Solidaridad Network Asia
 

Job Profile: Grants and Contracts Manager

Introduction

Solidaridad (www.solidaridadnetwork.org) is an international network organization working in Asia and across the globe to address farmers’ poverty and workers’ wellbeing through empowerment and promoting sustainability compliances. Solidaridad Network Asia, as part of Solidaridad Asia is operating in Bangladesh and promoting ecosystem-based solutions for agricultural productivity and responsible industrial practices that increase income and employment for the farmers and rural urban poor.

Our work focuses on fostering sustainability and empowerment of farmers and workers to develop scalable environmental sound and economically viable sustainable solutions in the agricultural and industrial landscape. We support in co-creation of business cases for economic empowerment of the farmers and workers, and support in improving enabling and conducive environment for public and private sector investment, ensuring that farmers and workers are not left behind.

Vision: We envision a world in which the economy works for all: where all we produce, and all we consume, can sustain us while respecting the planet, each other, and the generations to come.

Mission: We enable farmers and workers to earn a living income, shape their own future, and produce in balance with nature by working throughout the whole supply chain to make sustainability the norm.

Overall Job Description

The key responsibility of the Grants and Contracts Manager is to oversee the country office budget utilization and fund flow management. S/he will closely work with the projects and finance team to monitor the budget utilization and deliverables are made on time, and are being used effectively to achieve the intended results/outcomes. This person engages in compliance reporting, and supports contract management and special project initiatives.

Under the close supervision of the Country Manager, the incumbent will be engaged to oversee projects budget utilization ensuring internal and external compliances. S/he will review and monitor the partners and sub-contracting budget utilization and ensure resources allocation are made in a timely manner. S/he will also review the sub-contracting proposals, develop contracting agreements with the partners/subcontractors, and will serve as a point of contact to govern the use of resources are made against the set deliverables.

The Manger will ensure high level of due diligence and legal, technical, and operational management for the country office programming. S/he will provide technical assistance to projects staff and partners/subcontractors on financial reporting and compliances.

This position is integral to Solidaridad Asia Bangladesh country office management, will need strong budget analysis for scenario planning and budget creation. S/he should have good communications skills to work with all project managers to build their budgets and understand the impact on organizational short and long term strategic financial goal.

The Grants and Contracts Manager will work under the overall supervision of the Country Manager. This position will be located in Dhaka, with regular field visits to Solidaridad's operational areas.

Duties and Accountabilities

The details responsibilities of the Grants and Contract Manager shall include:

a. Budgeting:

  • Development of country office annual budget and forecasts.
  • Actively involve in the development of budget for new project proposals and provide inputs to program managers in budgeting and cash flow analysis for finalization of projects budget.
  • Monitor and review financial reports of projects/partners/sub-contractors to ensure that expenditures are align with the approved budget.
  • Provide support to projects and finance to review and update project’s budget revision and its reconciliation as per organization policies.
  • Maintain a database for budget and its subsequent amendments for each project implemented in Bangladesh.
  • Develop progress reports detailing projects expenditures under each of the project outcomes, including reporting on variables and challenges on a monthly/quarterly and annual basis.

b. Grants and Contracts Management (includes Donor and Partner Management):

  • Maintain grants and contracts compliance and reporting, including monitoring and maintaining reporting schedules and requirements.
  • Develop and finalize partner agreements and service consultancy contracts to ensure that the organization’s interest is protected as per Solidaridad policy framework.
  • Review all grants and contracts budget and forecast, prepare reports and variances to track under/overspending.
  • Undertake partner assessment and partner contract management as part of Solidaridad MIS.
  • Formulate grant agreement with partners and Solidaridad Asia and review their utilization report on a regular basis.
  • Review and monitor each project budget on a regular interval to highlight points which requires immediate attention.
  • Develop tools/guidelines to effectively and efficiently manage grants and contracts.
  • Facilitate project/organizational audits as per the donor requirement in coordination with the project and finance team.
  • Develop effective data storage and retrieval system ensuring all grant agreements, financial records and relevant communication are stored in single google drive.
  • Track country office and projects fund flow and the reporting deadlines and the audit requirements.
  • Provide insights on project financial management and deliverables for decision-making and more effective allocation of resources.
  • Monitor and review specific requirements for each of the projects such as match grants requirements and reporting.

c. Internal Operations:

  • Update projects financial reporting in Salesforce Plaza.
  • Support projects/ finance team for minimizing compliance query from donor.
  • Identify the scope of improvement in the existing process and system so that it will cater the emerging requirements.
  • Maintain systems of internal controls and safeguards for maintaining internal and donor compliances.
  • Track progress toward organizational and programmatic outcomes.
  • Support maintenance of all grants and contracts requirements, rules and regulations and contribute to continuously improve internal control system.

Education & Experience Criteria

  • Master’s degree in accounting/finance/management/ business administration/Chartered Accountancy.
  • Demonstrated analytical skills and self-motivated with the ability to set priorities and manage multiple tasks effectively and efficiently.
  • Minimum of 5 years of grants management involvement required, ideally in positions of increasing responsibility and with cross-functional exposure.
  • Strong Excel skills to build budgets, prepare variance reports, forecasts, as well as scenario planning.
  • Expert in Microsoft Office (specifically Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
  • Experience with Sales Force or other donor development software systems.
  • Must possess solid decision-making ability, independence, and initiative, and strong ability to take guidance and direction.

Person Specifications & Attributes

  • Excellent intercultural leadership, planning and organization, teamwork, coaching and communication skills.
  • Fosters an inclusive workplace where diversity and individual differences are valued and leveraged to achieve the vision and mission of the organization.
  • Strategic thinker with ability to lead and motivate staff/partners towards water principles;
  • Outstanding analytical writing skills in English and Bengali; excellent communication skills and fluent spoken English are required;

Employment Type

  • Project based fixed term

Salary & Other Benefits

Solidaridad offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with Solidaridad Asia’s pay scales and Service Rules. The benefits package includes a provident fund, festival bonus, gratuities, and medical insurance as per the organizational policy.

Apply Instructions

To apply, please send a CV (3 pages max.) and a cover letter (1 page) explaining your desire, your relevant skills, and your experiences at recruitment.hrsna@gmail.com. The position applied for should be clearly mentioned in the subject line of the email. Only short-listed candidates will be called for an interview.

Closing date of the application is 30 March 2025

Solidaridad strives to be an equal opportunities employer, committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination for all job applicants and employees, and we seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, and disability.