Grants Coordinator

Background

Creative Associates International is a fast-growing, social impact company that specializes in the areas of education, economic growth, democratic transitions, and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, this global development organization has a field presence is more than 25 countries and a strong client portfolio of that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department. Since its founding in 1977 by four enterprising women, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike. 

Project Summary

Creative Associates seeks a Grants Coordinator for the USAID-funded West Bank and Gaza (WBG) Basic Education Activity, which will strengthen education services for Palestinian children of KG 1 through Grade 6 that enable them to thrive and reach their full developmental potential. Under the Basic Education Activity, USAID seeks to work with the private sector, non-formal, non-governmental, community-based, UN, and civil society partners to strengthen early childhood and primary educational opportunities through high-quality early childhood education services and supplemental support structures to strengthen foundational pre-primary and primary education for children in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. Specific areas of focus anticipated include strengthening foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, social-emotional learning (SEL)/soft skills, building teacher and student resilience capabilities and assets, and strengthening pathways between non-formal to formal education.

Position Summary

Creative Associates International seeks a Grants Coordinator for its Basic Education Activity that is awarded by USAID in September 2023. The Grants Coordinator will support the Grants Manager in managing potential grantees in Gaza and ensuring compliance with USAID and Creative policies and procedures.

Reporting & Supervision:

The Grants Coordinator will report to Gaza Lead and will work in close coordination the Grants Manager in Ramallah.

Primary Responsibilities:

Activity Development

• Contribute actively to internal discussions on programmatic strategy and activity ideas. 
• Conduct research and outreach to identify potential partners, consultants, and grantees for the program. 
• Support the Senior Grants Manager in developing targeted scopes of work and solicitations (Requests for Applications, Annual Program Statements.).
• Work in close collaboration with the Senior Program Development Officer and Grantees on the development of activity Implementation Plans and Budgets. 
• Conduct on-site grantee capacity assessments, including reviews of financial and administrative systems. 
• Follow-up with the technical team to obtain all necessary documents needed for the evaluation of grants applications.
• Coordinate and assist the procurement team in Gaza in ensuring that the grantees’ bid documents are submitted on time and comply with Creative’s procurement procedures.

Activity Implementation

• Ensure compliance with Creative’s grants policies as detailed in the Field Manual and the program’s Grants Manual. 
• Update and maintain grants files in Creative’s grants management system, SharePoint, as well as the SMART database.
• Mainly regular contact with BEA Gaza grantees under the grants officer’s portfolio, at a minimum through a weekly call. 
• Work with the Grants Manager in drafting Grant Agreements and related grant management documents (negotiation memorandum, environmental compliance forms, etc.) according to Creative’s policies and procedures.
• Facilitate grant kick-off meetings, coordinating with finance, procurement, and program staff.
• Conduct ad hoc activity site visits to understand how grantees are implementing their award. Write concise activity notes documenting such visits.
• Provides the Grant Manager with all invoices of procured items from the grantee.
• Monitor grant implementation by the grantee and identify and report any possible issues that may arise in a timely manner to the Grants Manager.

Activity Close-out

• Coordinate with the technical team to obtain and provide the Grants Manager with all grantee requests post-grant.
• Conduct a financial reconciliation of the activity budget in partnership with Procurement and Finance staff and advise the Senior Grants Manager funds need to be de-obligated.  
• Conduct final review of the grant files including media files (photos, videos) and ensure they have been uploaded to Creative’s grants management system (SMART) and SharePoint.
• Other tasks as assigned by the Grant Manager.

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Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or any related field.
• Minimum 5 years of work experience with 2 years in grants.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Good command of the English language.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft office software: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
• Strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills - ability to use and reason with quantitative data and qualitative inputs to structure compelling arguments for action.
• High level of initiative, self-motivation, resourcefulness, and patience – ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment and go above and beyond expectations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence, including strong judgment about people, in addition to experience working with diverse and often demanding personalities.
• Ability to listen, understand and communicate effectively in a wide variety of contexts and with a wide variety of people.
• Flexible; comfortable operating within a dynamic work environment and executing in situations where paths are unchartered.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage and multi-task across the project implementation process and competing deadlines.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and willingness to embrace an iterative process.

Desired Qualifications & Skills:

• Two years of USAID project work experience.
• Proven excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills.

Proven experience working in a rapidly changing environment.

Please submit your CV and Cover Letter indicating the position title in the subject line to: [email protected] The deadline for receiving the applications is Thursday 17 October 2024 by 4:00 pm (Ramallah Time).

Only finalists will be contacted.  No phone calls, please.

Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran.