Catalyst Grants Manager

Company Description

Resonance is an award-winning frontier market solutions firm based in Burlington, Vermont, that helps a variety of donor, commercial and investor clients around the world to catalyze lasting impact. We envision a prosperous and just world of thriving markets, healthy ecosystems, and vibrant communities where business, governments and citizens work together creating a better world for all.

Resonance seeks to catalyze large-scale social, environmental, and economic change by fostering new and dynamic forms of collaboration. We do this by fostering public-private partnerships, facilitating sustainable investment, and providing deep analytical insights in frontier markets. We strive to merge strategic insight with practical on-the-ground knowledge into an integrated approach that emphasizes results.

We seek candidates who are ready to apply their analytical and problem-solving skills to some of our planet’s greatest challenges in an entrepreneurial, fun, and fast-paced environment. We are looking for passionate and committed people who can work in a highly collaborative environment to deliver results for our clients and stakeholders around the world.

Project Description

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to address the root causes of irregular migration, USAID is sponsoring the MujerProspera (WomanProsper) Challenge, a regional challenge to advance gender equality in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The challenge funds and supports nine impactful solutions that advance women’s economic security, employment, and/or entrepreneurship. See here to learn more about the nine organizations under the MujerProspera Challenge. The MujerProspera Challenge works at the nexus of:

• Advancing Women’s Economic Security by improving working conditions and labor protections, recruitment, retention, promotion, and the advancement of women in dignified, stable work that results in increased access, productivity, and a fair and stable income in the workforce.
• Addressing Harmful Gender Norms and Enable Safe Work Environments through promoting positive gender norms, egalitarian attitudes and behaviors, a holistic safe working environment, and safe transportation to and from work, supportive of women’s economic security and agency.

Position Description

As the USAID-funded Catalyst Project enters its final year, Resonance is seeking candidates for the role of Grants Manager (GM) on the MujerProspera Challenge. The GM will report to the Director of Migration and Innovation, technical lead of the MujerProspera Challenge, and work closely with other internal and external stakeholders to ensure that the project’s deliverables are achieved in compliance with the requirements of USAID and Resonance’s rules, regulations, and procedures. This is a full-time position until September 2023 that reports to the Director of Migration and Innovation.

The GM will oversee the day-to-day management of the grants program, designed to advance women’s economic empowerment, and address harmful gender norms in the region. S/he will be responsible for ensuring the grants program strategically contributes to the overall goals, implementation and results of the Challenge.

Essential Functions

Grants Management, Communications and Event Planning

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all nine organizations implementation grants funded by the MujerProspera Challenge.
• Manage the Challenge grant portfolio in compliance with the approved Grants Management Plan, ADS303, and best practices.
• Organize and lead monthly meetings with the grantees for implementation updates.
• Manage and update the Challenge grantee deliverable tracker.
• Track, review and approve grantees milestone deliverables and circulate for approval and clearance among the Challenge Partners.
• Lead budget realignments and grant agreement modifications, where applicable.
• Prepare grantee payments.
• Prepare and review grantee and Challenge communications products, ensuring they are aligned with USAID principles.
• Coordination and launch of communications events.
• Liaise with the MEL Advisor to support the accurate development of monitoring and evaluation products to measure impact and results.
• Ensure the successful closeout of all grants under the MujerProspera Challenge.
• Maintain audit worthy grant files.
• Other tasks as requested

Required Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in international development, public administration, public policy, business administration, or a related field preferred or BA with relevant experience
• Minimum of 2 – 5 years of progressively responsible work experience in project management of international development programs in the areas of financial management, contract compliance and project operations.
• Minimum of 2 – 5 years experience managing donor funded grants programs
• In-depth working knowledge of USAID projects, and the U.S. Government rule and regulations
• Spanish-English bilingual required
• Experience working in Latin America, with preference for experience in El Salvador, Guatemala and/or Honduras.
• Effective oral and written communication skills, including strong writing and editing capabilities in English and Spanish
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to multitask, and ability to work well under pressure

Preferred Education, Experience, and Competencies

• Awareness of the sensitivities and risks faced by development work in the context of fast evolving political and social unrest
• Experience working in agriculture, gender, private sector engagement, and/or women’s economic empowerment
• A confident, professional and diplomatic communicator