Grants, Subawards, and Contracts Tech Specialist

GROWTH POLES VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

GRANTS, SUBAWARDS AND CONTRACTS TECH SPECIALIST I

Duty Station: Lilongwe, Malawi
Department: Grants & Contracts Management Department
Reporting to: Manager, Grants, Subawards, and Contracts
Anticipated Grade : Tech Specialist Level I

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Growth Poles accelerates environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable, resilient, and more inclusive wealth generation in Malawi by mobilizing rural based private sector investments and partnerships with anchor firms and their surrounding communities, smallholder organizations, cooperatives, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) in a growth pole approach, with a youth and gender lens. In short, GPP is a partnership with private sector to drive resilient prosperity that will improve food security, incomes, jobs, and exports in Malawi.

Department Description:

Growth Poles uses the Growth Poles Development Facility (GPDF) to work with and through actors in private sector and civil society to obtain its objectives. Through subawards and contracts issued from the GPDF, Growth Poles provides flexible, tailored support to the Project’s partners and their communities, while maximizing the impact of private sector funding and co-investment.

Job Description

Objectives: Based in Lilongwe,the Grants, Subawards, and Contracts Tech Specialist I will work closely with the Growth Poles Manager for Grants, Subawards, and Contracts to support the execution and management of the Growth Poles Development Facility. They will provide essential administrative and operational support throughout the grant and contract lifecycle, including solicitation, evaluation, award processing, implementation tracking, and closeout. Under the guidance of the Manager, this role will assist in communication with grantees on administrative and financial matters and contribute to ensuring the Growth Poles grants program is executed effectively and in compliance with organizational and donor requirements.

Key responsibilities:

• Assist with Grant Mechanisms: Support the Manager in identifying and determining appropriate grant mechanisms for various partners and projects.
• Grant Application Review Support: Participate in the grant application review process by assisting in the review of technical concept notes and budgets to ensure compliance and reasonableness.
• Compliance Checks: Aid the Manager in performing compliance checks on grantee applications, which may include supporting tasks like cost analyses, drafting selection memos, completing pre-award risk assessments, and other related responsibilities.
• Continuous Learning: Engage in ongoing education and training on USAID and Ireland’s rules and regulations for grants and procurement to stay current with compliance requirements.
• Milestone and Payment Processing: Collaborate with Growth Poles Technical Leads to assist in reviewing grantee milestones and processing payment documentation, ensuring that all paperwork required for payment is complete and accurate.
• Grant Tracking: Work closely with the Manager to update and maintain Growth Poles and Palladium grant tracking systems, allowing for efficient monitoring of grant budgets, milestones, deliverables, and timelines.
• Site Visits and Monitoring: Under the guidance of the Manager, assist in conducting site visits, spot checks, and required annual audits to verify grantee performance in line with USAID regulations.
• Training Support: Provide logistical and administrative support to the Manager in designing and conducting training sessions for subawardees and internal Growth Poles technical and operations staff as needed.
• Record Keeping: Maintain accurate, up-to-date records for all Growth Poles grants to ensure compliance and ease of reference.
• Meeting Coordination: Schedule, organize, take notes, and distribute minutes for regular grant and subcontract meetings with both internal teams (Technical and Operations) and external grantees.
• Policy Compliance: Ensure that all grant and subcontract activities adhere to USAID, Ireland, and Palladium policies and procedures.
• Grantee Communication: Maintain open and proactive communication with partners recipients to facilitate effective administration, including identifying and resolving potential progress bottlenecks.
• Document Preparation: Draft grant- and subcontract-related program documents to support ongoing grant administration and compliance needs.
• Other Duties: Perform additional assignments as directed by the Manager.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Studies, Social Science, Development Studies, International Development, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of experience in grant administration, compliance, or development-related work preferred, particularly in roles that involve supporting complex workflows and ensuring compliance with donor and organizational policies.
• Strong problem-solving skills with experience identifying and suggesting solutions to challenges as they arise.
• Basic understanding of grants and subaward mechanisms within donor-funded programs;
  familiarity with USAID and/or Ireland rules and regulations is a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, especially for budget tracking and data entry, with an understanding of basic budget development and review.
• Demonstrated eye for detail, with the ability to support budget management processes accurately under the guidance of the Manager.
• Excellent interpersonal skills needed to work effectively with technical project staff and Growth Poles partners, including the ability to collaborate and communicate clearly.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure and manage multiple deadlines with limited guidance, while maintaining high standards in work quality.
• Proven experience in taking on growth opportunities, demonstrating adaptability and willingness to expand responsibilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills essential for preparing reports, drafting documents, and presenting information in various formats to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work in Malawi

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested applicants must send their Curriculum Vitae with cover letter and copies of certificates indicating position being applied for in the subject line to HR@ftfagdiv.com. Applicants MUST copy Aissata Himmelfarb, Senior Manager, at Aissata.himmelfarb@thepalladiumgroup.com on their email submission. Applications are due by 17h00 CAT on January 6, 2025. Applications submitted after this time will not be considered