ROLE PURPOSE: This role will work collaboratively with members and other departments of the Country office programme to ensure smooth management of EC/ECHO funded awards, sub awards and contracts. The person will manage one or two Award coordinators as required. The position will also be responsible for capacity building of staff and improving internal ways of working. The person will be a focal person for advising compliance requirements of EC/ECHO donor requirements.

The person will also require to manage awards directly. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will also have expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Head of Europe Awards Management

Staff reporting to this post: 2

Budget Responsibilities: 12Million USD/year

Role Dimensions: The role holder is responsible for the management all EC/ECHO portfolios with best communication and coordination skill with the EC/Echo portfolio director focusing on key award management deliverables and advisory role of the EC/ECHO donor requirements.  The person will also key contacts for member and EC/ECHO portfolio director.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Developing self and others; Working effectively with others

• Support the Head of Europe Awards Management and Award Director on the development and performance of the Award Management team.

• Support the delivery of capacity building both within the AM team and across the Country Office

• Carry out orientations and staff trainings for award management procedures, donor requirements et. for Save the Children staff and partner organizations.

• Build relationships with local donors, member key functional departments of the CO.

• Do a regular update for supervisor on a key improvement, areas of challenges and escalation of potential risk areas as required.

• Ensure performance objectives are developed, agreed and key awards management KPI are internalized and considered in the performance objectives and also reviewed as per the SCI HR policies for the direct reporting team.

 Communicating with impact, negotiation and coordination

• Work with program development unit on providing advice on donor compliance requirements   to ensure high quality proposals and budget.

• Review the proposal budget to ensure the donor compliance requirements are maintained.

• Follow up the pipe line EC/ECHO portfolios to ensure timely handover of the approved proposal and on time activation of awards.

• Coordinate the processes for donor reporting to ensure that reports are high quality, delivered on time and supported by auditable records.

• Maintain effective communications with Save the Children members regarding donor related issues

• Lead Award Kick off meetings to ensure that all award information is shared effectively with relevant staff, including field offices and partners

• Lead Close out process and work with members to ensure awards are closed out on time

• Coordinate with auditors as necessary

Compliance (systems, processes, donor)

• Clear understanding of SCI processes and key donor requirements specially EC and ECHO, and support teams across CO to ensure all opportunities, proposals, contracts and amendments follow SCI processes and donor requirements.

• Ensure EC/ECHO appropriate donor formats are available in-country and staff have a clear understanding of donor requirements/expectations throughout the award cycle.

• Ensure potential issues and amendment requests are flagged promptly to the Head of Europe Awards Management and Director of EC/ECHO portfolios, then to donors via the relevant member after the completion of IAAF.

• Ensure all AMS records are an accurate reflection of current award status at all times, and have all required documentation attached.
• Ensure all partners and sub-award agreements undergo legal vetting, are input into and approved through AMS, and work with relevant staff to ensure relevant donor requirements are understood by implementing partners (this may include capacity building)

Monitoring and analysis;

• Make sure budget tracking codes are prepared as per the reporting requirement of donor and shared for key relevant actors timely.

• Coordinate and make sure monthly award review meeting is conducted and key action points are captured and actioned.

•  Co-ordinate and ensure supportive field monitoring plan is prepared for all active awards including their corresponding partner.

• Strong financial skills including budget development, realignment and monitoring of compliance adherence across EC/ECHO awards portfolio.

Award Management leadership, portfolio management and strategy

• Ensure award management systems and processes are successfully implemented, and key controls are in place to support effective portfolio management and compliance with donor requirements.

• Ensure regular award monitoring across the country office and facilitate regular meetings with key stakeholders to ensure individual award performance is being tracked effectively, and that risks and issues are being recognised and action taken.

• Provide regular management information to Head of Europe Awards Management /Awards Director on the performance of the allocated portfolios.

• Support the Head of Europe Awards Management in the implementation of plans to address any performance issues identified through management information and KPI results

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values

• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same

• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters

• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity
  

QUALIFICATIONS

• BA Degree in business, finance, accounting, international development or other relevant fields.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• 8 years of relevant progressive experience, in managing donor funded projects with International NGO’s particularly those addressing human/children’s rights and those applying partnership approaches 

• Proven track record of in-country award portfolio management and knowledge of major donors’ compliance requirements especially on EC/ECHO.

• Experience communicating with impact in a complex stakeholder environment.

• Experience of staff management, supervision and capacity building in Award Management.

• Proven track record of supporting a senior management team.

• Problem solving skills to identify and lead the resolution of issues.

• Good attention to detail and analytical skills.

• Computer literate (i.e. Word, advanced Excel, Outlook, financial systems).

• Cultural awareness and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people.

• Patient, flexible, able to improvise and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure.

• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities.

• Basic understanding of operational programming, including the realities of the context

• Strong communication (written and spoken), and interpersonal skills in English, with experience in managing multicultural teams 

Desirable

• Experience with Save the Children Award Management System (AMS)

• Significant experience with NGOs in an international environment.

• Experience on managerial role
• Ability to advice on EC/ECHO donor requirement

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.