Grant Manager, BlueAction Project

Fauna & Flora International

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) saves species from extinction and habitats from destruction, whilst improving the livelihoods of local people. Our guiding principles are to work with and alongside local partnerships, act as a catalyst for change, make conservation relevant and base decisions on sound science. Founded in 1903, FFI is the world’s longest established international conservation body; our conservation work, and impact, spans the globe.

Africa Programme

Working closely with local partners, FFI’s Africa Programme currently supports operations in 13 countries in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, and is implementing a range of projects focused on both terrestrial and marine species and habitat conservation, biodiversity planning, protected area management, institutional development and capacity building, sustainable use and community-focused wildlife management initiatives.

To achieve its mission in Africa, FFI uses different approaches to work with and alongside local partners to focus on the sustainable use and management of natural resources as a means to effective conservation in the long-term. In all its projects in Africa, FFI seeks to:

• Build and support local partnerships with African conservation and community development organisations
• Strengthen institutions to bring sustainability and added value to projects
• Maintain long term presence and relationships
• Reconcile conservation goals with the needs of local people
• Incorporate sound science in decision-making

FFI Marine Programme

FFI has been working in marine conservation for decades. However, it launched its formal marine programme in 2011 focused on the following three strands:

• securing important areas to safeguard marine biodiversity;
• informing and influencing policies and practice affecting the marine environment; and
• supporting key national and local institutions to help them deliver effective marine conservation.

In 2005, the Zanzibar Government gazetted the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA) making it one of the largest marine protected areas in Tanzania. FFI has worked in partnership with Mwambao (Mwambao Coast Community Network), a Tanzanian NGO, since 2014 to support the effective management of PECCA and to implement measures that improve reef ecosystem health, improve sustainability of key fisheries, improve local wellbeing through inclusion of fishers into their fishing ground management and provide opportunities to engage in other livelihood activities.

The Blue Action Fund project that this role relates to builds upon work to date in PECCA, expanding the target area and the number of communities engaged. The work will cover both communities involved in existing work on Pemba Island and additional communities from Pemba Island and mainland Tanzania’s Tanga region coast.

The Opportunity

FFI and their partner, Mwambao, are implementing a multi-million Euro, 4.5-year project funded by the Blue Action Fund (BlueAction). FFI is seeking an experienced Grant Manager to oversee delivery of this BlueAction grant entitled ‘Increasing socio-ecological resilience through community-led management of key coastal ecosystems in the Pemba Channel, Tanzania’.

The role will involve working closely with key project partners and other contractors to ensure delivery of the grant on time and on budget in full compliance with FFI and BAF financial guidelines, within the terms of the Blue Action Grant Agreement, and in accordance with FFI policies and procedures.

The successful candidate will have proven experience of managing complex high-value statutory grants, involving diverse actors, with delivery and monitoring of multiple streams of work. They will have strong organisational and financial management skills, and experience working in the environment and/or development field internationally. They will be a team player, able to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others, with excellent interpersonal skills, an ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organisations and donors, and the ability to understand the perspective of different stakeholders in order to help identify solutions to obstacles and challenges. They will be self-motivated and committed to producing the highest quality of work.

Terms and Conditions

Start Date: As soon as possible

Duration of Contract: Fixed-term contract until 30 September 2027

Probation Period: Six months

Salary: USD 35,000 gross per annum

Location: FFI Office in Nairobi, Kenya, with regular travel to Tanzania: Tanga region, Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba). International travel to FFI’s head office in Cambridge, UK may be required occasionally.

Benefits: 25 working days’ annual leave entitlement plus national public holidays observed in Kenya

Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, working 40 hours Monday to Friday inclusive. These hours may vary depending on the requirements of the job

Job Description

Job Title: Grant Manager, BlueAction Project

Reporting to: Grant & Development Manager, Eastern Africa (UK)

Line Manager of: Finance Officer, BlueAction Project (Kenya)

Key Internal

Relationships: Technical Specialist, Marine, Africa (UK)

Senior Programme Manager, Eastern Africa (UK)

Finance and Admin Manager, Kenya (Kenya)

Finance Business Partner, East & Southern Africa (UK)

Country Manager Kenya Programme (Kenya)

Technical Specialist, Social & Environmental Safeguards, BlueAction Project (Kenya)

Key External

Relationships: The Grant Manager will work closely with key staff from the project’s main implementing partner, based in Zanzibar and Tanzania, and with the project partners and contractors.The Grant Manager will, as required, represent FFI with government agencies, communities and community-based organisations, international and national stakeholders, including academic institutions and funders, representing the values and interests of FFI at all times.

Purpose:

On the ground implementation of the BlueAction project in Tanzania will be partner-led. This role will maintain oversight for the project and financial management, to ensure the effective delivery of the project, on time and budget. This will involve working closely with key project partners and coordinating technical input from FFI staff, to deliver the project, within the terms of the BlueAction Grant Agreement and in compliance with FFI and donor financial guidelines and with FFI policies and procedures. The role will support strengthening of internal systems and procedures for the lead project partner to maintain an effective and dynamic implementation team that delivers impactful conservation action.

Specific Duties:

Under the line-management of the Grant & Development Manager, Eastern Africa (GDM EA) and working with the roles listed above the Grant Manager, BlueAction Project, will have the following responsibilities:

Grant Management

• Act as primary project contact point with the donor
• Manage the project to ensure delivery of the grant within timeframe and budget, in compliance with all obligations within the terms of the Grant Agreement, and in accordance with FFI policies and procedures, in close cooperation with partner leads
• Ensure all grant agreements, sub-grant agreements and contracts are in place, appropriate to, and comply with, FFI operating standards, the Delegation of Authority (DoA), and implementation context within the region
• Lead FFI and donor technical report writing, coordinating the inputs of FFI staff and partners, ensuring accurate and timely technical, operational and institutional reporting as per FFI and donor requirements
• Ensure any non-compliance is addressed or raised through appropriate policies and procedures
• At grant end, lead the grant management and administrative steps required for smooth grant closure and finalisation of all requirements with the donor

Financial Management and Reporting

• Manage project finances with specific attention to tracking and forecasting expenditure to ensure project delivery is on budget and satisfies donor compliance requirements, FFI regulations and the FFI Delegation of Authorities (DoA).
• Ensure maintenance of project financial records that meet both FFI’s in-country and UK-based institutional auditing requirements and internal and donor reporting and auditing requirements. Oversee maintenance of project financial records by lead partner that meet institutional auditing requirements and internal and donor reporting and auditing requirements
• Analyse project financial performance, including postings and spend, working closely with the FBP (E&SA)
• Be responsible for regular budget forecasting and re-budget throughout the year in collaboration with project team as required
• Oversee main implementing partner to ensure appropriate maintenance of project financial records and that financial management meets both FFI’s institutional auditing requirements and donor reporting and auditing requirements, working with FFI finance team and FBP (E&SA)
• Prepare project financial reports, with support from the FBP (E&SA), and ensure timely and accurate financial donor and institutional reporting
• Prepare periodic disbursement requests and budget justifications for the donor
• Prepare periodic transfers to project partners as per sub-grant agreements in place, following receipt of accurate and timely project financial reporting from them as required
• Ensure grant budget details are accurately entered into FFI’s institutional annual budget within agreed timeframes

Project Management

• Lead the development of budgets and work plans for the project, in close coordination with the project implementing partners and key FFI staff
• Responsible for ensuring effective and timely delivery of project activities and deliverables against the work plan, targets, reporting timeline and budget, coordinating the inputs of implementing partners, Kenya-based and UK-based FFI staff and contractors as necessary
• Manage procurement processes for FFI in accordance with institutional and donor
• Manage project inputs from relevant technical and operational staff, consultants and implementing partners
• Coordinate project data and results management, ensuring compliance with FFI’s data management framework
• Identify support needed to build the organisational and technical capacity of the lead implementing partner to deliver the project

Communications & Representation

• Bring to the attention of the Communications Department news worthy items arising within the project and, as agreed, work with the lead partner’s Communications officer to develop materials as required (e.g., web pages, articles, reports) to support FFI’s work in East Africa and FFI’s brand
• As required, represent FFI at appropriate external meetings and fora, including consultations, meetings and briefings
• Assist with documentation and dissemination of lessons learned internally and externally as agreed and appropriate

Programme resource and personnel development

• Provide motivational line management through objective setting, continuous performance management, annual appraisal, training provision and personal development planning in line with FFI best practice
• Identify support needed to build the organisational and technical capacity of the lead implementing partner to deliver the project and to support the development and resilience of the partner

Other

• Undertake regular international travel to project sites, Tanga region, Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba), relevant conferences and international meetings as required
• Support a culture of excellent communication, sharing of knowledge, lessons learnt and best practice and collaboration between project staff, wider FFI team members, implementing partners and other stakeholders as appropriate
• Undertake any other tasks commensurate with the position that may be requested from time-to-time by Line Manager, GDM EA

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

• Excellent project management skills with proven experience in project design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation· Excellent financial management and numeracy skills, including budgeting and reforecasting
• Strong organisational skills, with structured and methodical approach to work
• Excellent interpersonal skills, specifically ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organisations and donors
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including report writing
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Outlook and Excel
• Fluency in English (spoken and written)

Desirable

• Fluency in Swahili strongly desirable

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Proven experience in financial management of high-value grants (budgets totaling in excess of 1m €/USD pa)
• Experience of project management – delivering complex statutory grants, involving diverse actors, and requiring delivery and monitoring of multiple streams of work
• Experience of grant management – legal compliance and the responsible management of donor funds
• Proven experience in managing donor relationships effectively
• Degree or qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience in a similar role
• Proven experience working in the environment and/or development field internationally

Desirable

• Experience of working in East Africa, particularly Tanzania/Zanzibar, and/or with remote coastal/rural communities
• Experience working with government agencies, communities and community-based organisations, partner NGOs and for-profit entities
• Experience in the design and implementation of marine conservation projects
• Experience working within a geographically dispersed team
• Previous experience with BlueAction projects

Behavioural qualities

Essential

• Excellent team player, able to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others
• Ability to understand perspective of different stakeholders, to empathise, in order to facilitate identification of solutions to obstacles and challenges
• Self-motivated and output driven, committed to producing the highest quality of work
• Flexible and adaptable in uncertain and changeable work situations
• Rigorous and diligent approach to work
• Commitment to FFI’s Values

Work and travel

Essential

• Entitlement to live and work in Kenya (without employee sponsorship)
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly and at short notice to Tanzania (including Zanzibar) and to visit remote coastal communities
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally when required

FFI Values

Values underpin who we are and how we act. Just as values shape who we are as individuals, they define us as an organisation, creating the culture of success for which FFI is renowned. Our people exemplify our shared values, which are interconnected and interdependent:

• We act with integrity

• We are collaborative

• We are committed

• We are supportive & respectful

• We get things done

How to apply

Applications, consisting of a covering letter explaining why you feel you should be considered for this post, a full CV (tailored to the role as advertised, highlighting relevant experience and achievements) and contact details for two referees (who will not be contacted without your permission) should be sent to [email protected]

Please mark your application Grant Manager, BlueAction Project

The closing date for applications is 22 March 2023. Interviews are likely to be held from week commencing 3 April 2023. Candidates selected for interview will be contacted by email or telephone – please specify your preferred method of contact in your covering letter and indicate where you saw the position advertised.

Regrettably, due to limited resources and the high number of applications we receive, we are only able to contact short-listed candidates. If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

Applicants with Disabilities

FFI encourages applications from individuals with a disability who are able to carry out the duties of the post. If you have special needs in relation to your application, please contact Patrick on Tel: +254 (0) 715 795 359 or Email: [email protected]

FFI values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity