Project Background
The five-year (2019 – 2024) Feed the Future Policy Leadership, Interactions, Networks and Knowledge (Policy LINK) project will strengthen the capacity of local actors and institutions to lead and manage the agricultural transformation process and contribute effectively and collectively to improved, broad-based food security policy outcomes.
Specifically, the program aims to strengthen food security policy systems by investing in and reinforcing productive human and social capital and developing strategic partnerships that help bring these innovations and capacity investments to scale in order to achieve a critical mass of local actors with the ability and opportunity to effect positive policy change through collective action.
Policy LINK in South Sudan
In South Sudan, Policy LINK will provide backbone support to cross-sectoral, multi-donor, multi-agency partners in select geographic areas to build resilience and reduce vulnerability. It will work closely with community members, local governments, and donor agencies to improve knowledge management practices and use of evidence to inform joint decision making at local, national, regional and global levels. This includes support to the Partnership for Resilience and Recovery (PfRR) as well as other community engagement centers and coalitions.
Position Objectives
The Procurement & Grants Coordinator will be responsible for providing general procurement and subaward management support to the Policy LINK Program’s South Sudan team including design, implementation and closeout. S/he will also oversee the contracting of independent consultants. S/he will ensure successfully planned and executed subawards compliant with project policies, values, principles, budgets and timelines.
The Procurement & Grants Coordinator will coordinate various aspects of design, execution and monitoring of Policy LINK grants, subcontracts, and independent consultant agreements. This will include managing implementation trackers, working with technical colleagues to track procurement needs under different activities; ensuring compliance and quality assurance of program processes and procedures; and support to MEL colleagues with documentation and reporting.
S/he will continually reinforce Policy LINK’s agreed-upon core purpose and principles, and ensure all decision-making is rooted in those purpose and principles. S/he will contribute to foster a learning environment in which personal and team growth is supported, with a shared understanding that the “team” always comes before the “individual.”
Responsibilities
Procurement Management
• Work with Policy LINK activity teams to identify and prioritize procurement needs end ensure they are consistent with program goals
• Carry out procurements and manage related shipping logistics with the support of the Administrative & Logistics Assistant in accordance with applicable USAID regulations and DAI policies
• Review procurement specifications, prepare solicitation documents, evaluate proposals, select suppliers, and create purchase orders and other related documents
• Ensure that contracts are fully executed by the appropriate DAI signatory per the latest Project Schedule of Authorities based on ceiling value, and that any necessary modifications are documented in compliance with DAI policies and procedures
• Support and maintain good communication and relationships with program partners and vendors on matters regarding procurement activity, expectations, logistics, deliverables, timelines and compliance requirements
• In coordination with relevant technical leads, monitor vendor performance for compliance with terms and conditions of award and oversee entry of performance data in vendor database
• Manage responses to procurement findings from internal or external file audits
• Represent Policy LINK in meetings and processes as required and appropriate.
Grants Management
Design, Competition and Award:
• In coordination with technical staff, draft and finalize solicitation and award documents using the appropriate templates, ensuring that Scopes of Work and general grant design are of high technical quality and align to project priorities
• Post grant solicitations (Annual Program Statement, Request for Applications, etc.) and conduct grantee review/selection in compliance with project policies
• Facilitate technical and financial evaluation committee meetings and ensure that all records for such meetings and grant processes are well kept
• Conduct or support due diligence, grant award negotiations, milestone finalization, and pre-award and on-boarding activities for new awards including proper contractual orientation of grantees.
Implementation:
• Guide grantees to implement activities as specified in grant agreements, tracking timely submission of milestones and other technical reports
• Schedule site visits and follow up meetings as appropriate to ensure grantees meet award expectations
• Coordinate review and approval of milestones, reports, and payment requests, ensuring completeness, accuracy and quality of information submitted. Ensure all relevant documents are stored appropriately in project files
• Facilitate regular meetings between grantees and assigned technical staff approving grant activities
• With support from MEL staff, collect and store any designated MEL documentation (i.e. participant lists, technical reports) in appropriate project databases and contribute to project reporting
• Manage and document communications with grantees, proactively initiating formal award modifications as appropriate
Closeout:
• Ensure that grants are closed out in compliance with project policies and procedures, collecting signed closeout letters, final reports, and any other specified final deliverables
• Support MEL colleagues to organize an end-of-grant debrief or “lessons learned” event as appropriate, in coordination with technical staff assigned to the grant
• At grant conclusion, complete designed grant closeout process according to the latest checklist / guidance available in the Field Operations Manual, saving evidence of the audit in the project files.
Independent Consultant Management:
• Provide guidance to supervisors of independent consultants to develop well-defined Scopes of Work that include clear deliverables and expectations
• Document the recruitment (if applicable) and hire of new consultants, as well as modifications to existing consultant agreements, ensuring that updated CVs, biodata forms, SOWs, and other required documentation such as reference checks and restricted party screenings are saved
• Maintain updated independent consultant agreement tracker, flagging approaching award ceilings or period of performance end dates for supervisors
• Ensure that consultant agreements are fully executed by the appropriate DAI signatory per the latest Project Schedule of Authorities based on ceiling value
• In coordination with relevant technical leads, monitor consultant performance for compliance with agreement terms and conditions and oversee entry of performance data in consultant database.
Reporting
The Procurement & Grants Coordinator will report to the South Sudan Finance & Operations Manager.
Supervisory Responsibilities
The Procurement & Grants Coordinator will not have any direct supervisory responsibilities.
S/he will coordinate closely with the Area Program Managers, Program Coordinator, Admin & Logistics Assistant and the Finance & Operations Manager.
Qualifications
Education and Work Experience:
• At minimum, Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Public Administration & Management, Procurement & Logistics Management, Project Planning & Management or any relevant qualification.
• At minimum, 3 years of work experience in procurement, grants, and independent consultant management, with a strong preference for financial management and accounting experience;
• Experience supporting fast-paced donor-funded programs focused on resilience, livelihoods, food security, capacity development, or similar technical areas.
Skills:
• Attention to detail;
• Effective communication with colleagues and stakeholders located within South Sudan as well as in Kenya and other LINK offices – a strong capacity for remote collaboration is required;
• Ability to balance competing priorities and information shared by colleagues, policy and procedure manuals, stakeholders, etc. and carry out well-informed procurement actions;
• Good English and Arabic writing and speaking.
NB: QUALIFIED FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY
This position is only open to South Sudanese Nationals
Application Instructions
To apply, please visit: Policy LINK
Candidates will be required to answer certain qualifying questions before uploading their CVs and cover letters to the application form for consideration.
Only candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted. No email inquiries please.
Positions will be advertised for a minimum of fourteen (14) days but will remain posted until filled.
LINK JD - Proc & Grants South Sudan.pdf (179.7 KB)