GEF Grants Manager, CI-GEF Agency

GEF Grants Manager, CI-GEF Agency Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. POSITION SUMMARY - This position is based in Madagascar, Kenya, or South Africa. The GEF Grants Manager will report to the Director of Grants Management, of the GEF Agency in managing the grant-making function of the CI-Global Environment Facility (GEF) Project Agency (CI-GEF) portfolio of over $200 million in projects under implementation and more in the growing pipeline. GEF projects are relatively large in scope and have strict donor requirements. The Grants Manager will be a member of the CI-GEF Agency along with other Grants Managers and Technical leads. This position will support grants management for CI-GEF projects during both development and implementation. The Grants Manager will perform day-to-day grants management and operational oversight duties while collaborating closely with technical staff on the CI-GEF team. They will ensure that all financial, compliance, and operational aspects of grants management are performed efficiently and to a high standard of quality, including review of grantees’ proposed budgets, procurement plans, and detailed financial reports; oversight of grant start-up and close-out process; preparation and delivery of grantee training and support; review of audits; leading in-depth desk reviews and/or financial site visits; and communicating with grantees and the donor agency. The Grants Manager will help ensure that their portfolio of grants complies with CI institutional policies and GEF donor requirements, with an emphasis on oversight of financial management, risk management, and compliance. They will also support the development of the financial and operational components of funding proposals (to include proposal review and grantee due diligence) for multi-year, complex projects to the GEF ranging from $50,000 to $25 million, in the project identification form, project preparation grant, and proposal ProDoc stage. The successful applicant will show core competencies for grants management while working closely with a diverse team across the world; excellent communication skills with grantees/clients, colleagues, and donors; and flexibility, adaptability, and ability to manage competing priorities. RESPONSIBILITIES Grants management:

• Provide financial and operational oversight to projects to verify compliance with strict CI and donor fiduciary standards and grant agreement terms by: approving and monitoring annual project budgets and procurement plans; reviewing detailed quarterly financial reports; reviewing procurement packages and sub-award agreements, as applicable; coordinating with the Project Manager to ensure expenses are in line with project delivery and targets; and conducting in-depth transaction testing, desk reviews, and/or site visits to projects and grantees around the world.
• Review annual Progress Implementation Report (PIR) for donor submission.
• Draft grant agreements and amendments, in coordination with other CI divisions.
• Hold grant kick-off meetings to review grant agreement terms and financial reporting templates with grantees.
• Manage the grant closeout process with grantees, and coordinate with other divisions of CI to ensure compliance with CI’s and donor’s policies.
• Build and maintain grantee financial and operational capacities through regular communications, training on donor and CI requirements, and the development of tools and guidance materials for grantees, coordination with the grants management team.
• Record and track incoming and outgoing grants in SharePoint, Business World (Enterprise Resource Planning software), ConservationGrants (Salesforce Grants Management Platform), and Raiser’s Edge (fundraising software).

• Work closely with grantees to align their project needs with complex and restricted donor requirements during proposal development.
• Working with interdivisional colleagues, review complex project budgets ($50,000-$25 million), co-financing requirements, and procurement plans to be submitted to restrictive public donors and incorporate financial information throughout the funding proposal.
• Conduct awardee financial due diligence and recommend mitigation measures and appropriate implementation arrangements to ensure appropriate controls are in place for the successful implementation of projects.
• Ensure quality control and ensure that CI and GEF policies are followed during the project development stage of a project.
• Work with the Project Manager to monitor the progress of proposal deliverables, following up with the grantee and other stakeholders as necessary to ensure strict timelines are met.

• Develop, maintain, and update grants-management templates, policies, and procedures including but not limited to agreement and amendment templates, budget and reporting templates, grantee selection and review process, and other grant monitoring or compliance requirements.
• Act as a subject-matter expert to teammates, colleagues in other CI divisions, and grantees.

• Based in a CI Office within the Africa Field Division.
• Employees should be local citizens with a permit to work in their country.
• For South Africa: the successful candidate must be a South African National.
• For Kenya: the successful candidate must be a Kenyan National.
• Travel is expected internationally around 10-15%, but up to 20%.
• This is a hybrid position and office presence is not mandatory, unless in those days the office requests core days or for engagement with team members from the local office or other offices.

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Fluent in English.
• 4 to 6 years of relevant and transferable experience, with 3 years of experience in providing grants-management support.
• Strong organizational skills; ability to prioritize and manage high-volume and varied tasks and meet deadlines.
• Resourcefulness, adaptability and creativity, problem-solving skills, and ability to work proactively and independently.
• Service focus, courteous, tactful, and proven ability to work collaboratively and effectively with others from a variety of disciplines, cultures and backgrounds.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to internal and external audiences.
• Strong work ethic and willingness to take ownership for wide-ranging responsibilities.
• Strong computer skills, proficiency with Microsoft Office package and web researching skills, and advanced skills in Microsoft Excel.

• Fluency in written and spoken French and/or Portuguese.
• Understanding of procurement policies for International NGOs.
• Knowledge of, or experience working with, the GEF, GCF, or similar multilateral or restricted donors.
• Affinity for environmental and conservation issues.
• Experience in monitoring and managing grantees, preferably using grants-management software.
• Experience in reviewing detailed and complex budgets.
• Experience in interacting with and/or reporting to donors, including public funding sources.
• Knowledge of Salesforce, Unit4/Business World or similar ERP systems, Concur.