Position: Grants Manager
Project title: Farm to Fork Academy for Green Western Balkans – Our shared European future’
Project number: IPA III 2022/441-175
Deadline: 28 June 2024
Duty station: Tirana, Albania
Duration and type of contract: 20 months (75% of working time)
Start date: 1 September 2024
Join our team!
We are hiring a grant manager for our regional project!
The Albanian Network for Rural Development is a genuine initiative of civil society that seeks to contribute to the development of rural communities by taking up an active role in the processes and reforms of the rural development sector. Established on the 11th of December 2015, ANRD is a membership organization currently encompassing 34 member organizations with long standing experiences and consolidated profiles in important activities of rural development.
The Regional Project ‘Farm to Fork Academy for Green Western Balkans – Our shared European future’ focuses on strengthening the contribution of civil society actors across WB-6 in the implementation of the EU integration and approximation process in the six Western Balkan countries (WB-6) in the agricultural and rural development sector through advancing the green and just transition in the region. The action intends to create a better environment for CSOs and CSO Networks to proactively contribute to addressing societal challenges related to climate changes and biodiversity losses through building competencies able to assist farming and rural communities toward green and just transition across the region, and at the same time to sustain participatory and constructive policy dialogue to accelerate the alignment with the EU Green Deal and F2F Strategy.
The project partners – the family of National Rural Development Networks (NRDNs) in the WB-6 and Croatia and their regional cooperation platform Balkan Network for Rural Development (BRDN) are leading the way in tackling today’s critical issues concerning sustainable rural development. The genuine civil society networks support the formulation and implementation of agriculture and rural development policies at national and regional level in the light of the principles that guide the European integration processes of the region. The proposed action reflects the project partners’ shared vision in contributing to the implementation of the EU integration and approximation process in the WB in agricultural and rural development sector. The project partners are aware of the important role of civil society sector (CSOs and CSO Networks) in the region in addressing societal challenges, whereas they have limited capacities toward contributing to long-term social and economic transformation of the region.
Albanian Network for Rural Development will lead the implementation of the project jointly with other NRDNs in WB-6 which are responsible for the successful implementation of the project in their respective countries.
Grant manager for the EU funded Regional Project – Farm to Fork Academy for Green Western Balkans – Our shared European future!
The grant manager will be accountable for managing the sub-granting schemes to the Local Actions Groups and Civil Society Organizations in the 6 Western Balkan Countries, by coordinating the process for the Call for Proposals, contracting, supporting, and monitoring of the implementation of the grants, including regular reporting and fulfilling other relevant duties in accordance with grants management.
Main responsibilities of the Grants Manager:
- In consultation with other members of the Grants Management Team, implement transparent and effective grants management processes.
- Monitor and document the grantmaking workflow processes, forms, templates, reports, and data.
- Contribute to the management control, oversight, and quality assurance of the grant’s portfolio in accordance with donor’s regulations and the project’s grants manual.
- Oversee and manage solicitations, applications, payments, deliverable approvals, implementation, and closeout processes.
- Provide advice, training, and technical support to grantees.
- Ensure that all grantee deliverables are received, tracked, filed, and in compliance with project objectives and requirements.
- Monitor grants for legal, financial, and program compliance including but not limited to ensuring that grant requirements are correctly documented in the grant files and database.
- Maintain close communication and positive working relations at all times with relevant implementing partners.
- Problem-solve, if applicable, to complex grant scenarios.
- Partner with the executive director, finance officer, project manager as well as the other project staff as to ensure efficient management of all aspects of the grant program in accordance with the intern financial procedures of the organization, requests of the donor and existing laws.
Specific grant management responsibilities:
- Prepare Call for Application and Lead the information sessions.
- Coordinate the grants evaluation commission.
- Manage the portfolio of grants in accordance with established processes.
- Review incoming reports against predicted spend and assess whether on time and on budget.
- Review the narrative reports of grant holders and provide feedback on the level of achievement, need for further information and recommendations for improvement.
- Assist in developing narrative and financial report templates for grant holders.
- Check that criteria for reviewing reports are well-defined and reviewed on a regular basis.
- Assist in the synthesis of reports and in drafting narrative documents and reports for donors.
- Carry out monitoring visits to grant holder institutions, including in-country.
- Contribute to cross-program sharing and learning activities and events.
- Build positive and trusting relationships with grant holders.
- With other members of the Project Team, identify grant holders with specific performance issues that need to be addressed and agree appropriate action to help resolve them.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in business administration or equivalent degree relevant to the call
- At least 5 years of relevant experience to the call in private and/or public sector
- Experience with grants management, especially with EU funds and demonstrate good understanding of EU donor rules and regulations.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the practical guide on Contract Procedures for the European Union external action (PRAG)
- Good personal organizational skills, including time management, and ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.
- Demonstrate willingness to travel.
- Excellent oral and written English language communication skills.
- Budgeting and accounting experience is an asset
- Advanced computer skills, especially MS Excell and MS Word, internet browsing and e-mail communication.
- Strong writing skills
Competences:
- Attention to details, precision, and accuracy in performing tasks.
- Proactive, creative, solution-oriented person
- Good time management skills
- Flexibility and adaptability of the work challenges
- Ability to meet deadlines, work on own initiative and consult where appropriate.
- Teamwork
- Availability and willingness to travel.
- Strong commitment to ANRD mission and values
- Highly motivated self-starter
- Intercultural sensitivity and awareness
Application and deadline:
Please send your application, including a i) cover letter expressing your interest and suitability for the position, ii) curriculum vitae, iii) copy of the diploma, iv) three references contact details to [email protected] by 28.06.2024 with ‘Grant Manager” in the subject line.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.