Program Development and Grants Specialist – Plan International

Job Description

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

The Program Development & Grants Specialist will be an integral member of the Business Development Unit. The Business Development unit serves as the facilitator for business development and grants management processes for the Country Office and ensures compliance with donor requirements at all stages of the project life cycle. The Business Development Unit’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, prepositioning, facilitating proposal development, ensuring timely and quality reporting, compliance to donor guidelines, facilitating grant opening and closeout processes, maintaining grants related information and files, leading and supporting on proposal development processes, managing reporting deadlines, producing high-quality program reports and donor updates. He/she will also help support monthly grant review and budget review meetings in close collaboration with the Head of Business Development, Thematic Leads, relevant Project Managers, and the Head of Finance & Risk.

Location: Lilongwe

Type of Role: Fixed Term

Reports to: Head of Business Development

Grade: Level 15

Closing Date: 14 November 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. 

ROLE PURPOSE

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice.

We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

The Program Development & Grants Specialist will be an integral member of the Business Development Unit. The Business Development unit serves as the facilitator for business development and grants management processes for the Country Office and ensures compliance with donor requirements at all stages of the project life cycle. The Business Development Unit’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, prepositioning, facilitating proposal development, ensuring timely and quality reporting, compliance to donor guidelines, facilitating grant opening and closeout processes, maintaining grants related information and files, leading and supporting on proposal development processes, managing reporting deadlines, producing high-quality program reports and donor updates. He/she will also help support monthly grant review and budget review meetings in close collaboration with the Head of Business Development, Thematic Leads, relevant Project Managers, and the Head of Finance & Risk.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Prepositioning and resource mobilization

• Support Head of Business Development Unit to work towards securing diversified portfolio of suitable grants and a pipeline of future funding opportunities to fully fund its Country Strategy.
• Support all efforts of intelligence gathering particularly for all locally raised income and among national offices (Fund raising offices) negotiating for National office Collaboration as needed
• Support Business Development in identifying grant opportunities. 
• Contribute to Go-No Go decisions processes
• Contribute effectively in donor or National Office engagement
• Support in developing and designing research to document key lessons, capacity statements and project reports to position Plan for future funding.
• Work with programs team to build capacity and report writing for fundraising.
• Conduct needs assessments and support visits to Program Areas and partners based of guidance of Head of Business Development.
•  

Proposal Writing

• Support the development of high-quality proposals and budgets that are relevant and include input from key stakeholders (finance, operations, programs, partners, etc.). This may include leading needs assessments, compiling/editing of the technical narrative, incorporating feedback from a variety of stakeholders, writing budget narratives, drafting of required annexes, etc.
• Work closely with relevant officers to ensure coordination and adherence to proposal timelines and requirements.
• Lead proposal development for selected opportunities based on guidance of Head of BD
• Supports resource mobilization function to review and summarize funding requirements as well as prepare and/or review proposal budgets to ensure they meet minimum donor requirements and quality stand
•  

Grants Management and Compliance

• Work closely with the program and finance teams to develop standard reporting templates, and a reporting calendar for all report submissions, establishing clear internal and external deadlines
• Facilitate monthly grant review meetings, and mid project review meetings in collaboration with the Head of Business Development and the Head of Finance and Risk
• Work with Grants & Compliance Specialist to ensure Funding Agreement Document (FAD) processes are initiated timely with National Offices for new grants
• Support Grants and Compliance Specialist to liaise with National Offices for update of FADs as and when necessary
• Help ensure the grants implementation is in-line with donor guidelines
• Support System Management and Reporting
• Works closely with Project/Program Unit Finance and National Program Managers to ensure the effective utilization of grants monitoring systems in terms of projections and forecasting, the monitoring of expenditure, negotiations with grantors for budget modifications and completion of project reports

Reporting

• Share email reminders each month with reporting templates that will support improved narrative and log frame reporting and timely donor submissions
• Maintain knowledge of grant agreement language and regulations, serving as a knowledge resource on assigned donors and escalating questions where needed.
• Support developing reporting templates that will support improved narrative and log frame reporting and timely donor submissions
• Support drafting and completion of project and donor reports, working across the team to ensure reports are completed in a timely, high quality fashion. As part of this, develop and maintain a reporting schedule
• Ensure partnerships with National Offices and donors are effectively managed to achieve productive and successful relationships. This includes arranging donor/National offices fields’ visits in collaboration with the Communications staff.
• Conduct monitoring and support visits to grant projects as needed to resolve grant management issues.

Representation, Communication, & Coordination

• Participate in sector/cluster working groups in collaboration with technical program leads as needed.
• Develop capacity statements to facilitate regular donor communication and updates.
• Ensure efficient and effective information management and communication on all grants.
• Participate in organizational level coordination and coordination calls
• Maintain effective and professional communication with key stakeholders, partners and other organizations
• Work closely with the Program and finance teams to develop standard reporting templates and tools that will support improved narrative, log frame and financial reporting.
• Participate in sector/cluster working groups in collaboration with technical program leads
• Participate in organizational level coordination calls.
• Work closely with the Program and finance teams to develop standard reporting templates and tools that will support improved narrative, result frame and financial reporting.
• Consolidates relevant grant information and disseminates it where relevant within Plan International Malawi

Safeguarding and Gender Equality

1. Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

• Country Leadership Team
• Head of Finance
• Programme Area Managers
• Thematic Leads & Project Managers – support with budget management
• National Organisations

External

• Donors
• Government
• Companies
• Foundations
• Partners
• Peer organisations

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND KNOWLEDGE

• Relevant degree, with 3 to 5 years of experience working with an international NGO.
• Significant budget and proposal development experience
• Strong budget oversight / management experience. The candidate should be comfortable supporting with budget realignment and identifying the proper coding/classification of costs
• Experience with high value donors like USAID, FCDO, ECHO, philanthropies
• Ability to prioritize and deal with competing demands.
• Exceptional skills in report analysis and writing
• Excellent spoken and written English
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision, think creatively and take a problem-solving approach to agendas
• Experience in managing a team is desirable
• A team builder with excellent people skills; culturally sensitive and has the ability and interest to identify and work with a multicultural team.

COMPETENCIES

Leadership

• Sets and communicates ambitious but realistic work goals and priorities, explaining how these contribute to Plan International’s purpose.
• Champions our values and commitment to rights, gender equality and safeguarding.
• Practices work-life balance and supports the health, well-being and both physical and psychological safety of our staff.
• Holds self and others to account for what we have agreed.
• Collaborate with team members, colleagues & partners in finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience and ideas & actively seeking their input.
• Motivate and developing others by taking an interest, giving constructive feedback and praise, ensuring they are properly trained and helping them develop their potential.
• Positive about change and support others in adjusting to it, helping them understand.

Business management

• Clearly articulates the purpose, values, and global strategy to a range of audiences. Can explain how Plan International will deliver on its objectives through the theory of change and communicates the implications for their team.
• Understands the purpose, lines of accountability and decision-making capacity for each structural element of the organisation. Helps their team to understand where they sit within the organisational structure.
• Supports their team to understand the local operating environment and to consider the implications for work activities. Adjusts work activities and practices to reflect the political, financial, social and cultural context.
• Considerate of the political, economic, social and cultural climate of the local operating environment and the implications for our work and are aware of the local business environment, including financial, employment, and business laws. 
• Understands digital enablers to improve team performance and working practices. Encourages digital behaviours through role modelling, the personal development processes and capability building. Uses digital and technological tools to support the management of risk, activities and resources, and people and information.

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

1. Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
2. Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
3. Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
4. Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
5. Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

1. Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
2. Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
3. Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
4. Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

1. Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
2. Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
3. Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
4. Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
5.  

We are inclusive and empowering

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Normal office environment

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN Low frequency of interaction with children