Back Grants and Contracts Officer

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

Pact seeks an experienced Grants and Contracts Officer for the Civil Society and Media Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND) global awards. CSM-STAND implements local, regional, and cross-regional approaches that foster independent civic forces, enhance civic engagement, and build vibrant, resilient, and more pluralistic democratic societies. CSM-STAND offers USAID Missions and operating units a flexible, worldwide platform for designing and implementing activities that advance civil society, media, and cross-sectoral objectives. CSM-STAND is implemented through two five-year Leader with Associates (LWA) Cooperative Agreements, delineated geographically: Africa & the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asia, Europe, Eurasia (EE), Latin America & Caribbean (LAC).

The DC based Grants and Contracts department supports Pact’s projects by providing innovative solutions within a compliance-oriented perspective. The department provides timely and accurate risk mitigation focused support to the organization with an emphasis on successful program implementation throughout the project lifecycle from pre-award, post award, and through closeout.

The Grants & Contracts Officer plays a key administrative, compliance, and contractual support role to CSM-STAND Leader and Associate Awards (AAs) and serves as the main liaison between USAID and the lead CSM-STAND implementing partners, concerning overall award administration and performance. This includes monitoring of DC issued subawards, consolidating subaward financial reports and payments, ensuring compliance with policies and procedures of USAID.

Utilizing Pact’s grant management guidance documents and templates, the Grants & Contracts Officer will be a resource on donor regulations, policies, and procedures, and support Pact staff with relevant regulatory training as needed.

The Grants & Contracts Officer will report to Pact’s Grants and Contracts Department, with a dotted line to the CSM-STAND Chief of Party.

Key Responsibilities

CSM-STAND Prime Award and Subaward Responsibilities

• Administration and management of CSM-STAND DC issued subawards from pre-award through post award and closeout, including pre-award risk assessments, drafting subawards, review of subaward financial reports, monitoring, and ensuring compliance with Pact and USAID policies and procedures
• Use Pact’s subaward management system (Salesforce) and accounting system for subaward issuance and management.
• Ensure that all required documentation is available and stored as per Pact policy.
• Reviews and approves subawards and procurements generated from country offices implementing AAs
• Provide support to country office grant staff implementing AAs
• Facilitates review and approval process of awards and modifications for AAs;
• Supports the CSM-STAND management team by providing operational support from pre-award stages through close-out of Associate Awards;
• Review and lead responses to USAID regarding grants, contracts, agreements, and other compliance requirements under CSM-STAND, including support for prior approval requests;
• Serves as a resource on donor regulations, policies, and procedures for the CSM-STAND management team and AA implementing teams.
• Maintain and update subaward budget trackers and provide budget analysis to the CSM-STAND management as requested;
• Provides administration of centrally funded contracts, procurements, and consultants, including drafting and reviewing preauthorization letters

  Pact Grants & Contracts Responsibilities:

  • Monitor applicable federal regulations for changes and updates to grants, contracts and agreements.
  • Able to conduct hands-on desk side training for grantees.
  • Provides project and support staff with relevant regulatory training

    Employee complies with all company policies and procedures, including completing all compliance training topics by the deadline to satisfy each and receiving the corresponding acknowledgment statement that the training has been completed.
    
    All other duties as assigned
    

    Basic Requirements

    • Master's degree with five (5) years work experience or bachelor's degree with at least seven (7+) years work experience
    • Specific knowledge of USAID assistance regulations, specifically 2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 700, and 22 CFR 228.
    • A demonstrated track record of successfully working with civil society organizations in a role administering or supporting the management of grants.
    • Experience assessing subawardee risk through review financial statements, audits, and other documentation presented in a proposal or in support of a subaward.
    • Experience drafting and managing performance-based subawards.
    • Knowledge of grants administration, and ability to interpret grants-related governmental documents and accurately respond to them;

      Preferred Qualifications

      • Ability to independently track and manage multiple tasks and complete them quickly
      • Proven capacity to design and deliver a range of training and technical assistance programs to build a full range of capacities for grant management.
      • Ability to problem-solve difficult issues, and to multitask with ease, adapting to frequently changing priorities.
      • Good stakeholder relationship management, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
      • Advanced Excel skills and strong understanding of budgets.