The agency is seeking to hire full-time a highly motivated and experienced individual to work as part of an interdisciplinary Programming and Training Team to manage multiple grant programs. The grants coordinator candidate must have exceptional organizational skills, good interpersonal skills and must be able to multi-process and work under pressure. In addition, the incumbent must have demonstrated advance proficiency in Microsoft Office 2007 and 2010.

The position is based in Accra and reports to the Director of Programming and Training (DPT).

Job Number: PC 14011

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Peace Corps is an agency that promotes international peace, friendship, and sustainable development by providing trained men and women, Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs), to serve in countries that have requested assistance. In PC-Ghana, the Grants Coordinator – PEPFAR/Malaria works as part of an interdisciplinary Programming and Training Team and manages multiple grant programs in order to ensure that PC – Ghana’s Malaria and HIV-AIDS grants and programs are performing optimally. The Grants Coordinator – PEPFAR/Malaria manages funding for grants which strengthen individual and community capacity to prevent the further spread of Malaria and HIV and mitigate its impact through community-owned, culturally appropriate and evidence-based interventions. The Grants Coordinator –PEPFAR/Malaria also serves as a support person for Volunteers on navigating the PCGO online grant application process.

The Grants Coordinator supports the U.S. Peace Corps mission in Ghana in the following main areas:

1. Grants Management 50%
2. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting 20 %
3. Knowledge Management and Promotion 20%
4. Training 10%

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Grants Management – 50%

The Grants Coordinator – PEPFAR/Malaria is responsible for the day-to-day administration of grant projects at Post. The coordinator serves as the primary PEPFAR and Malaria grant program contact at Post for Volunteers, other Post staff, and Peace Corps/headquarters grant program support staff. The Coordinator is responsible for understanding program requirements and guidance and for ensuring that the Post’s policies, procedures, and approved grants are consistent with such guidance.

Specific duties include the following:

Grant program management and oversight

•   Program expertise: Understand grant program rules and requirements; keep abreast of updates/best practices for Malaria and PEPFAR grant programs and convey updates to the small grants committee and Volunteers.
•   Communicate with Peace Corps/headquarters: Primary liaison with Peace Corps/headquarters on grant program(s); contact Peace Corps/headquarters grant program points of contact with questions and program updates; submit all required reports to Peace Corps/headquarters.
•   Grant files: Establish and maintain official grant files.
•   Small grants committee: Organize, prepare for, and facilitate small grants committee meetings.

Seeking and allocating funds

•   Provide support to CD and DPT in determining funding needs and negotiating new funds; provide input on funding needs based on remaining carryover funds and spending patterns.

Working with funding partners/donors

•   Liaison: As delegated by the CD, serve as day-to-day liaison with in-country funding partners (USAID or other) regarding ongoing grant program operations.
•   Reports: Support DPT/CD in drafting regular reports to USAID or other funding partners.

Financial management of grant funds

•   Funding balances: In coordination with the administrative unit, track grant spending and available funds by grant program and by funding areas (e.g., by SPA program element).
•   Work with administrative unit to ensure financial processing of approved grants.

Orienting and training Volunteers

•   Orientation session for Volunteers: Work with DPT to introduce grant programs to PCVs.
•   Advise PCVs on accessing grant funds and developing projects.

Project design

•   Understand PDM tools and ensure Post consistency.
•   Provide Volunteers with feedback on applications submitted for approval.
•   Communicate potential activities and prohibited activities.

Project review and approval

•   Receive grant applications from Volunteers and disseminate to small grants committee members and appropriate APCDs.
•   Facilitate communication with Volunteers to follow up on requested application revisions.
•   Ensure that funds are available in the proper funding source (including proper program element for SPA) prior to recommending approval of grants.

Project implementation

•   If a project is to be canceled, transferred, or amended, the Grants Coordinator must work with the Volunteer sponsor to report to the relevant Peace Corps/headquarters office.

Project tracking and monitoring

•   Track the status of all ongoing grant projects.
•   Provide status updates to the CD, Post staff, and relevant Peace Corps/headquarters staff.

Reporting and closeout

•   When a Volunteer finishes the completion report, the Grants Coordinator-PEPFAR must ensure that the report meets all general Grants Program guidelines. If the Coordinator is satisfied that the project has met the guidelines, the report is submitted to the Director of Management and Operations. The Grants Coordinator must maintain PEPFAR grant program records at post.
•   Collect and process all grant reports and training activity reports (send reports to PC/headquarters and enter data into reporting workbooks).
•   Provide regular updates on PEPFAR grants to USAID or other donors.

Program learning and evaluation

•   Compile best practices to be used in future program planning.

2. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting 20%

•   Track individual grant applications and projects through cooperation with MRE Specialist, PCVs, APCDs, and partners;
•   Collect information and maintain records to document the implementation, outcomes and results of grant activities;
•   Conduct field visits, in coordination with other staff, to monitor implementation progress and to lend support to Volunteers and their communities in the implementation of grant activities;
•   Visit a sampling of sites after PCVs departure to evaluate sustainability of funded projects.
•   Report timely and up-to-date grant program progress information to all grant collaborators (USAID, PC Ghana, Office of Private Sector Initiatives (OPSI), PC Washington, Office of AIDS Relief (OAR) and meets all deadlines for report submission;
•   Publish grant program progress, updates, and information in the PC Ghana newsletter;
•   Work with the MRE Specialist, PEPFAR and Food Security Coordinators to ensure proper monitoring, evaluation, and reporting practices for grants are maintained; and
•   Help compile information for the Training Status Reports (TSR) and Project Status Reports (PSRs).

3. Knowledge Management and Grant Promotion 20%

•   Produce lessons learned and success story vignettes on successful grant activities performed via PC Ghana and through Peace Corps worldwide;
•   Establish a network of peers at other Peace Corps programs to share best practices in the promotion of grant ideas within the PC Ghana PCV community;
•   Compile summative grant lists that can be shared with the PCV audience to transfer knowledge and encourage experimentation and the scaling up of grant ideas in their communities;
•   Use the VRT feedback process to identify potential PCVs who might benefit from pursuing grant opportunities for their communities. Brainstorms grant ideas with those PCVs.

4. Training 10%

•   Publicize and distribute materials on all grant programs to PCVs during training events (PST, IST, etc.);
•   Keep up-to-date on new and revised grant policies and provide updates to PC Staff and PCVs;
•   Inform PCVs about other grant opportunities and assist them in application requirements; and
•   Develop resources for and provide training to PCVs about grant programs, requirements, application procedures, and how to report grant activities in Volunteer Report Forms (VRFs) and other grant-specific requirements.

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Bachelor’s Degree; Masters desired
•   Minimum of 3 years of grant management experience
•   Minimum of 3 years of experience in a cross-cultural setting/environment
•   Strong ability to produce materials and resources for grant program and training development
•   A demonstrated advanced proficiency using Microsoft Office

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

•   Knowledge and understanding of US values, history, and culture
•   Willingness to travel frequently and work in various regions, including rural areas of Ghana
•   Excellent speaking, writing and presentation skills
•   Established working relationships with local and international grant and donor agencies
•   Proven Exceptional organization skills
•   Ability to multi process and work under pressure.

Salary: GH¢ 35,000 to GH¢ 45,000 PA plus benefits

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Qualified applicants must submit the following or the application will not be considered:

1) A detailed résumé or C.V. stating your experience, skills and qualifications that includes 3 professional references.
2) A cover letter
3) Any other documentation (e.g., certificates, awards, copies of degrees earned) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.

Write the job number and position title as email subject and submit the application packet electronically to:-

jobs@gh.peacecorps.gov

Closing Date: 23 January, 2015

All experience, skills and qualifications will be verified. In addition, employment is contingent on a favorable security background check.