Grants and Compliance Manager – Afghanistan At INTERSOS

Grants and Reporting Manager – Afghanistan

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Grants and Reporting Manager

Code: 28-9668

Duty station: Kabul, with frequent travels within the country

Starting date: 01/01/2025

Contract duration: 12 months

Reporting to: Head of Programs

Functional supervisor: Regional Grants and Reporting Officer

Supervision of: Grants & Reporting Officer

Type of Duty Station: Non family duty station

General context of the project

Over 40 years of conflicts and political turmoil have taken a massive cumulative toll on the people of Afghanistan. A total of 18.4 million people, almost half of the total population, have been estimated by the UN to need humanitarian assistance prior to recent events. Severe droughts are recurring in Afghanistan, currently resulting in nearly 14 million people in acute food insecurity, with over 3 million children facing severe malnourishment. The recent displacement of 550,000 people is adding to an estimated 2.9 million people who remain internally displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance, while winter months are around the corner.

INTERSOS has been working in Afghanistan since 2001, with a country office in Kabul, and field bases in Kandahar and Zabul provinces. In recent years INTERSOS has been focusing its assistance on an integrated community-based approach that includes primary health care (including sexual and reproductive health care), nutrition, and protection programs serving conflict-affected populations, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, with a special focus on socially excluded individuals, including women, children and persons living with disabilities.

With its operational approach and active engagement with the communities, INTERSOS has been enjoying strong community acceptance and operational access. All INTERSOS activities continue to be implemented in Afghanistan at the present time, with no operational restrictions and with the full inclusion of female staff.

It is widely anticipated that Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation may deteriorate further, given that the international support to key essential and social services – food aid, health, education, and other essential services, is currently frozen. Although humanitarian aid cannot replace this gap, international assistance that prioritizes urgent humanitarian needs will be essential.

At the same time, unless the operational environment with all its impediments (including in relation to banking/cash transfers and counter-terrorism measures) does not improve, the response will continue to be a challenge.

Recognizing that the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan will require more intensified international humanitarian assistance, INTERSOS remains in Afghanistan to deliver its ongoing activities, and potentially scale up its response.

General purpose of the position

In coordination with the SMT, MEAL, Program/ Project Managers and Technical Coordinators, timely support the design and development of new project proposals, high-quality reporting and regular grants’ management activities in line with INTERSOS program goals, objectives and indicators and respecting donors’ requirements.

Main responsibilities and tasks:

Project design and development

• Support the Program Coordinator on the drafting and updating of the donors mapping and donor’s strategy
• Support the Go No Go process through the analysis of donors call for proposals and its relevant elements
• In coordination with the SMT, Program Managers and Project Managers, support the design and development of new project proposals, ensuring that those are structured according to INTERSOS program goals and objectives and in line with donors’ template and requirements
• Regularly update mission Master Planning ensuring internal and external deadlines are respected and promptly communicated to relevant colleagues
• Regularly and/or ad hoc liaise with the Regional Office, specifically with the Regional Grant and Reporting Officer, to ensure project design meet donor’s guidelines and submission process respect the defined work-flow
• Under Program Coordinator guidance, ead the internal coordination of the proposal writing process promoting clear division of roles, responsibilities, engagement of relevant departments and time frame
• Ensure the matching and consistency of the information and budget figures across proposals documents, including financial components
• Ensure final documents package prior to submission is complete, consistent and compliant to donor rules
• Promptly flag any challenge or delays to relevant colleagues at mission and regional level

Quality Reporting

• Under the supervision of the Program Coordinator, promote periodic revision and harmonisation of templates and formats used for the monitoring, follow up and reporting of activities in coordination with program / project managers and technical coordinators
• Liaise with HQ Grant Unit and Regional Office to receive and keep abreast of donors’ templates and guidelines
• Regularly update mission Master Planning (Reporting Tracker) ensuring internal and external deadlines are followed as per Grant Agreements and promptly communicated to relevant colleagues at mission and regional level
• Under the supervision of the Program Coordinator and in coordination with the Regional Office and HQ Grants and Compliance Unit, ensure the compilation, review and submission of timely, compliant and consistent reports in line with INTERSOS and donors’ requirements
• Ensure the matching and consistency of the information and budget figures across reporting documents (including program, finance and logistics components)
• Ensure correct storage of Reports and related annexes on INTERSOS Management Platform (IMP)

Grants Implementation Management

• Under the supervision of the Program Coordinator and in coordination with the Program Managers prepare and conduct project kick-off (KO) meetings playing an active role within the revision of partner capacity assessments and grant agreements
• Promote, with the support of the Regional Grant and Reporting Officer, information sessions (also integrated in projects KO) on main donor guidelines, involving all the relevant departments (Program, MEAL, Finance, Logistics, HR and HQ Grants and Compliance Unit.)
• Support to field monitoring of performance indicators, conducting compliance spot checks on ongoing projects and programs partners (e.g. local partners)
• Conduct a periodical review of projects’ documentation ensuring the correct uploading and archiving on mission drive and on IMP.
• Support Program Coordinator in the organisation and implementation of project review meetings and project closure meetings
• Ensure projects’ amendment requests (where needed) are in line with donors procedures and regulations
• Support the analysis of data and the visualisation of program outputs for monitoring and reporting purposes through Google Data Studio and/ or other recommended tools, and report any deviation in terms of achievements/trends to the Program Coordinator
• Ensure the Mission Communication Plan is updated regularly and support the Program Coordinator and Head of Mission in drafting external products and liaising with HQ Communication Department

Required profile and experience

• BA in International Affairs, Development, International Political Economy or other relevant field
• Minimum 3 year’s relevant work experience in program departments in the humanitarian sector
• Experience with grants management of institutional donors (ECHO, UNHCR, AICS among others) and understanding of Donors’ requirements and compliance
• Project Cycle Management skills and capacity to plan and organise work activities
• Basic financial skills
• Capacity to analyse data to inform reporting and new programming
• Strong reporting and writing skills
• Essential computer literacy (word, excel and internet)
• People management and development
• Capacity to work in teams with different backgrounds and expertise
• Capacity to work under pressure
• Result-oriented and attention to details
• Understanding of humanitarian operations principles, standards and best practices
• Commitment to INTERSOS principles
• English fluency is required
• Fluency in Italian (written and spoken) is considered an asset.