Trade

VACANCY

GRANTS MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

1. Background
Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE) Programme is a Government of Malawi 6-year initiative funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) whose overall goal is to contribute to improved sustainable livelihoods of rural people in Malawi through Value Chain commercialisation and resilience of rural poor and smallholder’s producers”. TRADE Programme specifically seeks to: (i) increase production and productivity by smallholder farmers; (i) functionally upgrade smallholder farmers and the rural poor to undertake new functions such as processing, storage, packaging to capture more value; (iii) improve horizontal linkages by strengthening the capacities of cooperatives to provide market access functions to smallholder farmers; and, (iv) improve vertical linkages between stakeholders at different functional levels of the commodity chain, including private sector. TRADE supports rural entrepreneurs, focusing on youths and women to develop and sustain their agribusiness enterprise opportunities and ensuring that commodities are nutrition sensitive. This objective will be achieved through targeted support to smallholder farmers and non-farm actors to benefit from commodity markets, improved access to rural financial services, market and business development services and partnerships with the private sector. The programme directly contributes to Pillar 1 and 3 of MW 2063. and Strategic objective 2 of the Malawi Country Strategic Opportunity (COSOP 2016-2021). Under the Ministry of Local Government as lead agency, TRADE is being implemented under 3 interlinked components namely: sustainable producer-private partnerships; enabling environment for smallholder commercialization and component; and, institutional support and programme management. With a total target of 300,000 households, TRADE covers 11 districts (Mchinji, Ntchisi, Dedza, Blantyre, Kasungu, Nkata Bay, Rumphi, Karonga, Lilongwe Rural, Thyolo and Chitipa) focusing on 7 commodities (groundnuts, soybean, sunflower, Irish potato, dairy, beef and honey). It is in view of this background that TRADE is looking for highly motivated and experienced candidates to fill the position of Grants Management Specialist tenable in Lilongwe.

2. Job Purpose

Reporting to the National Programme Coordinator, the Grants Management Specialist (GMS) will oversee compliance with the grant agreement conditions and fiduciary obligations by grantees. He/she will coordinate manage, supervise and monitor performance and contractual obligations of the grantees. She/he will work in collaboration with Finance Management Specialist, Agribusiness and Value chain specialist, commodity specialists and Field coordinators. She/ he will be the link between the grant recipients and TRADE with regard to grant compliance and financial management.

He/she will ensure that recipient of grant facilities from TRADE complies with all grant requirements and that the grant facilities are used for intended purposes and consistent with value for money principles, benefitting commercial partnerships with smallholder farmers.

3. Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Ensure that both TRADE and the grant recipients are complying with terms and conditions of the grant agreement;
• Shall conduct regular financial management support visits to TRADE grant recipients from time to time;
• Critically analyse financial reports from grant recipients by identifying any financial shortcomings and make appropriate recommendations to component specialists and management;
• Ensure systematic follow-up on progress made on previous financial recommendations with grant recipients;
• Ensure that the grant recipients have sound financial management arrangements;
• Ensure that the grant recipients have reliable system of internal controls;
• Liaise with both internal and external auditors to ensure smooth audits and timely submission of financial reports by grant recipients;
• Ensure that audit recommendations from auditors are complied with;
• Coordinate and participate in technical backstopping missions to grant recipients by TRADE, Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development and IFAD;
• Review and vouch financial transactions to ensure that they are supported by authentic third party documentation;
  Act as a secretary of the Grant Review Committee;
• Ensure that grant recipient’s expenditures are made within agreed physical deliverables to ensure reasonableness and value for money among grant recipients;
• Alert TRADE of any signs of corruption or wrong doing by the grant recipients;
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

4. Qualifications and Experience

a) Advanced Degrees and Certifications:

• Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Professional certifications such as CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CMA (Certified Management Accountant), or CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant).

b) Specialized Training:

• Training in grants management, financial compliance, and auditing.
• Training in risk management and internal controls.

c) Experience with Development Partners:

• Extensive experience working with international development organizations beyond IFAD, such as the World Bank, USAID, or the UN (at least 7 years)
• Proven track record of managing grants in multi-donor environments.

d) Project Management Skills:

• Certification in project management (eg., PMP, PRINCE2).
• Experience in managing large-scale agricultural or rural development projects.

e) Technical Proficiency:

• Advanced proficiency in financial management software and systems.
• Familiarity with electronic grant management systems.

f) Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills:

• Strong analytical skills to assess financial reports and identify discrepancies.
• Proactive problem-solving abilities to address and resolve grant management issues effectively.

g) Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Excellent communication skills to effectively liaise with various stakeholders, including government officials, donors, and local communities.
• Strong negotiation skills to manage grant agreements and resolve conflicts.

h) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E):

• Experience in designing and implementing M&E frameworks for grant-funded projects.
• Skills in using M&E tools to track progress and impact of grant activities.

i) Leadership and Team Management:

• Proven leadership experience in managing teams and coordinating with multiple departments.
• Ability to mentor and build capacity among grant recipients and staff.

5. Application Modality

Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications together with copies of certificates, CVs and names of three traceable referees clearly indicating the position being applied for on the email heading (for emails) and on envelopes (for hard-copies) not later than 6th August 2024 (17:00 hours) to:

The National Programme Coordinator
Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE)
P.O. Box 2135
Lilongwe
Or Email: administration@tradeprogramme.org
Area 9 Plot Number 328

TRADE is an equal opportunity employer. Women candidates are encouraged to apply.