Grants & Business Development Coordinator – Alight

Job Description

Grants & Business Development Coordinator

Hello Hello!  Alight is recruiting a Grants & Business Development Coordinator for our program in Sudan. You’re interested in joining us? Welcome, we’re happy you’re here!

If you join us, you will find…

A team with deep experience in co-designing solutions that create new value around the world. We know we need to always be better, and we believe in the power and abundance of everyday people, everywhere, to change the world with us.

A culture of radical accountability to our customers –as we help build a meaningful life for and with the displaced, we ask them what they want and then deliver on it.

An organization that refuses to settle for anything less than delivering human-worthy services.

Role

Based in Khartoum with frequent travel to Darfur and East Sudan, the Grants & Business Development Coordinator (GBDC) provides vital support for Alight in revamping and enhancing its funding strategy to ensure a diverse supporter of a portfolio that allows Alight to flourish and grow as its programming evolves. This key role will work closely with the Head of Programmes (HoP) and Country Director to research, identify and develop opportunities for external sources of funding while ensuring current donor relationships are maintained and strengthened through ongoing communication and exceptional program reporting. In this role, the right candidate will bring energy and enthusiasm for, and a deep interest in supporting the design, development, expansion, and implementation of strategic development and fund-raising program that allows ALIGHT to evolve and innovate programming to meet the needs of the people we serve. The right candidate will be a self-starter, comfortable with taking initiative as well as direction and motivated by what is possible when it comes to finding new and innovative ways to approach fund-raising and other support.

The GBDC interfaces closely and daily with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including but not limited to sectors’ advisors/Coordinators, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Coordinator (MEAL), State Programme Managers to track and identify funding opportunities, as well as to develop grant proposals and program reports, as appropriate. This is a key role in advising the HoP and CD on strategies for accessing external funds and will work with the HoP to structure and propose strategic program development for new or expanded opportunities for funding. S/he will also work closely with Communication Manager (CM) in preparing strategic documents to support the HOP/CD and other senior leadership team members for meetings with international partners and other supporters, foundations, government agencies and other donors. The GBDC also oversees the grants portfolio, ensuring that donor regulations and requirements are adhered to, with support from the head office in Minneapolis. This role is also vital in ensuring that donor reporting is strategic, comprehensive, and thorough, with oversight from the HOP.

How will you know you’re doing well?

• You are consistently developing and submitting proposals that are high quality and human-centered.
• Burn rates are well tracked, communicated, and inform spending to keep programs on track.
• You regularly assess the needs of the team around you by getting close and asking; you prototype new ways of doing things based on these insights.
• You see the gifts and talents of the people around you, in particular supporting the field teams in their grants management capacity
• You recognized the role compliance plays, without overbuilding. As such, you help team members to meet donor and internal requirements while also adapting process that are based in reality.
• You never compromise on time or quality when it comes to reporting.
• You collaborate with others and are well versed in information management for grant and program implementation.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties:

Grants & Business Development

You will support the development of Alight Grants & Business Development Strategy to ensure coordination with the overall program development strategy, including the following:

Donor Relations & Relationship Development

• Maintain regular engagement with donors, international organizations, national governments, foundations, etc., to track donor trends and priorities and inform HQ of upcoming program priorities;
• Represent Alight to the donor community as needed and inform donors on Alight Sudan efforts;
• Attend relevant meetings and networking events (e.g. coordination meetings, relevant RFA/P meetings, donor consultations) as needed for the performance of duties;
• Maintain outreach with relevant international and local NGOs as well as private sector firms in order to facilitate partnerships needed for program development opportunities; and,
• Develop, capture, plan and conduct completion analysis on upcoming priority proposals;
• Broadly, ensure careful focus on generation and follow-up of priority funding ‘leads’ including linking with like-minded agencies / those sharing ALIGHT objectives, with a mind to consortia development to broaden ALIGHT funding eligibility to currently non-accessible donors (e.g. DFID, ECHO).

Proposal Development

• Lead and / or contribute to research and development of proposals, concept notes, proposals, assessments, studies and similar for the country program, in close collaboration with Technical Coordinators and State Program Managers / Site Leads;
• Engage in needs assessment for project proposals as necessary;
• Coordinate the planning and preparation of project proposals, providing guidance and assistance to Technical Advisors and State Program Managers in the interpretation of funding agency regulations and requirements.
• Contribute to program design, for solicited and unsolicited programs, and for pilot and full-scale programs;
• Where proposals are pending with donor agencies, meet with donor officers to ensure program plans represent a good fit with donor objectives;
• Participate in the preparation of funding proposals, including leading proposal writing efforts as well as costing efforts;
• Serve as a liaison between HoP, donor agencies, and the HQ in the budgeting and preparation of project proposals;
• Prepare and compile all components of each grant submission, ensuring that the proposal is formatted, packaged, and submitted in accordance with donor agency requirements.
• Build the capacity of national and State teams in program development;
• Ensure review process and submission is completed, within submission deadlines.
• Develop and maintain a track of reference documentation, including such information as donor agency requirements and forms, abstracts and reference literature, and other pertinent material.
• Facilitate and support the research and identification of funding opportunities, as appropriate.

Grants Coordination

• Support the development, implementation, and close and consistent tracking of country program work planning and activities for overall timely implementation and realization of country program targets and milestones;
• Provide advice and guidance to program implementation team / field team on the application of grant funding policies, regulations, and procedures, primarily from a grants compliance perspective;
• Ensure the grant management database is updated regularly and management is informed using appropriate monthly reports;
• In conjunction with HoP/SPMs, monitor and coordinate the administration of post-award grants to ensure that budgeting and administrative policies, procedures, and agency requirements are being followed; manage administrative problems and/or budget changes occurring during the awarded granting period.
• In conjunction with HoP/SPMs, ensure awards are followed by a) Grant Opening, and b) Mid-Project review, with timely production of supporting documentation as required and updated documentation for grant management and implementation planning.
• Advise and/or assist as appropriate in the design, formatting and preparation of grant documentation, to include creation of computerized statistical summaries and/or graphics.
• Develop and maintain specialized databases and systems for recording and tracking grant proposals, awards, and related statistical information; create and distribute standard and special reports, studies, summaries, and analyses, as required.
• Working collaboratively with the HoP/SPMs and Technical Advisors/coordinators, contribute to country program implementation and performance reporting, both to donors as well as Alight’s Headquarters;
• Provide technical support to assess donor eligibility/allow ability of planned expenditures and identify related compliance requirements;
• In collaboration with MEAL Coordinator, ensure that increased quality of implementation and impact are pushed for is constantly pushed for and achieved, advising management on ways forward towards this end.
• Other duties as assigned

Program Design and Strategy Development              

• Contribute to the development of Alight Country Strategy and Annual Plan through participating in strategic program development sessions, reviews, evaluations, research on various programme sectors.
• Contribute to cross-departmental sharing and in the development of operational plans with a view to strengthening program-led fundraising and grants management.

• Proactively monitor program implementation, promptly reporting unexpected delays, costs or quality issues to Head of Programs and Country Director, with proposals for practical solutions for appropriate corrective actions by State Program Managers.
• Assist the HOP to monitor budget verses actuals (BvAs)on a monthly and propose necessary adjustment plans by State teams

Representation

• Develop and maintain healthy, strong relationship with Khartoum-based donor network, including developing and strengthening relationships with new supporters in the private and public sectors.
• Represent Alight at national level donor and inter-agency coordination meetings and working groups.
• Maintain Alight master list of stakeholder contact information and update regularly.

Management and supervision

• Deputize HoP in her/his absence
• Manage, mentor and build the capacity of grants and business development and partnership staff

Skills and experience we’re seeking

• Master’s degree in Project Management, Development, International Relations, Social Sciences or other related field from an accredited university required
• Significant and sustained experience (7-10 years) in complex global development and/or humanitarian settings; experience with refugees, returnees, displaced, and other conflict affected populations is a must.
• Experience working with multi-donor, multi-grant sites for five years or more.
• Proven pattern of success in grant management, project design, and proposal development (program narratives and budgets) 
• Demonstrated ability to write clearly, insightfully and persuasively on tight deadlines.
• A strong network of international donor contacts and relationships, preferred. 
• An outstanding ability to track donor trends that contribute to business development outcomes.
• Proven success in grant writing, net-working and liaising with field and HQ staff when necessary
• Familiarity with multilateral donor requirements and working procedures; previous work experience with USAID, UN, DFID, EU, ECHO and Private Donors / Foundations is required.
• High proficiency in English, both written and spoken;
• Proficiency in the use of computers and standard application.

You strive for…

• Humility. You learn from others with an open heart and open mind.
• Inclusivity. Our diversity is our strength. You value diversity of opinion and thought. You invite all voices to the table regardless of gender, ethnicity/tribe, sexual orientation, or physical/mental ability.
• Empathy. You know how to really hear other people and understand their meaning. 
• Joy. Seriously! We believe that play and joy are core to co-creating value with customers. 
• Flexibility. We’re constantly designing and iterating. You’ll be working in ambiguity always – embrace it and see the possibility that it allows. The ability to roll with it will make that easier.
• Creativity. You have the ability to apply sound judgment and innovative ideas to meet challenges presented.

Benefits

Borderless Team of 3,000+ staff worldwide that sees possibility, celebrates moments of abundance, shares new ideas, and strives to do a better thing every day.

Learning & Development – Access thousands of free online learning courses to take at your own pace and tailor to your professional goals.

Health, dental, and MedEvac Insurance – We strive to offer the best-in-class healthcare plans to our staff each year.  We cover 100% of the cost for your health premium and 75% of the cost for coverage for your spouse/dependents.

Retirement – We contribute 6% of your salary regardless of your contribution amount, after one year of service.

Generous Leave Time – Between general leave, home leave and holidays, you have ample opportunity to take time off when you need it.

Alight

We are on a journey to build Alight, a new platform of amazing people and organizations providing lifesaving services and creating breakthrough solutions for and with the displaced. WeAreAlight.org

Alight is an Equal Opportunity Employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status.  Alight complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

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