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Program / Department Summary
Working in neighboring Zimbabwe since 2002, Mercy Corps began operations in Mozambique in early 2020 as part of a multi-country program to address the drivers of and pathways to violent extremism in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Mozambique. Mercy Corps is building on this program to establish a broader presence in Mozambique to address some of the country’s most complex challenges. Leveraging our core global and regional capacities, Mercy Corps aims to address the humanitarian crisis in the North, the underlying chronic development challenges, and the compounding challenges of weak governance, conflict, and climate change to bring value on interventions for peacebuilding and local governance strengthening; market systems strengthening; youth employment; resilience, DRM, and climate change adaptation; and systems strengthening for food security.
Mercy Corps is seeking a qualified Grants & Finance Director for the anticipated USAID-funded Stability Through Economic Progress, Unity, and Peacebuilding (STEP UP) Activity in Mozambique. The Activity is expected to support local businesses and civil society through grants and capacity development; increase opportunities for economic growth and diversification; and improve social cohesion within communities. STEP UP will empower local communities, especially in Cabo Delgado and other areas prone to conflict, to drive their own social and economic development through providing opportunities and tools (including but not limited to grant challenges and activities that strengthen business and social cohesion). The program is anticipated to begin in October 2024. Hiring is contingent upon successful award and USAID approval of the candidate.
General Position Summary
The Grants & Finance Director will support STEP UP's innovative and evidence-based activities to improve economic participation, livelihoods, and social cohesion in targeted communities, through providing grants and capacity strengthening to local businesses, civil society, or other public and private sector actors. The Director will Lead the grant-making function for STEP-UP, and they will be responsible for providing leadership in the technical and contractual management of a large portfolio of sub-grants/grantees under the project. They will be responsible for monitoring and reporting on grant implementation and providing technical assistance to grantees related to a broad range of compliance, programmatic, and administrative needs for effective programming. They will be will also be responsible for managing compliant systems and procedures for financial and subgrant management that serve the technical vision. The Grants & Finance Director will oversee STEP UP’s grants management team and any grant Fund operations, and coordinate with MC’s country and global finance staff.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision
- Set direction of Finance department by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
- Work with the Country Director and senior management team to grow the program portfolio, formulating strategies and plans.
Grants & operational management
- Provide leadership and oversight for grants and contracts management on the project, ensuring effective, transparent use of grants and financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
- Lead the grant-making function for STEP-UP, outlining and overseeing compliant processes and tools for granting to civil society, businesses, and other community organizations, including complex management of many small grants.
- Manage and ensure compliance for all sub-awards, including those for consortia partners and sub-grantees.
- Build on lessons from Mercy Corps fund mechanisms under similar USAID-funded Activities to adapt grants manual as needed, including strong compliance, due diligence, and monitoring requirements.
- Train program and grants staff on Mercy Corps grants manual and grants management system, and work with staff to establish and effectively maintain a compliant grants management system.
- Coordinate closely with program and grants staff to support local organizations to develop project proposals and budgets, and to monitor and report on grantee activities.
- Develop and manage subaward solicitation and selection processes.
- Develop and provide targeted capacity development activities to support recipients' implementation/management of grants to achieve results, as well as grant monitoring and reporting. Ensure the effective start-up and close out of all sub-grants.
- Train and mentor relevant project staff and implementing partners on managing and monitoring subawards.
Finance & Compliance
- Plan and implement effective and transparent systems for financial operations in both main and field offices in accordance with the Mercy Corps Field Finance Manual and donor regulations.
- Provide financial oversight, including monitoring of the project budget.
- Manage and maintain Mercy Corps financial and accounting systems and files.
- Liaise with Mercy Corps country and headquarters offices on program financial matters and all internal or external audit requests, as needed.
- Participate in ongoing analysis, forecasting and review of project expenses, including monthly Budget vs. Actual (BvA) analysis processes and monthly forecasting.
- Responsible for program compliance with USG rules and regulations, and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
- Provide operational and financial training and guidance to project staff, grantees, and local partners, as needed, to strengthen capacity.
- Prepare monthly expense reports and report expenses to HQ Offices.
Team Management (Human Resources, Safeguarding and Diversity)
- Supervise and manage, directly or indirectly, staff and subgrantees to ensure that activities are implemented according to agreements and financial resources are used in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
- Oversee and develop the capacity of team members, deepening understanding of their roles, and assisting them with tools, resources, and feedback to improve performance and reach professional development objectives.
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Influence & Representation
- As directed by the CoP, represent Mercy Corps at donor, NGO, and other relevant events or field visits.
- Manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, and other stakeholders.
- Communicate effectively to ensure overall donor obligations are met.
- Interface with the (donor) representatives to convey information about grants, finance, and compliance matters as appropriate.
- Communicate with our partners to verify their systems and that they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and archiving.
Supervisory Responsibility
Expected to supervise several direct reports. The number of direct and indirect reports is to be determined.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Activity Chief of Party
Works Directly With: Activity team, Mercy Corps Country Director/Country Coordinator and team, HQ Regional Program Team (Desk), HQ Regional and International Finance Teams, Program Managers, Finance and Compliance Teams,