Sub Agreements Officer

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

Organizational Context:

CARE is a leading humanitarian organization dedicated to fighting poverty and social injustice with a special emphasis on women and girls. CARE Tanzania is part of CARE. With the vision is to seek a world of hope, tolerance, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security. CARE International is a global force and a partner of choice within a worldwide movement dedicated to ending poverty. We are known everywhere for our unshakable commitment to the dignity of people. CARE Tanzania and partners contribute to the empowerment of the most marginalized and vulnerable rural women and girls to exercise their rights.

Job Summary

Tanzania Capacity and Communications Project (TCCP) is a five year project whose goal is to increase the adoption of safer behaviours by Tanzanian adults and high risk populations (adult and youth) to prevent or manage HIV infection, support the up-take of family planning to reduce unmet need, and address maternal, newborn, and child health. CARE Tanzania jointly implements this project with the Center for Communication Programs of the John Hopkins School of Public Health-Dar es salaam. While the project is being implemented in 10 priority regions in Tanzania, CARE Tanzania implements community mobilisation activities in 29 districts of the 10 regions namely Mwanza region 7 districts, Geita (2) Mara (4), Shinyanga (3), Simiyu (4), Tabora (2), Iringa (2) Njombe (1), Pwani (2) and Dar es salaam (2).

This position will be responsible for providing technical oversight on sub agreement process for TCCP sub grantees and strengthening their institutional capacities through enhancing organizational, financial and administrative systems.

This will include day-to-day technical support on grants management to reinforce compliance and due diligence to MOUs. S/he will conduct periodic audits of grantees, identify capacity building gaps and support partners and staff to develop and implement financial-management and capacity building plans. S/he will also help build the budgetary, financial-management, and reporting capacity of grantees. S/he will also monitor the financial-management performance of grantees with regard to financial reporting and analysis; compliance and performance trends. S/he will be responsible for maintaining sub-grant files and grants database.

This person is also responsible for reviewing and preparing sub-agreement for grants making sure that they meet the requirements described in the CARE sub agreement policy and donor requirements feed into strategic decision making of project implementation, risk management and analysis of what needs to be done to develop/maintain the existing Sub grant Portfolio at a level that adequately supports our strategic direction and business needs.

The Sub Agreement technical Officer will be based in Dar es Salaam CARE office and will report directly to Technical Coordinator – Community Mobilisation of TCCP and technically to Sub Agreement Manager for Care Tanzania and will work closely with Finance department at Dar office on issues related to TCCP.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

Job Responsibility # 1: Manage the sub-granting process (10%)

• Participate in the screening process during sub grantees selection. This involves joining and facilitating the screening staff on use of the technical tool developed to select sub grantees at least to guarantee the integrity of the screening process.
• He/she will undertake a pre-award systems audit of prospective sub grantees and coordinate the visit to their offices specifically to validate the information contained in their applications submitted to CARE. This includes verification of the bank account details, governance structure, segregation of duties, documentation and capacity of staff to implement the proposed project and make recommendations based on information gathered, and determine on-job training required.
• Summarise the screening and pre award system audit results, clearly identifying capacity gaps and required improvements, and present with recommendations to Sub Agreement Manager for reviewing.
• Ensure that the Sub grant agreements are regularly updated to ensure the agreements cover all the project and donor requirements and where necessary flag required changes to the responsible persons.

Job responsibility # 2: Program Initiative Planning, Implementation and Management (10%)

• Participate in developing annual work plan and budget for CARE TCCP by providing inputs from Sub grant component.
• Participate in periodic project implementation reviews (quarterly/Semi annually and annually), with CARE TCCP team and with CARE TCCP partner team.
• Facilitate development of partner individual annual budget based on sub agreement between CARE and partner and subsequent modifications.
• Assist in creating environment for smooth Internal and External Audit(s) to CARE TCCP partners.

Job responsibility # 3: Disbursement and Sub Agreement Monitoring (40 %)

• Coordinate with TCCP Coordinator in submitting quarterly sub grant cash forecasts to the Country office CARE Tanzania Financial Controller
• Review and monitor TCCP sub-grantees outstanding advance, expenditures and disbursements, this will also include compilation/consolidation of a monthly aging report. The aging report will be submitted as on monthly basis to TCCP coordinator and Sub Agreement Manager.
• Coordinate regular reviews of TCCP sub grantees reports and conduct monitoring field visits to verify whether planned activities are implemented as per sub-agreement.
• Assist management in updating operational manuals and ensure adequate internal controls and internal checks are implemented. A special emphasis will be placed on ensuring input into the regular update of our Country Office sub granting manual to match it with CARE’s business needs as well as to bring it in line with the CARE USA policy and also relevant donor requirements.
• Assist in performance of special projects, requests and other functions as required.
• Ensure the sub-agreement close out for all TCCP sub grantees is done following the standard procedures, and that our sub granting agreements reflect our over arching obligations to the relevant donor and allow sufficient time for effective closeout.

Job Responsibility # 4: Capacity Development of Sub-grantees (25%)

• Develop TCCP Sub grantees improvement plans based on the capacity gaps identified during due diligence.
• Monitor the implementation of improvement plans to ensure that they are fully realised.
• Initiate, organize and facilitate training sessions for TCCP sub-grantees staff to address Capacity gaps identified during grantee risk assessments (due Diligence), audits and monitoring visits by programme staff. Organise and facilitate training on compliance of Country Office procedures and policies; external regulations and requirements set by the various governments we work with, CARE USA and funders.
• Support the building of organizational capacity of partners to ensure their development and sustainability at the community level.

Job Responsibility # 5: Sub Grants Information Management (10 %)
• Maintain hard copies of TCCP sub grant agreements, cost and no cost extensions as well donor related information. Ensure records of sub grants including agreements, contracts, donor regulation manuals and audit schedules are properly maintained at the Field Office.
• Prepare and update on a monthly basis the project sub agreement database, the sub agreement information on contract dates, contract amounts, disbursements, liquidations, questioned and disallowed costs.
• Provide to Financial Controller the updates of the sub grantee Database that clearly identifies the sub grantee contacts, RFA dates, pre award systems audit scores, sub grant quarterly reporting dates and any other relevant information.

Job Responsibility #5: Promote Gender Equality (All the time)
• Practice a behaviour that is consistent with CARE’s core values and promotion of gender and diversity goals.
• Conducts gender analysis and mainstreaming in program initiative activities
• Identifies vulnerable farmers especially women and girls in engaging in various program initiative activities including meetings, leadership and getting benefits as to mention the few
• Assists communities in participation in the program initiatives.
• Advises the Program Manager on various ways to create awareness to women to participate to various program initiatives

Job Responsibility #7: Perform Other Duties as Assigned (5% of time)
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor;

Competencies
• Excellence: Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; successfully completes assignments; sets standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed; ensures interactions and transactions are ethical and convey integrity.
• Respect: Behaves in a manner that reflects a true belief in and appreciation for the dignity and potential of all human beings. Gaining other people’s confidence and setting an environment of trust and openness.
• Diversity: Promotes, values and respects each individual’s unique qualities, background, race, culture, age, gender, disability, values, lifestyle, perspectives or interests; creates and maintains a work environment that promotes diversity.
• Integrity: Maintains social, ethical, and organizational norms; firmly adheres to codes of conduct and ethical principles inherent to CARE.
• Communicating with Impact: Diplomatically, logically and clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the recipient / audience and helps them understand and retain their message.
• Facilitating Change: Supports and manages the change process at CARE-Tanzania by developing a culture affirmative of change; encouraging others to seek and act upon opportunities for different and innovative approaches to addressing problems and opportunities; critically analyzing evolving and fluid situations; facilitating the implementation and acceptance of change within the workplace; actively engaging with resistance to change.
• Strengthening Partnership: Identifying and utilizing opportunities within and outside of CARE Tanzania to develop effective strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas/departments/units or external organizations to achieve CARE’s objectives.
• Planning and Organizing: Establishes courses of action for self and others to ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively in accordance with CARE’s core values.
• Adaptability: Effectively manages changing environments in the organization; maintains effectiveness when dealing with multiple and conflicting priorities across different cultural settings or during emergency and crisis situations.
• Initiating Action: Takes prompt action to accomplish objectives; takes decisive action to achieve goals in times of uncertainty or in fluid contexts; is proactive.
• Building Commitment: Uses appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifies one’s own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations, and individuals involved.
• Contribute to Team Success: Actively participates as a member of a team or work unit to move the team/unit toward the completion of shared goals.
• Problem Solving: The levels of problem solving is level 1 and 2 because many of the job responsibilities are clearly defined and the problems which are likely to happens are within incumbent capacity as the program initiative is working in partnership with local government, therefore, the incumbent will expect to have support from local leader as well as CARE staff. However, interpolative skills are required given his/her interactions with the community and determining.

Qualifications (Know-How)

Education/Training
Required
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Accounting
• Extensive capacity building knowledge especially with adult learning methodology

Desired:
• Masters in Arts (MA) major in Finance/Accounting or related field;

Experience
Required
• A minimum of five years of previous professional experience in a similar position
• Capable of preparing financial reports according to donor and CARE formats.
• Ability to manage donor funded projects/programs
• Broad Sub granting knowledge, firm grasp of the basics and professionalism

Technical Skills
Required
• Solid experience and understanding of sub grants management;
• Strong ability to engage with communities and capability;
• Strong capacity building, training and facilitation skills;
• An approach to mirror our core values: commitment, accountability, respect, effectiveness and diversity;
• Ability to work and communicate with a range of stakeholders including policymakers and government officials, NGOs, the media, community representatives;
• Excellent interpersonal skills with extensive knowledge of team building;
• Ensuring that gender and power dynamics are taken into consideration; Able to provide technical assistance in the area of gender and women’s empowerment to ensure that programmatic strategies are
addressing unequal power relations;
• Proficient in Computer with knowledge in Microsoft Office Suite, Internet usage;
• Ability to thrive in team environments, with a strong understanding of diversity and other cultures
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a fluent writing style and good knowledge and practical use of both English and Kiswahili;

Our diversity is our strength; we encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences, particularly women, to apply