Date: 11 Jan 2024
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Company: Plan International
THE ORGANIZATION
Founded in 1937, Plan International, Inc. (“PII”) is a globally recognized non-profit dedicated to advancing children’s rights and gender equality in both humanitarian and development contexts. With over 80 years of experience, Plan International addresses the root causes of challenges faced by girls and vulnerable children, working in 70+ countries.
The organization collaborates with children, young people, supporters, and partners to create a just world, acknowledging that the potential of every child is often hindered by poverty, violence, exclusion, disasters, and discrimination.
ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL KENYA
Plan International Kenya (PIK), operational since 1982, focuses on long-term development. Collaborating closely with local communities and governments, PIK implements programs to enhance the well-being of children in areas such as Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka-Nithi, Siaya, Kwale, Kilifi, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Tana River, Turkana, and Marsabit.
Under the current Country Strategy (July 2021 – June 2026), PIK aims to end teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence against girls. This goal aligns with four strategic objectives:
1. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR): Improve access to SRHR services and information to reduce teenage pregnancies and harmful practices in Kenya.
2. Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence: Ensure functional child and girls’ rights protection mechanisms to prevent and respond to all forms of violence and abuse.
3. Protecting Girls and Young Women in Crisis and Climate Change Adaptation: Minimize the impact of disasters on girls, young women, families, and communities.
4. Youth-led and Innovative Partnerships for Job Creation: Build a stronger ecosystem for youth employment and entrepreneurship, particularly for vulnerable young women, fostering job seekers and creators.
THE URBAN CLIMATE ACTION FUND PROJECT
Plan International’s Urban Climate Action Fund for Youth Project is a Plan-led mechanism for youth-led organisations to scale up existing climate adaptation and environmental initiatives. The fund will be piloted initially in select cities (in Kenya and Uganda), but the aim is to create a scalable and flexible funding mechanism that involves urban actors and funders globally. Plan Kenya and DNO, together with Plan Uganda, will co-create a flexible funding mechanism with a simple programmatic toolbox and work together to document impact and learning to enhance the potential for scaling the funding mechanism locally and globally.
Geographic locations and target group: Informal settlements in Nairobi (Kibera, Mathare and Huruma) providing small grants to youth-led organisations engaged in initiatives related to climate change and environmental regeneration.
THE ROLE
The Grants Officer is responsible for the assessment and compliance monitoring of grants systems, processes, partnerships management, including conducting youth-led capacity and strengthening, financial reviews, field verification visits and analysis of budgets and expenditures of the Urban Climate Action Fund for Youth.
This role will work with the Project Coordinator and both internal and external stakeholders. The position will be responsible for ensuring adherence to all donor compliance issues affecting the DANIDA Urban Climate Action Fund for Youth project. The position holder will play a critical role to ensure the project team understand the grant requirements for effective delivery of the project.
ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES
Proposal Budget Development and Budget Management (25%)
• Support in the annual budget planning process
• Initiate FAD/SPAD set up and FAD amendments in the system as per Donor requirements
• Derive/Map and upload approved budgets in the system, and support Project Managers in budget re-alignment/phasing and modification
• Conduct regular grants monitoring for the project and ensure individual grants performance are being tracked effectively, and that risks and issues are being recognised and action taken.
• Work with youth-led partners and project team to ensure adherence to both donor and Plan processes and procedures
• Support in central filing and updating grants information in the grants management system
Financial Reporting and Review 20%
• Prepare and deliver timely management grant financial reports to the Country Finance & Grants Manager, Global Hub and Donors
• Track and identify NRGRANT and DUMMY expenditures and ensure timely reversals are done before the closure of the month
• Cost Recovery – share with Finance teams at the Country Office and PUs monthly Grant recharges for LOEs, apportioned and hub shared costs to ensure full grant cost recovery
• Monitor and analyse activities regularly and work with Project Manager to resolve any issues identified in specific grants
• Track and monitor grants expenditure
Partnership Management 20%
• Participate in due diligence for youth-led partners and review MOUs.
• Conduct capacity building/strengthening for partners on donor requirements
• Review and verify partner financial reports before liquidation
• Support timely close out processes for projects with youth-led partner organizations
• Provide information during grants audits and compliance reviews at project level.
Deliver on YODA Preparedness Priorities: 20%
• Preparation of monthly, quarterly and year-end schedules and grant financial reports
• Ensure the items on the month-end checklist on Project, Grant Monitoring and Grant set up is actioned and updated on a monthly basis
• Data cleansing by ensuring all ended grants are financially closed and updated.
• Participate in YODA trainings and business strengthening by adopting business processes and systems in line with the new Supply Chain and Finance Manuals
Gender and Inclusion: (5%)
• Practice Gender and Inclusion by understanding and putting into practice the Value-Based Leadership underpinned by Feminist Leadership principles
Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) (5%)
• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
Other duties (5%)
• Any other assignment within the scope of work.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Qualifications/ experience essential:
• Bachelor’s Degree in either business, social sciences or international development
• At least CPA 2 or other equivalent professional qualification in accounting
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in grants management or a similar role in INGO
• Experience in award portfolio management and knowledge of major donors’ (USAID, DFID, EU, etc.) compliance requirements
• Experience in supporting program teams
• Problem solving skills to identify and lead the resolution of issues
• Strong communication (written and spoken), and interpersonal skills
Qualifications/ experience desirable:
• Previous experience in SAP ERP or any recognised grants management system
• Attention to detail and analytical skills
• Planning, management and coordination skills
• Experience in working with multicultural teams
• Facilitation and training skills
• Administration and effective communication skills
• Ability to work and interact with others at all levels
Languages required:
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Kiswahili.
Knowledge:
• Good understanding of finance processes, systems and principles
• Good understanding of donor rules
• knowledge of major donors’ compliance requirements
• Good knowledge on grants management and reporting
• Ability to support program teams during budgeting and reporting
Skills:
• Ability to work and interact with others at all levels, particularly young people and youth-led organisations
• Skilled in usage of ERP SAP
• Builds capability on financial management by coaching colleagues, partners and sharing knowledge in networks
• Strong analytical skills
• Planning and organizational skills
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
Follow this link to view the full job description
Location: Nairobi. Kenya
Reports to: Country Finance and Grants Manager
Closing Date: 25th January 2024
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.
We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.
We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.
Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.
A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.
In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.