LINQ Grants Specialist

The Grants Specialist implements the administrative and operational aspects of the Project’s grant-making activities. This position oversees grant compliance. He/She ensures the completeness and quality of grant agreement, foundational documentation, grantee information, vetting, approvals, and tracks and monitors authorized grant expenditures. The Grants Specialist coordinates the Request for Applications for soliciting investment partners and supports the evaluation and selection of enterprises awarded grants. He/She maintains grantee reporting calendars, data provision, and the grant process including advertisement, assessment and selection, agreement preparation, monitoring, and closeout. The Grants Specialist also helps sub-grantees in day-to-day management of grants and communicates and follows-up with grantee to secure reports, cost-share documentation, and/or to get general updates. The Grants Specialist reports to the Chief of Party.

The main responsibilities include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Maintain the project grants manual, review, or adapt and update as necessary, to document procedures from announcement or release of an RFA, receipt of applications, analysis and due diligence, final selection and negotiation, grant writing and approval, monitoring compliance with the terms and objectives, and, finally, performance of the grantee.
• Work in coordination with Technical Team for oversight over the co-investment grants which may include review and evaluation, modifications or any other action that would be required to technical and budget soundness and compliance with USAID regulations, recommending award actions to the Technical Team.
• Act as a compliance reference point, closely liaising with HQ C&C for all related matters.
• Support the Chief of Party to submit subawards and grants to the donor for review and approval and help to respond to questions from USAID.
• Ensure all official papers for each grantee are collected and reviewed for accuracy and completeness as per compliance requirements.
• Conduct appropriate due diligence and vetting for each grantee using the Partner Vetting System (PVS) where applicable.
• Ensure environmental reviews are completed for each grant, follow-up with the technical team, and perform environmental assessments when applicable.
• Develop grant packages and coordinate the issuance of awards.  Maintain grant and subaward documentation, fully utilizing and managing information in the Cobblestone contract and grant management database and document management system.
• Oversee and structure regular grantee and subaward reporting on an agreed (quarterly) timeline. Monitor and track cost share contributions, performance reports, and compliance with award conditions.  Communicate and collaborate with MEL, Finance, and Technical Teams to gather data and share information.
• Communicate as necessary with project grantees, assisting and training the partners to complete reports requirements and maintain compliance with the terms of grant and subaward agreements. Conduct field visits to the grantees sites to monitor proper implementation of the award, collect relevant data and identify success stories and lessons learned. Coordinate with the other departments, Technical, MEL and Communication to ensure all grant requirements are met in a timely way.
• Conduct field visits to the grantees sites to monitor proper implementation of the award, collect relevant data and identify success stories and lessons learned. Coordinate with the other departments, Technical, MEL and Communication to ensure all grant requirements are met in a timely way.
• Oversee the proper close out of the grants while ensuring all documentation is duly collected and saved.  
• Orient and supervise the work of an intern.