Scope of Work

USAID Sustainable Food Entrepreneurship

Grants and Partnerships Manager

Antananarivo / Fort Dauphin, Madagascar (TBD)

1.    Background

DAI seeks a Grants and Partnerships Manager for an upcoming USAID-funded opportunity in Madagascar entitled Sustainable Food Entrepreneurship. This new activity will focus within the Feed the Future Zone of Influence (ZOI), specifically within the ZOI in Anosy, Androy, and Toliara, and will layer with other donors and USAID projects, particularly Harena, USDA Food for Progress, Harena, Riake, and Rano WASH. The activity will have two components:

1.     Increasing sustainable production of diverse and nutritious foods: addressing the low productivity and vulnerability of local food crops, livestock, and fisheries, increasing food security and strengthening value chains by focusing on a diversified, climate-sensitive approach; and

2.    Strengthening resilient market systems: strengthening the private sector and entrepreneurship to create opportunities and build resilience of Madagascar’s food systems, and encouraging, facilitating, and mobilizing private sector investment and financial services to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

2.    Position Purpose

The Grants and Partnerships Manager will be responsible for managing the project grants fund and providing day-to-day management of the project’s partnerships. S/he will oversee the full award cycle for grants from solicitation to close out, working with senior technical and operational staff to design, deliver, and monitor grants and subawards. S/he will ensure compliance of grants/subawards with USAID rules and regulations as well as DAI policies. S/he will translate the project technical vision into a grants/subawards program that supports adoption of sustainable agricultural approaches, improves food security, and enables private sector partners to invest in local agricultural businesses.

3.    KEy Duties & Responsibilities

·       Establish and enforce project systems and procedures to ensure that the Project´s grants and partnership (including local subcontracts and other technical procurement)program is carried out in compliance with DAI and USAID systems, policies, and procedures.

·       Establish clear grants and partnership policies, procedures, and systems, update the grants/partnership manual (and/or internal workflows), as needed, and ensure effective communication for systematizing grant award administration procedures that blend technical and operational innovation.  

·       Provide support to program staff as well as grantees/partners to ensure adherence to the Grants/Partnership Manual (and/or internal workflows) and USAID policies and the delivery of on-time technical excellence, evidence, and learning under the grants fund.  

·       Oversee and manage the full award cycle for grants/partnerships, from solicitation to close out. Lead technical evaluation committee and cost reasonableness reviews, prepare approval request documents, monitor and manage milestone completion, review and approval. 

·       Manage and maintain proper grant/partnership files.

·       Conduct pre-award audits of possible grantee/partner organizations, in addition to periodic audits during implementation and at close-out.

·       Oversees the process and provides input into and feedback on draft partnerships descriptions (grant/partnership agreement SOWs) and milestones, ensures quality control of grant/partnership agreement SOWs (especially the milestones), and drafts the means of verification for milestones.

·       Manage and track completion of milestone and the respective payment requests for milestones. Leads the process to review milestones assure they are complete collaborates with the Engagement/Technical Managers who review for quality and to assure that grant/partnership milestones meet the grant/partnership objectives in accordance with the partnership descriptions. Also track the internal approvals of each milestone.    

·       Ensure all grant/partnership budget estimates meet the standards of allowability, allocability, cost reasonableness, and consistency.  

·       Draft USAID approval requests and ensures all required approvals are received.

·       Provide training and support to project staff to ensure coherent administration and management of the grant/partnership portfolio across project objectives.

·       Ensure the provision of adequate support, training, and capacity development for local grantee/partnership organizations to manage grants and subawards.

·       Provide guidance and interpretation of policies and procedures for program staff as well as grantees/partners to ensure adherence to management policies.

·       Manage the grant/partnership solicitation/award process as well as the evaluation and selection process, which include ensuring proper negotiation of the terms and conditions for performance-based  and in-kind awards.  

·       Analyze and evaluate grant/partnership applications, proposals, and awards to ensure adherence to management policies.

·       Ensure proper negotiation of the terms and conditions for grants/partnerships.

·       Contribute to the Project’s efforts to meet grant/partnership leverage requirements and ensure accurate and timely valuation and documentation. 

·       Supervise grants and partnerships staff to support implementation of the grants and partnership program.

·       All other duties as assigned. 

4.    minimum Qualifications

·       Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, law, contract management, or related field required; Advanced degree preferred.

·       At least 5 years of grants management experience for USAID-funded grants.

·       Demonstrated knowledge of USAID Automated Directive Systems and Federal Acquisition Regulations pertaining to grants under contract, subcontracts, and procurement.  

·       Experience assessing the responsibility and grant-worthiness of organizations through financial statements, audits, and other documentation presented in a proposal or in support of an award.

·       Proven ability to lead award processes and multi-stakeholder discussions for driving the evolution of program descriptions and/or scopes of work from solicitation to activity closeout.    

·       Excellent writing and communications skills with particular experience in developing justifications for contracts and grants award documentation; development of manuals, policies, and procedures; and data-driven tracking and reporting for grants and subcontracts management.  

·       Proven experience managing a small team or demonstrated leadership within a team.

·       Excellent communications skills and ability to support continuous improvement.

·       Professional-level oral and written fluency in English and French required; professional-level oral and written fluency in Malagasy also highly preferred.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting discrimination in all forms, nurturing respect for our interpersonal relationships, and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work.  DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

DAI Organization and Values

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner. DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

DAI is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a commitment to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.