USAID/Ethiopia Urban WASH Activity

Grant Assistants-Field Office Background

Founded in 1975, Chemonics International Inc. (Chemonics), is a US-based international development consulting company, operating in over 75 countries worldwide. Chemonics was recently awarded the five-year, $44.9 million USAID-funded Urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) project in Ethiopia. The purpose of this Activity will be to support accelerated access to safe, adequate, inclusive, and resilient WASH services targeting urban and peri-urban areas. The Activity will work to achieve this through four complementary objectives: 1) Enable and professionalize WASH service providers; 2) Foster markets for pro-poor and inclusive WASH services; 3) Strengthen WASH planning, budgeting, and service delivery oversight; and 4) Strengthen accountability among urban WASH sector actors. The USAID Urban WASH Activity will be implemented in up to 10 urban cities in Ethiopia namely, Adama, Bishoftu, Mekele, Bahir Dar, Dessie, Kobolcha, Shashemene, Hawassa, Harar and Dire Dawa.

Purpose

Chemonics seeks Grants Assistant for the USAID Urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Activity. The Grants Assistant will support the Addis Ababa-based Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager and the Grants Officer with the oversight of all grant activities in their assigned region, including ensuring efficient and proper controls for USAID grant compliance and reporting; coordinating training and grants administration with NGOs grantees; and reviewing and submission of financial reports as required for each grant in the field. This position will report to the Regional WASH Services Lead, with frequent oversight and coordination with the Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager. The Grants Assistant will be based in the Hawassa with frequent travel to Shashemene.

Responsibilities  

• Support the Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager in all aspects of grant management of the Urban WASH grants portfolio in target areas ensuring grant effectiveness and in compliance with USAID and Chemonics procedures from development through solicitation to closeout cycle. 

• Assist in scheduling proposal evaluations, pre award assessment visits and training. 

• Support the Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager in reviewing all sub-grant applications, deliverables (in collaboration with the technical specialists), and financial reports for quality, contractual consistency, accuracy, and compliance with USAID regulations.  

• Support grant-level procurement; budget tracking; deliverable tracking; conduct field visits to support activity implementation and monitoring.

• Reviews sub-grantees liquidation and financial reports and provides summaries to the project’s Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager on a monthly basis.

• Maintain complete grant files of all documentation generated per grantee, ensuring they are always up to date.

• Supports project audits, grantor’s audit, or monitoring visits.

• In close coordination with the Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager and Grant Officer, regularly update grant trackers, or other tracking tools, and attend and contribute to grants-related meetings.

• Under the guidance of the Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager, and working closely with Urban WASH team members, provides mentoring support to grantee to strengthen and improve grant management capacity for improved performance.

• Travel to field locations, as needed, to support the Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager and Grants Officer in award, negotiations, implementation, and close-out.   

• Promote the highest levels of honesty, integrity, openness and transparency in administering grants award processes and procedures.

• Other grant management related tasks assigned by the Senior Grants/Subcontracts Manager and by the immediate supervisor, the Regional WASH Services Lead.

Job Requirements

Qualifications:

• Secondary education required; bachelor's degree in finance, Business Administration, or related fields preferred

• One to two years’ experience in grants management, accounting and financial management

• Demonstrated experience in financial administration, budget and cost control management 

• Demonstrated knowledge of USAID grant rules and regulations, previous experience working on USAID-funded projects is preferred.

• Excellent record keeping and documentation skills are required.

• Good communication and interpersonal skills required.

• Strong ability to collaborate and build partnerships with U.S. government agencies, donor agencies, international organizations, and the private sector  

• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity;

• Proficiency with software such as Microsoft Office Suite;

•  Fluency in English with excellent oral and written communication skills required; proficiency in Amharic, Afan Oromo, and/or Tigrigna preferred.

How to Apply

Please apply by using this link. Applications must be submitted by the end of the day on December 21, 2023. Early applications are strongly encouraged and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No telephone inquiries, please.

EEO Statement  

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.