responsible for a comprehensive analysis of contract terms and conditions to ensure that the organization has the organizational capacity or is able to acquire the necessary capacity to successfully perform and meet contractual obligations.
• Provide expert interpretation of donor (USG and non-USG) rules and regulations.
• Monitor standardization of administrative procedures for efficient award and sub award management.
• Develop contractual documents including templates and ancillary business forms
• Provide capacity building and replication of contract portfolio management systems and best practices in award and sub award management.
• Lead or supervise other staff in the efficient operation and maintenance of an effective contracts portfolio management system.
• Work in partnership with operations staff and other enterprise services staff to achieve successful and compliant contract performance.
• Contract interpretation, compliance with regulatory requirements and restrictions, sub award administration, and donor relations among others.
• Reviews and negotiate critical award terms and conditions. 
• Identify significant risks and recommend plan for mitigation including justification of working at risk. 
• Manages contract set-up in the contract management and/or financial management system. 
• Advises senior management on matters of concern and elements of risk that can be detrimental to successful contract performance. Recommend alternative approaches to overcome any negative impact. 
• Reviews the work of contract specialists before submission to donors. These will include contract add-ons, budget realignments, cost extensions, and other transactions requiring donor approval such as sub awards, salaries, consultant rates, waivers, etc. The contracting officer will handle the more complicated or business-sensitive transactions. 
• Conducts complex negotiations requiring senior staff engagement. 
• Develops and maintain strong relationships with counterparts (internal and external). 
• Responds to audit matters (internal and external). 
• Articulates and advocate for the organization’s position on matters of regulation and other contractual issues. 
• Collaborates with operations staff and other enterprise services staff to monitor prime contract and subcontract performance. 
• Negotiates substantive provisions in lower- tier subcontracts. 
• Trains other staff in standardized procedures for efficient award and sub award management. 
• Manages input to contract close-out. 
• Advises executive leadership and general staff on critical contractual issues and indications of high risk based on established expert knowledge of organizational policy, donor regulations, and specific award terms and conditions. Level of interaction can be at the highest level in the organization. 
• Reviews and negotiate critical contracts, subcontracts and modifications. 
• Closely engage in managing disputes, business-sensitive transactions, and delicate customer relationships to preserve the reputation and good standing of the organization. 
• Leads in seeking reconsideration of requests denied by donors such as those for salaries, consultant rates, budget revisions, procurement, subcontracts, waivers, etc. 
• Contributes to the development and delivery of specialized training to staff on policy, regulations, and best practices in contract administration. 
• Conducts periodic reviews of the contract portfolio with the senior management. 
• Demonstrates deepened expertise, professional growth, and managerial and leadership skills through evidence of effective crisis management. 
• Trains, coaches, and mentors contracts department staff on the values and key competencies to be successful in performing the tasks above.