Pact is an international nonprofit that works in nearly 40 countries building solutions for human development that are evidence-based, data-driven and owned by the communities we serve. Founded in 1971, Pact works with partners to build resilience, improve accountability, and strengthen knowledge and skills for sustainable social impact.
Department Grants & Contracts (GRACON) - Pact exists to help create a world where those who are poor and marginalized exercise their voice, build their own solutions, and take ownership of their future. The Grants and Contracts department contributes to realizing this purpose by: • Supporting Pact’s vision and mission by providing innovative solutions within a compliance-oriented perspective. • Providing timely and accurate risk mitigation-focused support to the organization, with a special emphasis on successful program implementation throughout the business lifecycle for every activity, from pre-positioning, proposal development, prime award negotiation, and implementation through closeout. • Building internal capacity and champion effective knowledge management within our global community of grants and contracts practitioners.
Position Overview
The Director of Grants and Contracts reports to the Office of General Counsel (“OGC”). The Director of Grants and Contracts supervises a staff of professionals and works closely with grants, compliance, legal, program operations, finance, and business development staff in approximately 30 country programs worldwide to ensure the highest quality design, implementation and donor compliance in Pact’s programs. The Director will have direct supervisory responsibility for a team of Compliance, Grants and Contracts managers, officers, and specialists and will be responsible for all aspects of performance development and management in connection with that team.
The Director will assess the Compliance, Grants and Contracts team operational procedures, develop best practices, and identify opportunities to streamline or improve business practices. The Director will serve as the primary point of contact for collaboration with compliance, program operations and finance staff to ensure compliance with donor rules and regulations and the law.
The Director will design and implement capacity building and compliance training for global grants and contracts staff. The successful applicant will also collaborate with DC and Country Offices to strive for consistency and operational efficiency across Pact.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership and Management
- Establish and monitor effective subaward and procurement processes and systems for the award lifecycle.
- Manage the Grants and Contracts Team to ensure timely and effective award management and administration of a diversified portfolio of awards.
- Maintain and develop the contractual infrastructure required of a US-based nonprofit organization which operates internationally, including FAR and 2 CFR 200 compliance, including maintenance of Pact’s annual federal registration.
- Collaborate with DC and Country Offices to drive the Grants and Contracts Team customer service.
- Be proactive in developing solutions and emphasizing teamwork in solving problems.
- Provide extensive guidance and training for award management, compliance, subawards, and procurement.
- Interpret complex and broad regulations and guidelines of multiple donor funding.
Pre-Proposal/Proposal
- As needed provide input regarding RFPs, RFAs, APSs, and other types of bid requests or donor solicitations and proposal preparation with regards to regulatory, risk mitigation, or potential compliance issues.
- Provide advice regarding teaming agreements, non-disclosure agreements and other similar arrangements with partners.
Award Negotiation and Project Implementation/ Subaward Management:
- Oversee the review and negotiation of prime awards with donors, including direct communication with donors.
- Provide guidance to the project team, including in-country staff, regarding agreement and donor requirements throughout life of award.
- Facilitate resolution of agreement-related issues and requirements with donor or sub-partner throughout life of award.
- Oversee process for review of subawards and procurements and signs subawards within delegated signature authority.
- Monitor award throughout its life cycle for potential business risks and actively engages with cross-functional team on mitigation of risks as they arise.
- Upon close-down of a project, assist with close-outs, including technical assistance.
Compliance Issue Management
- Respond to donor inquiries on compliance issues and assist to resolve disputes between Pact and donors or Pact DC and Country Offices.
- Ensure internal systems are maintained and up to date with all current awards and obligations
- Develop, update, and regularly review a variety of subaward templates used in Pact subaward programs under its prime awards; maintain a central repository of approved templates that ensures compliance by Pact’s sub-grantees with all relevant donor terms and conditions.
- Maintain Pact’s policy manuals including, but not limited to, Subaward Management, Procurement, and Consultants.
- Communicate and monitor specific donor and Pact compliance requirements; coordinate with project teams and other departments to develop compliance plans for programs funded by a variety of donors. Participate as appropriate in regular country management team meetings to resolve contractual or compliance issues.
- Provide guidance on various contractual areas such as prior approvals, allowable/unallowable costs or activities, audit requirements, restricted items, etc.
Compliance
- Assists the CECO in providing strategic leadership on ethics and compliance.
- Evaluates risk, safeguards organizational assets and donor funds, and promotes compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Assists in maintaining the enterprise risk registry.
- Researches, develops, and updates global compliance policies.
- Oversees staff to manages and provides clearance for the annual Pact conflict of interest disclosure process.
- Oversees staff to runs Pact’s global ethics training program, educating and training (online, webinars and in person) global staff on ethics and compliance matters.
- Oversees staff to administer and manage the Learning Management System.
- Manages the Compliance & Grants global Community of Practice, engaging country offices on ethics and compliance training, initiatives, and lessons learned. Leverages support and buy-in for major ethics and compliance initiatives.
- All other duties as assigned
Basic Requirements
- Master’s degree and 11+ years relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience, including 6 years of management experience. Bachelors degree and 13 years of experience, including 6 years of mangement experience.
- Working knowledge of U.S. regulations and requirements applicable to development assistance and acquisition, including 2 CFR 200 and 700 and 22 CFR 228, ADS, FAR, AIDAR, FFATA, DSSR, FTR
- Experience working in multicultural work-environment and decentralized field-driven organization
- Fluent English
- Ability to travel internationally periodically
- Demonstrated experience and proven efficacy in the management of a complex operation and work with diverse staff
- Demonstrated skills and success in leading a high-performance team in a deadline-driven, customer service organization, setting and achieving goals and results
- Critical thinker with the ability to develop and deploy realistic and effective strategies to achieve organizational needs and objects
- Sophisticated service orientation, strong management skills, sound judgment and decision-making, critical thinking, and creative problem solving
- Proficiency balancing complex regulatory requirements with practical needs and limitation
- Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically with a wide variety of audiences
- Ability to work in a changing environment and deal effectively with ambiguity
- Flexibility and a positive approach toward change
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with private foundations, corporate engagement, and corporate donors.
- Experience overseeing and coordinating with international field offices preferred.
- Original thinking to enhance effective and efficient development of organization-wide programs.
- Demonstrated track record of establishing and sustaining interpersonal and professional relationships with USAID and other donor representatives and partners.
- Demonstrated ability to train and teach process and procedures and complex compliance issues.
- Proficiency in another language from a Pact region.
The salary for this position is determined based on a wide variety of factors including but not limited to an individuals skill sets, experience, training, certifications, education, as well as business needs and internal equity. At Pact, employees are typically not hired at the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are made based on the aforementioned circumstances. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $115,000-$170,000