Job description

About FSD Africa 

FSD Africa works to reduce poverty by strengthening Africa’s financial markets. Established in 2012 and supported by UK Aid, FSD Africa is a specialist development agency working to build and strengthen financial markets across sub-Saharan Africa. They work to reduce poverty through a ‘market systems development’ approach, which means they aim to address the structural, underlying causes of poverty by improving how financial market systems function.

They believe that investing in building a financial system that is transparent, stable and accessible creates the conditions for a fair and sustainable future, where inequality is reduced, corruption is tackled, and where individuals, businesses and governments alike are able to prepare for future challenges, from climate change to political instability.

From their headquarters in Nairobi, their team of financial sector experts work alongside governments, business leaders, regulators and policymakers to design and build ambitious programmes that make financial markets work better for everyone. Depending on the project, they can provide a combination of grants, investment capital, market insights or technical assistance to ensure they achieve their objectives.

They focus their work where the need is greatest, and where they believe the potential for impact is the most significant. FSDA has a specific mandate to invest in breakthrough, innovative ideas that they believe can have transformative impact. By sharing risk with key partners, they’re able to address more difficult, persistent, or higher-risk challenges, in more unstable or fragile geographies, than traditional development finance organisations.

About the role

The Grants and Contracts Manager will play a key role in supporting pillar heads, senior managers and other stakeholders in reviewing grant requirements, collaborative agreements etc. and provide compliance & contract management advisory services to enable effective management of contractual risks relating to grants and contracts management.

The role holder will serve as the main point of contact in administering the facilitation and application of grant agreements, service and supply contracts, cooperative agreements and downstream contracting by implementing partners, as well as monitoring financial performance

against agreed timelines and any modifications thereto. S/he will also ensure compliance with memoranda of understanding and agreements entered into with FCDO and other donors.

Key Responsibilities: 

1.    Systems & Policy Development

• Ensure that FSD Africa is provided with Grants and Contracts Management support, establishing systems and policies necessary to accomplish strategic and tactical objectives.
• Review, improve and contribute to policies and procedures for the successful management and supervision of Grants and Contracts.
• Ensure FSD Africa is itself fully compliant with the contractual reporting requirements of all its principal funder and other donors.

2.    Grants & Contracts Management & Advisory

• Ensure that grants, contracts, agreements and internal policies follow all statutory, tax and regulatory requirements and are designed to work for the overall benefit of the organisation; ensure adherence to and compliance with agreements and contracts of FSD Africa’s funders and related donors.
• Manage full cycle grant and contract award administration.
• Track changes to, research, interpret and advise on FCDO and any other client rules and regulations.
• Monitor amendments to FCDO’s Memorandum of Understanding as well as researching, interpreting, advising – and tracking any changes to - rules and requirements relating to any/all other donor agreements
• Maintain a record of amendments to all FSD Africa’s grant agreements and service contracts with downstream partners
• Conduct trainings on grants and contracts compliance issues for FSD Africa staff
• Collaborate with internal and external partners in planning, implementing and evaluating grants performance.
• Maintains effective working relationships with all staff, stakeholders, partners, grantees, contractors and donors.
• Draft, review or modify (as necessary) organisational grants, contracts, agreements and internal policies; track validity and status of contracts; manage renewals, extensions and any other necessary amendments in collaboration with the procurement and finance teams, programme assistants, contract owners and other stakeholders.
• Liaise with the Procurement team to ensure all procurements carried out by grantees are compliant with FSD Africa, FCDO and other donors’ rules and regulations.
• Participate in the negotiation of contracts between FSD Africa on the one hand and implementing Partners on the other hand; seek appropriate legal counsel where modification of contracts is necessary
• Support the development and implementation of grant governance strategies for bridging any partner capacity gaps that are identified during due diligence assessments; internal audit, compliance reviews, ensure appropriate levels of due diligence are carried out on new grantees and implementing partners.
• Monitor and report on implementation and performance issues of downstream sub-partner contracts in collaboration with programme and Measurement and Results Management teams.
• Work with pillar leads to ensure the proper maintenance and filing of all grants, contracts and sub-contracts.
• Maintain close coordination  between grantees, consultants and relevant project managers during execution of grant agreements and services contracts, to track milestones, timelines, deliverables, expenditure and ensure compliance.
• Prepare regular reports on the performance of grantees and consultants and signal any significant delays or other issues that might impact implementation to the relevant management team.
• Ensure quality information management related to grants by overseeing the regular maintenance of grant files, reporting calendars, and updating of internal documentation.
• Work with the finance team to ensure commitment values of contracts are assessed periodically, updated in the commitment schedule and provided to finance to facilitate accurate determination of the Accounting Deferred schedule.
• Assist in drafting financial reports for FCDO and other donors in coordination with finance and pillar teams.

3. Budgeting and Reporting

• Manage processes that ensure grantees are fully compliant with reporting requirements (particularly relating to budgeted expenses) as specified in FSD Africa’s Grant Agreements.
• Partner with pillar heads, senior managers and other stakeholders to develop grant and contract budgets and forecasts in line with donor regulations.
• Recommend or facilitate opportunities to help build staff and partner capacity in budget formulation/management. 
• Develop time allocation plans for assigned grants and contracts as well as participate in year-end close-out of grants and contracts in preparation for the annual audit.   

4. Risk & Compliance

• Work with FSD Africa Risk & Compliance Manager, and FSDA Risk Portfolio Manager in guiding the company in developing and maintaining effective compliance programmes and related activities, in order to prevent illegal, unethical or improper conduct.
• This role will work with the Results team and relevant pillar staff to ensure oversight during implementation and close-out of grants. This will include risk assessments on Safeguarding and related areas.
• The jobholder will advise staff on contractual and grant issues, compliance with donors’ requirements, and implementation of policies related to downstream partners’ contracts’ management and risk mitigation.
• The jobholder will establish and manage the grants process and provide oversight of the implementing partners’ grants and contracts including review of all partner financial documents/reports, review and approval of advances and liquidations, asset and inventory management including transfer of expendable and non-expendable supplies and equipment at the end of a project.
• Provide risk and compliance advice information to staff and retained consultants within FSD Africa, and FSD Africa (Investments) to grants and contracts management,  internal policies and procedures, and donor conditions and expectations
• Provide expert advice to implementing partners on audit requirements.
• Work collaboratively with the Director Corporate Services to contribute to the continued development of the organisation-wide risk management matrix, and lead risk mitigation in the grants and contracts space.
• Provide reports on a regular basis, and as directed or requested, to keep senior management and the Finance Audit & Risk Committee (FARC) of the Board informed of the operation and progress of legal compliance efforts; attend and contribute to FARC meetings as required.
• Assess any issues that might arise and recommend the initiation of investigative procedures where necessary or in response to alleged violations of rules, regulations, policies, procedures.
• Develop, manage and monitor FSD Africa’s risk mitigation plan for grant agreements and service contracts.

5.     Shared Service & Network Support

• As a member of the Corporate Services leadership team, participate in identifying and meeting FSD Network-wide needs for the provision of shared services; lead the provision of advisory services in regard to grants and contracts management.
• Clarify what aspects of grants and contracts management may reasonably be extended as a shared service to the Network and set up the structure and resourcing necessary to deliver them.
• Ensure that FSD Network members are informed of the services that are available to them and develop a quick and easy mechanism for requesting support; in case of a high volume of requests for support, create a system for prioritising and communicating timelines for resolving Network members’ issues/challenges.
• Coordinate with the pillar teams on selection, institutional capacity development plans and overall partnership development methodologies.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with FSD Network staff.
• Make training on grants and contracts compliance issues available for FSD Network staff.

Does this sound like you?

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, or related field: Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of finance professional experience with at least 3 years of grants and contracts management experience for donor-funded programmes.
• Deep experience working with grantees and implementing partner organisations.
• Significant experience with budgets and financial forecasts, monitoring and reporting to donors.
• Good understanding of donor requirements, e.g. EU, FCDO (SIDA, Gates, USAID)
• Personal and professional integrity, flexibility, initiative and a “can-do” attitude and meticulous attention to detail
• Experience in financial capacity building of non-finance managers, in particular working with partner organisations (establishing and operationalizing partnership agreements, capacity building)
• Excellent written and spoken English

Nice to have:

• Experience working in a multicultural environment.
• Proven track record building local capacity with nascent organisations and understanding of institutional organisational development preferred
• Solid background working with FCDO funded programmes.
•  Languages: English, Swahili and/or other African languages.

Persons of all gender, race, sex, orientation, age, and identity are encouraged to apply.