Grants Manager (Bilingual English/French)

The MENTOR Initiative (‘MENTOR’) is a humanitarian organisation specialising in disease control and improving access to healthcare in emergency settings across countries in Africa, the Middle East and South America. MENTOR is the leading organisation dedicated to the control of malaria and other vector borne diseases in complex, challenging settings.

MENTOR delivers large scale disease control interventions working with remote and underserved communities affected by emergencies such as conflict and natural disasters. We also help build the technical and operational capacity of local and international partners to incorporate medium- and long-term disease control systems into their operations and country strategy.

The MENTOR Initiative is looking for a highly motivated, dynamic and skilled Grants Manager to work remotely in Europe liaising with our HQ in Hayward’s Heath, UK. The role will see you assist with the overall management of a designated regional or country programme covering finance and administration, HR, development of local finance/admin systems, and support to the local team. You will be entrusted with the critical task of supporting the organisation to achieve its objectives in grant administration in line with The MENTOR Initiative guidance/guidelines. Travel to the relevant programmes will be required on a periodic basis.

Fluency in both English and French is essential. This role is remote with periodic visits to our HQ in the UK.

Tasks and responsibilities:

1. Grant/Finance Management:

Direct grant and finance technical management with field offices:

• Continuous contact with country Finance coordinators, their team, and the Country Director
• Design the Grant and financial management strategy in country with the Country Directors

Grant and programme accounting/donor reporting (for assigned countries)

• Review monthly field accounts, making checks on transfers between accounts, coding of transactions to budgets, use of advance accounts, adequate descriptions, bank and cash reconciliations, payroll
• Receive field supporting documentation monthly and check for completion
• Liaise with field offices to resolve questions arising from above checks, advise on necessary adjustments
• Consolidate monthly HQ expenditure with field expenditure
• Prepare the field budget planning for each Grant
• Prepare monthly project reports for internal accounting systems
• Prepare periodic project financial reports for donors
• Provide feedback to Programme Managers on expenditure including variances and burn rates
• Work with Programme Managers to ensure narrative reports are consistent with financial reports
• Prepare closeout documentation for donors, where applicable (USAID, BPRM, FCDO etc.)
• Provide project reports and supporting detail to project auditors as required

Financial management and reporting

• Invoice grant donors and suppliers
• Maintain the fixed asset register on a quarterly basis
• Ensure the good follow up of internal in country audits
• Ensure internal controls are in place and that all MENTOR procedures are being properly implemented
• Create/oversee any additional financial controls
• Maintain and regularly update the field finance and admin guidelines

Cash

• Request cash from donors according to agreed schedules
• Receive and validate requests for cash advances from the field
• Send cash advances to the field
• Receive copies of field bank statements and review bank reconciliations provided by the field offices

1. Grant Development

• Work with Programme Managers to review new grant opportunities and donor requests for proposals
• Work with Programme Managers and country teams to assist them and input into the design of new grants
• Ensure with Programme Managers that new grant budgets are designed to cover all the related costs of new programmes, and that these costs are adequately demonstrated and described in the proposal package prior to submission
• Assign accounts codes to project budgets lines ensuring that expenditure can be aligned to suitable headings for donor reporting requirements
• Report on cash (input/output) flow for each grant to the Regional team leader

1. Human Resources Management

Staff/HR responsibilities

• Provide technical support, advice and training as necessary to field staff, ensuring that field roles are properly understood and completed, making field visits as necessary
• Systematic follow up of emails and phone calls to teams on a regular basis
• Ensure teams produce accurate timesheets each month for review and validation
• Ensure with the Programme Manager that allocated country programmes have the requisite team structure (international and national) to meet internal minimum standards, achieve programme goals and fulfil organisational commitments to donor partners.
• Ensure the development of TORs for country team members
• Work with UK HQ Recruitment team to ensure the recruitment, effective briefing and pre-departure preparation of new international consultants going to allocated country programmes, and any short term HQ visits.
• Ensure HR management systems are in place (in line with local labour laws, performance reviews, complaints systems, local payroll).

1. Logistics Tasks

Systems/IT

• Act as primary user of field accounting software allocating access levels for other country team staff
• Ensure systems integrity through security procedures and secure back-up

Procurement and logistics

• Oversee basic logistics procedures in relation to procurement and stock management in the field, coordinating as necessary with the logistics team and HQ procurement officer
• Oversee with the Programme Managers the field based logistics coordinator (Asset management, field fleet and fuel management, communications systems management).

1. Administration Management

Legal, security and risk management

• Review all project contracts to ensure that MENTOR’s financial commitments are met
• Ensure compliance with all local legal requirements
• Ensure that all contracts are in line with the programme/budget and legal (Vehicle rental, services contracts, HR contracts, MoUs)

1. Other

• Support internal audits of country programmes
• Development of HQ and field assets register.
• Management of Mentor’s vehicle contracts, including rental contracts and monthly invoices.
• Other supportive duties as agreed with the Programme Manager and Management Team.

Job purpose:

The individual’s services are required to assist The MENTOR Initiative in the overall implementation of its operations, and in the provision of grants, finance and administration activities to support country programmes and related HQ systems*.* The individual will be entrusted with the critical task of supporting the organisation to achieve its objectives in programme grant/award administration in line with The MENTOR Initiative and donor frameworks.

How to apply

The MENTOR Initiative is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at its company. We ensure the constant non-discrimination throughout our recruitment process.

The MENTOR Initiative is committed to promoting diversity and gender equality within the organisation, so we strongly encourage women to apply.

The MENTOR Initiative applies a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation, abuse, mistreatment or harassment, and other types of unethical behaviour including fraud.

The MENTOR Initiative will contact previous employers of applicants to determine if they have any history of violating international standards and codes of conduct relating to such matters.

To apply, please send (in English) your CV, letter of motivation and details of three referees (including your most recent employer) to: recruitment@mentor-initiative.org