Afghanistan: Grants & Communications Manager

BACKGROUND:

The IRC opened the country program in Afghanistan in 1988. Our programs span the range from humanitarian relief to early recovery and development activities, focusing on emergency response, child protection, education, economic wellbeing, and health. The IRC works in 9 provinces throughout Afghanistan, among which some of the most security volatile, and employs nearly 1,000 staff.

Continued conflict and worsening drought conditions have driven thousands of displacements each month throughout Afghanistan. Compounding with displacements is a severe food security crisis, more than 250,000 people are currently displaced from drought affected areas across the Western Region. IRC is currently implementing emergency response programming to respond to the drought in Herat, Badghis and Helmand provinces and is currently scaling up our response.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Grants and Communications Coordinator provides essential grants management support to the grants unit to support IRC’s response to the drought in the west of the country. Based in the Kabul office and reporting to the Program Design & Grants Coordinator, the Grants and Communications Manager will ensure successful implementation of a portfolio of grants, ensuring timely and compliant reporting, spending and implementation in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving environment.

The Grants and Communications Manager will also be responsible for creating and updating communications materials about IRC’s drought response. The Manager will work closely with the Emergency Response, Grants, M&E, Finance and Compliance teams and be expected to travel to IRC’s field offices approximately 50% of the time.

Length of assignment: 12 months

Availability: Must be able to deploy within 2 weeks from date of offer.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Grants Management:

• Review and provide substantive feedback on donor reports, consulting with and ensuring input from relevant technical and financial staff. Ensure that reports are submitted on time.
• Keep the Grants Coordinator informed on any projected inabilities to meet contractual obligations, report submission and spend rates/significant budget variances. Be able to proactively mitigate risks through proposing remedial solutions.
• Provide technical guidance on IRC and donor regulations to Program Coordinators and other relevant staff to ensure compliance with implementation and reporting. Raise compliance issues proactively with program staff and the Grants Coordinator.
• Ensure the maintenance of the grants library which includes keeping hard and soft copies of all grant related material as required and needed ensure filling is compliant with donor and IRC policies.
• Ensure that relevant and required grant information is entered into IRC’s online Opportunities Tracking Information System (OTIS) in a timely manner.
• Ensure that all grant management meetings for their portfolio, such as grant opening, review and close out meetings, etc. are held regularly. In collaboration with the Grants Coordinator provide necessary information material and logistical support. As needed and required take minutes of meetings.
• Respond to inquiries and questions from IRC’s Regional Grants Department in a timely fashion and in collaboration with the Grants Coordinator Program Coordinators and DDP.
• If requested, support the Program Design & Grants Coordinator with development of project proposals

Communications:

• Create, review and update all internal and external communications documents such as sitreps, country updates, country fact sheets, etc. according to the required timelines and in coordination and with the input of relevant departments
• Capture success stories and photos, according to IRC policies, for use in communications materials

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Three years relevant work experience, previous NGO experience in a humanitarian context highly desirable
• University degree in a subject related to IRC’s work (International Relations, Refugee or Migration Studies, Development Studies, Public Policy) or equivalent experience
• Good understanding of humanitarian aid and development programming
• Experience with and an understanding of institutional donors and their requirements such as ECHO, UN, Sida, OFDA.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Good financial management skills
• Ability to analyze and synthesize information
• Solid organizational skills, detail-oriented, ability to multi-task and prioritize tasks, and to learn quickly
• Both a team player and an independent performer in a very fast paced environment
• Good command of Microsoft Office Programs

https://rescue.csod.com/ats/careersite/jobdetails.aspx?site=1&c=rescue&id=3254