VACANCY: Grants Program Manager
Location: Tirana, Albania
Organization: LevizAlbania
Employment Type: Full time employment
Application deadline: 26 September 2021
“LevizAlbania” (LA) is a project of the Swiss Development Cooperation, implemented by the consortium of three Albanian organizations, Open Society Foundation for Albania (OSFA), Partners Albania and Co-PLAN for the period 2019 – 2023. LevizAlbania is an innovative project designed to have a catalytic effect on local democracy in Albania. It contributes to enhancing local democracy, through grants for Civil Society Organizations (CSO), informal groups, and citizens, supporting their demand for transparent and accountable local governance, and efficient public services. LevizAlbania supports civic actors countrywide, including women and youth, through a bottom-up approach. It supports coalition building to incite structural and systemic change at local and national level, promotes positive practices and uses media as an advocacy tool to amplify the demands of stakeholders.
Responsibilities (General)
Participates in preparing and implementing the grant-making processes of LevizAlbania. She/He has to be skillful at analyzing local democracy and civil society development and understanding the various challenges at national and local levels monitoring and evaluating applications and grants. She/He is responsible for periodically reporting on the whole process of grant making and also for analyzing expected results as well.
Responsibilities/Duties (Summary of key functions)
- Ensures that Grant Scheme is well designed to meet the project needs
- Develops Calls for Proposals package and is responsible for the screening and the scoring process of the concept ideas and full project proposals, making recommendations to the Grants’ Board;
- Organizes with other LA project staff the outreach and information sessions addressed to civic actors;
- Contributes to the design and implementation of the Competition Ideas events;
- Ensures effective management of Grants Program in a manner that grant regulations and contractual obligations are met;
- Monitors implementation of grants to ensure adherence to proposed methodology and activity plan, including management of timelines and deliverables;
- Monitors and participates in grantees activities and conducts monitoring field visits;
- Coordinates with Finance Manager on the reporting by grantees and disbursement of funds;
- Provides recommendations for grant giving process improvement, based on grant implementation and lessons learnt;
- Contributes to the design of working documents and reports (Monitoring Plans, periodic reports, etc.);
- Provides strategic advice, technical inputs and recommendations for project orientation;
Education required:
- Advanced university degree (Master) related to democratic governance and development, such as political science, economics, law and other social sciences.
Experience and skills required
- A minimum of 5 years’ experience in direct administering of grant giving processes;
- Good practice in developing grant proposals;
- Knowledge and experience in projects with media will represent an added value;
- Ability to prepare high quality policy briefs, analytical reports, and technical research reflecting good practice in democratic governance & citizen inclusion;
- Good knowledge of Monitoring & Evaluation processes and a good record in working with CSOs and/or civic initiatives;
- Skills in training, process facilitation, strategic planning, and partnership-building;
- Resourcefulness, good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
- Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with, and between different levels and types of project personnel and counterparts;
- Excellent PC user skills: word processing, spread sheets, databases and web-based research.
Language requirements: Strong skills in written communications in English particularly in issue-based papers and reporting; Excellent spoken English is also required.
Compensation offered: Remuneration budgeted for the position is as per the sector standards. Offers shall be commensurate with the qualifications, experience and salary history of the selected candidate.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
The application should include a cover letter and the CV in English and a minimum of two specific reference letters for this position. Other supporting documents are welcomed. Please indicate in e-mail subject specification about your application: Application – Grants and Media Manager – Name Surname. The application should arrive not later than 26 September 2021 via email to: [email protected]. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.
LevizAlbania is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all interested groups without any discrimination!
