Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an international humanitarian organization that works to improve the living conditions of people in disabling situations in post-conflict or low income countries. Founded in France in 1982 as Handicap International, the HI Network now counts more than 4,000 people working in 60 of the world’s poorest countries. Eight national associations, based in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Great Britain, Canada and the United States, provide overall support for the field programs, which are implemented through the Network headquarters in Lyon, France.
Our programs reduce and address the consequences of disabling accidents and diseases; clear landmines and unexploded ordnance and prevent related accidents through education; respond fast and effectively to natural and civil disasters in order to limit serious and permanent injustices and assist survivors with social and economic reintegration; and advocate for the universal recognition of the rights of the disabled through national planning and advocacy and for the elimination of landmines and cluster munitions.
Humanity & Inclusion (US) is an independent US-based affiliate of the HI Network, which is headquartered in Lyon, France. Humanity & Inclusion (US) has an office in Silver Spring, MD. Our mission is to support the work of the HI Network by mobilizing both private and public financial support, representing Humanity & Inclusion with national and international bi-lateral and multi-lateral institutions based in the US, facilitating the recruitment of personnel and raising the organization’s profile. HI also engages in education programs with the general public and advocates for, among other things, US accession to the anti-personnel landmine, cluster munition and rights for people with disabilities treaties.
Based in Silver Spring, MD, or Lyon, France, the US Director for Grants Management and Compliance reports to the US Executive Director of Humanity & Inclusion, manages two Program Support Officers and works in close collaboration with HI Federation staff, National Association counterparts, and with other staff as needed.
Purpose of the Job
This position will focus both on grant management and compliance of current US-funded projects, from both US Government and private foundation sources.
The Director is responsible for assuring that all grants issued by US-based donors and signed by Humanity & Inclusion in the United States are compliant with appropriate regulation and law. In addition, the Director will provide leadership across the Handicap International Federation, developing and disseminating best practices on grants management and compliance across all relevant US funders.
This position will work closely with members of Grants Management team, the U.S. Director for Business Development and staff, the U.S. Director for Finance and Administration and staff, the U.S. Executive Director, other HI US personnel, HI Federation staff, field staff and donors/partner organizations.
The Director will keep informed about and manage all compliance issues related to U.S. Government grants and cooperative agreements, including (but not limited to) quarterly and annual reporting, partner vetting, counter-terrorism and anti-fraud regulations, sub-grant management, due diligence and project closeout/final reporting. The position will also support negotiations with the US Government on the organization’s Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.
The Director will be responsible for creating and disseminating appropriate tools/training materials for U.S. Government and private foundation procurements related to grants management and reporting, vetting, and project closeout to the rest of the HI U.S. team, and relevant members of the HI Federation. The position will measure progress according to agreed-upon indicators and report on this monitoring at regular intervals, including supplying the US Executive Director for the organization’s Board of Directors as required. The position will ensure that all materials produced will be made available to HI Federation staff through shared drives or other knowledge management portals maintained in Lyon and Brussels. The Director will provide technical leadership to all members of the Grants Management team, and will directly supervise and guide the Program Support Officers in the unit.
This position will be an essential link with the Federation and work closely and regularly to ensure that compliance requests from the US Government are aligned with validated Federation ethics, policies and procedures. This will involve risk assessments and making necessary revisions as required. The Director will contribute to best practices in donor compliance with the HI Federation by working across teams and nationalities. The position will be expected to communicate regularly with colleagues from the HI Federation and national associations concerning developments of general interest in US donor compliance and grants management. The Director will liaise frequently with members of the HI Federation staff involved in grants management and compliance, financial management and operations, including the Lyon-based referent for compliance issues.
The position will directly manage the US portfolio of US Government and private foundation grants, and be responsible for regularly reporting on changes in the portfolio to the US Exectutive Director, the US Board of Directors and the HI Federation.
The Director will manage two Program Support Officers with responsibility for their grant management and compliance oversight of the US portfolio. This includes, but is not limited to: supervising and supporting the PSO to meet – and exceed – their roles, and to ensure highest quality assurance in-line with the organization’s expectations and established policies; setting annual performance goals in line with the organization’s overall annual plan conducting annual performance reviews; and meeting regularly with PSOs to strengthen team and individual performances. The Director will represent the PSOs and their perspectives in meetings with the Executive Director and with HI Federation staff.
The Director will also participate in efforts to develop new business for Humanity & Inclusion by providing input on U.S. compliance and grants management issues during the proposal submission process. In this work, the Director will collaborate closely with the U.S. Director for New Business Development, as well as proposal drafting teams.
The Director will maintain close contact with donor staff, organizing regular meetings, telephone briefings, email exchanges and other contact. The Director will arrange, as required, meetings in Washington or virtually.
Skills needed: Strong leadership skills, ability to train and work well with others, comprehensive knowledge of US institutional donors with a focus on USAID and the Department of State, full understanding and prior experience with CFR 200, understanding of U.S. Government funding mechanisms, structures and regulations, strong writing and verbal communication skills; ability to handle pressure and deadlines; understanding and comfort with financial reporting. Ability to mobilize key staff through appropriate channels, as well as networking skills. Ability to work within a “one team” model of transatlantic partnership. The position requires an undergraduate degree in international development or a related field; a graduate degree is preferred. The position requires a minimum of seven years of experience, at least five of which must be in international relief or international development grants management. Experience managing USAID and State Department grants is required, with preference for previous grants and contracts as well as management experience. French language skills – written and oral — at the working level are strongly preferred. Work experience in a developing country is desirable.
Key Duties
Compliance:
· Stay up to date on developments related to compliance with U.S. Government funder requirements, vetting, costing practices, project procurement, grant reporting, and project closeout, including compliance with the OMB Super-circular.
· Provide regular updates in the form of written materials, trainings and webinars to expand internal knowledge and increase ability of country program staff to assume increasingly responsibility for grant implementation.
· Assure that materials concerning compliance with U.S. Government procurement are provided to HI Federation on the regular basis.
· Lead all national association institutional fundraising staff in creating and disseminating “best practice” in grants management and compliance. Participate in senior management team meetings at HI and at the HI Federation.
· Work with HI Federation staff and the US Director for New Business Development to ensure that concept notes and proposals for US Government funding are compliant with US Government systems and provisions (CFR 200) and Humanity & Inclusion’s organizational policies, such as prevention of sexual abuse and harassment and anti-terrorism policies.
· Follow the evolution of US sanctions in countries where HI is working, and, if needed, work with legal respresentation to submit licence or authorization requests to the relevant US authorities.
· Manage process of notifying the US Office of Inspector General of any incident that should be reported.
· Conduct all necessary Bridger and SAM.gov checks for anti-terrorism compliance.
· Maintain HI’s registrations within US Government’s procurement systems, including SAMS Domestic and DUNS.
· Assure the timely uploading by the Grants Management team of relevant documents to the FFATA reporting system as well as to the Development Clearinghouse.
Support the management of HI US signed grants and contracts and ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations:
· Personally manage a portfolio of grants, including reporting on them on a timely and complete basis using available US Government tools and portals. Delegate the additional grants reporting portfolio to other members of the Grants Management unit, as required;
· Ensure compliance with applicable US Government and agency-specific rules and regulations both within HI and for any subpartners for which HI is responsible as a prime;
· Organize and conduct trainings on US Government grants management and compliance for HI internal stakeholders as well as relevant staff of partner organizations as required.
· Ensure timely and accurate programmatic and financial reporting in conjunction with headquarters and HI U.S. institutional funding team members;
· Follow process and procedures such as development of key internal contractual documents and propose new procedures as necessary for organizational efficiency;
· Undertake field visits to support HI field staff in U.S. donor cultivation as needed and agreed upon with the Geographic and technical divisions;
· Maintain complete and up-to-date electronic files for all projects under this position’s management;
· Follow up with two supervised staff to ensure that project files are up to date.
· Support A-133 audit preparation in close coordination with the U.S. Director of Finance and Administration, the U.S. Executive Director, and other HI staff.
· Maintain and upgrade as necessary tracking tools for institutional funding.
Carry out any other tasks as may be assigned by the US Executive Director.