Regional Grants Manager, Sudaono Sahel Full Time NEW

Position: Regional Grants Manager
Reports to: Regional Business Manager
Positions Managed: Regional Grants Officer
Location: Kigali-Africa Regional Hub
Country Program/Sector:
Position Type: Full-time
Scope/Capacity: Region
Coordinate with: Regional Leadership team, Country Finance Director (s)/Manager (s)
Country Procurement Manager(s)

About Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS):
WCS stands for wildlife and wild places. As the world’s premier wildlife conservation organisation, WCS has a long track record of achieving innovative, impactful results on a scale. We run programs spanning the ocean and over 3 million biologically critical square miles in nearly 60 countries. We build on a unique foundation: Our reach is global; we discover through best-in-class science; we protect through work on the ground with local and Indigenous people; we inspire through our world-class zoos, aquariums, and education programs; and we leverage our resources through partnerships and powerful policy influence. Our 5,000 diverse, passionately committed team members in New York City and worldwide work collectively to achieve our conservation mission.
More information at www.wcs.org

About the Regional Grants Manager
To support the regional programs in the Sudano Sahel, WCS seeks a dynamic, well-organised, hard‐working team player to oversee grant administration in the region. The Regional Grants Manager will oversee the end-to-end grants management process within the region, ensuring compliance with donor regulations, organisational policies, and the sector’s best practices. Responsibilities include continually assessing the status of grant implementation in the Regional Programs and providing guidance to the country offices if needed, leading the assessment of potential sub-grantees, developing comprehensive grant agreements, and providing tailored capacity-building support to enhance project outcomes.

This position reports to the Regional Business Manager. This position will liaise closely with country program staff and the country office finance/administrative staff. There will be some travel to WCS country offices within the region and WCS headquarters in New York (NY). The Sudano Sahel Regional Programs have country offices in the Central African Republic and Chad.

Major Responsibilities:

• Oversee the end-to-end grants management process within the region, from proposal development to close out, ensuring compliance with donor regulations, organisational policies, and sector best practices.
• Lead or coordinate the assessment and selection of potential grantees, conducting due diligence to evaluate their capacity and financial stability.
• Develop comprehensive grant agreements and sub-award contracts, outlining clear deliverables, timelines, and budgetary guidelines in collaboration with program staff and legal advisors.
• Provide tailored capacity-building support and technical assistance to the WCS team and grantees, enhancing their ability to achieve project outcomes in a compliant manner and within the resources allocated.
• Monitor grant implementation progress through monthly financial reviews, progress reports, and site visits if needed, identifying challenges, and proactively addressing issues to ensure project success.
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between internal stakeholders, including program teams, operational teams, and monitoring and evaluation units, to streamline grant management processes and promote transparency.
• Prepare for the regional grants and review for the country grants, accurate and timely financial reports, ensuring that expenditures are properly documented and aligned with approved budgets, and coordinate with finance staff for the timely disbursement of funds.
• Prepare sub‐agreements and regional sub-grants, using the applicable template for the donor.
• Stay abreast of relevant donor regulations, sector trends, and emerging best practices in grants management, and provide guidance and training to staff and partners as needed.
• Contribute to the development of funding proposals and donor reports, leveraging insights gained from grant management activities to strengthen future project designs and resource mobilisation efforts.
• Support grant audits in coordination with NY Finance and the Regional Controller, which can include working with the external auditors.
• Any other tasks assigned by the Regional Business Manager

Minimum requirement and role qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree a plus
• Minimum 5 years of progressive Finance or Grants Management professional experience in an International Non-Governmental Organisation.
• Demonstrated a strong understanding of donor regulations, compliance requirements, and financial management principles, particularly as they relate to grants and sub-awards.
• Experience in managing substantial (>USD 1 million) USAID, EU and/or other bilateral/multilateral grants required
• Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse team. Must be solution‐oriented and have strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• English fluency is required, and a strong working knowledge of the French language is preferred.
• Excellent computer and systems skills required concerning MS Office applications (advanced skills in MS Excel required) and major financial accounting and reporting software (SAP or equivalent)
• Proven track record of building and maintaining effective relationships with diverse stakeholders, including donors, grantees, and internal team members, to achieve shared goals.
• Demonstrated excellent analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to review complex budgets, financial reports, and legal documents accurately.
• Demonstrated ability to work, manage, and meet competing deadlines in a fast-paced, high-volume environment; aptitude for problem-solving and decision-making needed.
• Fluency in English and French is required.

Additional Requirements:

• Approximately 30%-40% of travel to the WCS offices

Tagged as: Rwanda, Wildlife Conservation Society