Grants Associate

Reports to: Associate Director of Grantmaking & Grant Operations

Location: Remote

Union/Non-Union: Union-Represented

 

About MADRE

MADRE is an international human rights organization that strengthens communities locally by centering the expertise of women and girls within them. MADRE builds sustainable, networked partnerships, and champions equity through systemic policy solutions and funding. MADRE integrates grantmaking, capacity bridging, and legal advocacy to achieve its goals. Since its founding in 1983, MADRE has provided more than $65 million in grants to support women and girls in more than 40 countries. Learn more about MADRE’s work at: https://www.madre.org/. 

 

 

Position Summary 

MADRE seeks a Grants Associate to support its Grantmaking & Partnerships (G&P) team, including without limitation assisting with MADRE’s grantmaking efforts, providing resources and assistance to global and local organizations focused on tackling various human rights issues (e.g., poverty, natural disasters, and conflicts), and providing various administrative support.

 

 

Position Description 

MADRE is seeking a highly motivated, dynamic, and organized Grants Associate to support MADRE’s G&P team, including assisting with the development and implementation of MADRE’s grantsmaking strategy; providing MADRE’s partners with resources, trainings, information, and opportunities to empower and mobilize their local communities to address various human rights issues.  Additionally, as part of their work with the G&P team, the Grants Associate will provide administrative and operational support to their colleagues across MADRE.  The Grants Associate is also responsible for helping to coordinate special events and projects that advance MADRE’s partnerships.

 

 

Core Responsibilities

Grantmaking:

• Collaborate with the G&P team to implement MADRE’s overall grantmaking strategy, including without limitation equitable grantmaking, multi-year grants, emergency grants, and supporting both existing and new partner organizations in various regions.
• Manage and coordinate all aspects of grant dockets using their professional judgment and discretion, including without limitation reviewing requests, conducting due diligence, processing and tracking grants, and escalating  complex cases to the Grants & Compliance Officer and G&P leadership. 
• Communicate with grantee partners regarding grant documents and financial information, and use independent judgment and discretion to communicate and provide necessary support to grantee partners as required.
• Collaborate with the Finance team to ensure accurate recording of grants issued to partners and timely submission of reports.
• Conduct research on specific topics, trends, and priorities as needed and assigned. 
• Prepare documents and presentations, using independent judgment and discretion, to demonstrate and communicate the impact of MADRE’s grantmaking strategy and priorities to different audiences and stakeholders.

 

Database Management: 

• Collaborate with Salesforce & Information Systems Administrator to  maintain MADRE’s Salesforce grants database; guarantee data integrity and consistent data entry; and maintain up-to-date templates, fields, accounts, funding requests, and coding. 
• Collaborate with the G&P team to oversee all operational and logistical matters concerning MADRE’s grantmaking system, including databases, tracking tools, and procedures, and prepare documents concerning the same as assigned. 
• Participate in continuous technical training to stay updated on system enhancements and modifications. 
• Support the G&P team with budget tracking and monitoring of portfolios.

 

Learning and Evaluation:

•  Formulate reporting inquiries and input grant reporting data into the database.
• Create grant data and charts illustrating MADRE’s grantmaking patterns and effective strategies.
• Assist with risk analysis and produce concise reports to assess trends and models.
• Gather data for documents and presentations showcasing the impact of MADRE’s grantmaking strategy and priorities to diverse audiences and stakeholders.
• Cross-collaborate and communicate with all MADRE teams to support learning and information sharing. 

 

Administrative Support:

• Act as the primary point of contact for MADRE’s partners, including using independent judgment and discretion when engaging with partners as needed to further MADRE’s mission, projects, programs, and grantmaking strategy.  
• Facilitate the translation of documents, proposals, and program materials and secure translator for meetings through third-party translation service.
• Provide administrative assistance, including without limitation processing payments, reconciling credit cards, managing vendors, and maintaining organized filing systems.
• Manage calendars and scheduling for both individual and group meetings, and ensure necessary follow-up actions are taken.
• Plan and coordinate work-related travel for the G&P team, including making travel arrangements and processing expense reports.
• Plan and manage both on-site and off-site events, including using independent judgement and discretion to make decisions that ensure the smooth operation of such event, and take necessary actions to coordinate and oversee events, and arrange closed captioning when necessary.
• Perform administrative tasks, including but not limited to, organizing virtual meetings with partners and handle logistics for such events, assisting with special projects as needed and assigned, organizing and analyzing final reports from partners, and data entry.
• Provide administrative and operational support to the G&P team as needed. 

 

Other:  

•  Communicate and liaise with consultants, as required.
• Engage in direct communications with colleagues at MADRE as needed to perform the above-listed responsibilities.
• Communicate in both English and Arabic/Spanish/French to perform the above-listed responsibilities. 
• Write and translate documents, communications, and presentation in both English and Arabic/Spanish/French with respect to the above-listed responsibilities. 
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by MADRE.  

 

Required Qualifications

• Commitment to MADRE’s mission, vision, and values. 
• Passionate about human rights, social justice issues, and the role of philanthropy in supporting local groups for social change.
• Minimum of 0-2 years of experience working at a NGO or in the philanthropic sector, or experience in grantmaking, human rights and social justice programming and implementation, or a similar field.
• Fluency in English and either Arabic,  Spanish, or French.
• Strong understanding of the role of philanthropy in supporting grassroots organizations to realize social change.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to manage communications professionally and with a high level of attention to detail and accuracy, and the ability to draft clear, structured, grammatically correct and persuasive writings.
• Ability to work independently and take proactive action. 
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment, including managing competing priorities, reprioritizing tasks as needed, and balancing  multiple assignments, projects, initiatives, partners and deadlines with professionalism and flexibility.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the desire and ability to engage and collaborate with peers and diverse populations, and ability to build relationships and trust with individuals with different personalities, at different levels of seniority, and/or from different backgrounds. 
• Detailed knowledge of and demonstrated proficiency in the use of computers and databases, including software programs such as Microsoft Office (Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Google Drive (including Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides).

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge and familiarity with grantmaking processes and procedures. 
•  Database management skills and proficiency with data collection, review, analysis and reporting.
• Fluency in a language other than English, and preferably in Arabic, Spanish, or French.