Program Summary: The Global Development Program is focused on reducing poverty and hunger and increasing opportunities in developing countries. The Program is working to improve: agricultural productivity of small farmers; access to financial services for the poor; and public access to technology through existing library infrastructures. Additionally, the program’s Special Initiatives group develops strategies to identify and evaluate potential new areas of giving. At this time, water, sanitation, and hygiene are part of that effort.
Position Summary: This position leads the grants management unit of the Global Development Program, contributing substantial expertise in basic and complex grants management. He or she manages the team of grants managers and administrators who support the program officers in determining the structure of grants, verifying regulatory compliance, and completing the administrative work from grant inception through approval. This person ensures the overall high quality and timeliness of grants administration across the Global Development initiatives. Through partnering with program staff and understanding the strategic direction of the organization, this individual will improve grants management practices and policies to effectively support the program’s priorities. This role is responsible for developing and implementing a learning strategy for disseminating best grant making/management practices within the Global Development Program.
This person also works in close collaboration with his/her counterparts in the Global Health and the US Programs, and with the leads of the relevant operating departments such as legal and financial planning to align key grant making procedures to further the goals of the foundation as a whole.
Position Responsibilities:
Team Management and Development
• Leads the team that is responsible for all components of grant processing, including structure of grant payments, regulatory compliance and sharing of grants information with program, finance, communications and other relevant departments.
• Working with grants management staff, program officers, and legal or financial teams, relies on expertise to resolve complex structural or due diligence issues. Reviews grants (at a set threshold) for compliance with laws and regulations and with internal policies and regulations.
• Builds a team culture that balances a disciplined approach to our procedures, due diligence and stewardship with a customer-oriented focus to working through issues.
Grantmaking Practices, Policies, and Systems Development
• Oversees technical, legal, financial and administrative components of grant making for the entire Global Development Program, working effectively with Global Development’s senior management
• Represents the Global Development Program in the foundation-wide current and future efforts to enhance, align, and develop systems and processes for effective grants administration. Makes joint recommendations or decisions to senior foundation leadership.
• Collaborates with Legal, Financial Planning & Analysis, Impact, Planning & Improvement and other units to develop and implement policies and procedures related to grants administration in Global Development, including:
• Working with Financial Planning & Analysis team to develop and implement a framework for setting grant payments which optimizes the budgetary flexibility for new grant making in future years while adhering to administrative and legal requirements.
• Developing and implementing internal systems, tools and reports to set and manage volume of grants in approval pathways (deputy directors, directors, president, CEO, Co-chairs) to smooth out grant making activities throughout the fiscal year.
Organization, Planning & Project Management
• Develops tools and indicators to ensure quality and timeliness of all aspects of grants processing and management to help Global Development’s grant making teams meet their goals, including:
• Working with Financial Planning & Analysis to generate various periodic (weekly, monthly, quarterly) and other ad-hoc reports as directed by the Director of Operations.
• Working with Finance to forecast and monitor grants pipeline progress and grant expenditure to meet program and foundation goals.
• Manages top level review of data queries and requests from internal and external partners (advocacy/communications, media, etc.)
• Leads the coordination of the Grantee Fiscal Review program; an independent review process of a select number of grantees conducted by an outside accounting firm.
Learning & Development
• Captures learning and challenges from program staff and our grantees to inform and implement our continuous improvement efforts for grants management and administration processes.
• Trains program staff on foundation grant making policies, internal processes and systems to enhance compliance, efficiency and effectiveness.
• Develops guides and reference manuals for effective grant making and grants management for program officers within the Global Development Program.
• Develops and implements a training curriculum for the Global Development Program’s potential and existing grantees on foundation policies, templates, and other tools and systems.
Qualifications:
• A BA or a BS and a minimum of ten years experience in grants management-related role. Advanced degree preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a team, providing mentoring support and leadership to individuals, as needed.
• Demonstrated experience in a position requiring knowledge of grant making rules and regulations, and private foundation policies preferred.
• Ability to monitor and apply governmental and current IRS regulations related to foundations.
• Ability to communicate technical, budgetary and program details to staff.
• Ability to succinctly communicate recommendations and decisions to senior leadership.
• Demonstrated experience in formulating and implementing policies and procedures.
• Capacity to group abstract ideas and form a coherent picture.
• Ability to objectively analyze a situation and evaluate pros and cons of any course of action.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills at all levels within an organization, including a high level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
• Must be flexible, organized, and able to work in a fast-paced environment with proven ability to work collaboratively with team members.
• Experience establishing organizational systems to improve efficiency and functioning in a fast-passed environment.
• Ability to approach work with a solutions-oriented view.
• Demonstrated proficiency using MSWord, Outlook, Excel, Access, and MicroEdge GIFTS or other grants management software preferred.
Hiring Manager: Director of Operations, Global Development Program
If you are interested in applying for this position, please visit http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/WorkingWithUs/Jobs.htm and submit your resume online.
It is the policy of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disabilities, marital status, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected under federal, state or local law. If you have a disability and need assistance in completing the application or in taking any test required for employment, please notify us and we will make appropriate arrangements. We are an equal opportunity employer.
The statements in this description represent typical elements, criteria and general work performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills for this job.
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