Portfolio Advisor

Compensation:GBP53,715.00 - 54,646.00Annually

Open to Expatriates:No

Location:London, UK

Work Arrangement: Open to Remote

THIS OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN ONLY TO CURRENT IRC STAFF, APPLICATION WILL CLOSE ON 30TH OF JUNE

The Awards Management Unit (AMU)

Established in January 2016, the Awards Management Unit (AMU) is a global department with the responsibility for identifying, securing, and managing all funding from statutory/government donors.

The AMU is a bridge between donors and country programs: providing expert technical advice to the country teams, while maintaining portfolio-level visibility to ensure consistency and compliance, and manage risk. This unit ensures that donor compliance policies and procedures are implemented consistently, and supports all staff working across the award management cycle for all restricted funding from global government sources.

The Purpose of the Role

The Portfolio Advisor sits in AMU within the Frameworks & Global Awards Team. The team is responsible for the oversight, coordination and management of a portfolio of multi-country, multi-component awards. The role provides support on the overall implementation and management of the IRC's Humanitarian Framework Agreement with Sida (the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), in addition to the wider portfolio as required. The purpose of this role is to:

• Provide high quality grants management and compliance support to the implementation of the Sida Humanitarian Framework Agreement (HFA) throughout the full program cycle, including the development and submission of funding applications, monitoring grant performance and expenditure, leading on review and compilation of narrative, financial and audit reports.
• Support on overall management of the HFA together with the Senior Portfolio Manager; contribute to and support strategic engagement with the donor and support on growing the IRC's Sida Humanitarian Framework Agreement funding.

Scope and Authority

The Portfolio Advisorhas the authority to make decisions within the parameters of donor policy and procedures, referring any non-routine and complex matters to the Senior Portfolio Manager. Fixed 12 month contract.

Key Working Relationships

• Reports to the Senior Portfolio Manager
• Close working relationship with the Deputy Director, Frameworks and Global Awards, and other Frameworks & Global Awards Team members
• Coordinates with and supports across the AMU pillars - especially Regional Program and Award Support Teams, Contracts & Grants Advisor - Technical Excellence, Regional Directors of Award Management (DAMs), Heads of Business Development (HBDs), Program Development Advisors (PDAs) and the Compliance and Policy team
• Works closely with Finance UK and other staff as necessary

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Awards Management and Compliance

• Act as an internal focal point for any issues related to the implementation and management of the Sida Humanitarian Framework Agreement under the guidance / supervision of the Senior Portfolio Manager.
• Represent IRC externally, handling and cultivating professional relationship with Sida HFA focal point and relevant staff from the Humanitarian Unit by serving as one of two IRC focal points for Sida; facilitate meetings and engagement as needed; provide updates on implementation and grants management issues and supporting in preparing materials for briefing events and meetings.
• Support development of guidance materials for compliant and effective award management, provide orientation, training and support to colleagues on their use as necessary.
• Address queries in relation to implementation issues and standard compliance questions (e.g. visibility, budget variance, reporting deadlines, and procurement) in coordination with AMU Compliance and Policy team.
• Take part in regular meetings and calls with AMU and relevant colleagues to provide regular support and updates and collaborate closely on specific issues related to donor compliance, submissions and/or monitoring/award management.
• Review, provide substantive feedback, and submit correspondence and amendments to the donor in a timely manner, including narrative and financial reports; Cost Extension, No Cost Extension, budget realignments, project changes and critical updates, ensuring that all documents and information submitted are high quality and compliant.
• Co-lead together with the Senior Portfolio Manager on the submission of Sida framework narrative, financial and audit reports; produce templates, guidance and timeline; involving relevant internal and external (audit firms) stakeholders and ensure that donor requirements and quality standards are met and reports are submitted on time.
• Collate inputs for proposals, write proposal sections, consolidate and edit inputs from colleagues, including on the Rapid Response Mechanism, if required.
• Prepare and consolidate budgets, and coordinate internal reviews and approvals before submission.
• Respond to data requests from other departments and accountability for portfolio-wide data needs.
• Produce quarterly internal financial management updates and analysis on interim reports to effectively monitor progress.
• Update and maintain internal systems for data management.
• Contribute to AMU/Unit work plan and delivery of specific projects.
• In collaboration with Finance and the Senior Frameworks Manager, review Budget versus Actuals of centrally managed project budgets ensuring the use of correct coding on expenditure and regularly updating spending plans.
• Participate in country and project visits to monitor progress on HFA grants and provide support to implementation teams.
• Support the project team with event arrangements (participants, venue, etc.).
• Support the development and management of other awards.
• Other duties as required.

Experience, Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Experience in grant management, including: preparing donor narrative and financial reports, including audit reports; preparing budget amendments; cost extension requests; and project changes (preferably for Sida)
• Demonstrable understanding of humanitarian and development programming
• Demonstrable experience and a deep understanding of European institutional donors and their requirements
• Experience of budget monitoring and financial management
• Experience of proposal and report writing and editing and supporting teams in developing donor submissions
• Experience with / working in developing countries and/or humanitarian context
• Flexible and able to shift quickly to changing priorities
• Strong organizational skills, detail orientated, ability to multi task, prioritise and learn quickly
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people within and across departments in a multi-cultural environment, and build and maintain good working relationships
• Good analytical skills and excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and productively in a fast-paced environment - proactive and initiative to problem solve within the parameters of the role is essential
• Knowledge of Sida
• International work experience in a developing country
• Degree, preferably in a subject related to IRC's work (International Relations, Refugee or Migration Studies, Development Studies, Public Policy), or equivalent
• Experience of working in a global organisation, with complex reporting relationships
• Able to begin in August

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The process for this role will be as follows:

• first round panel interview online
  

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.