Deputy Director, Awards Management Systems

Awards Management Unit (AMU)

Established in January 2016, Awards Management Unit (AMU) is a global unit responsible for identifying, securing, and managing all funding from governments across the world. AMU is a bridge between donors and the field: providing expert technical advice to the field, while maintaining consistency and managing compliance and risk. This unit ensures that donor compliance policies and procedures are implemented consistently and supports all staff working across the grants management cycle for all restricted funding from global government sources.

The department includes the following teams: Program and Award Support, Strategic Partnerships, Compliance and Policy, Business Development, Planning and Strategic Operations, and Training.

The Purpose of the Role

AMU is responsible for IRC’s Award Management System called OTIS. This system was designed and built by IRC 10+ years ago and is used to automate, coordinate, and facilitate the awards lifecycle from opportunity to close out (including subawards).

AMU is in the process of evaluating and rolling out a new strategy to improve the technology and business processes related to OTIS and awards management more broadly. This includes potentially replacing OTIS with a new system. The Deputy Director supervises this strategy and is the lead for improving the technology and related business processes connected to award management at IRC. The Deputy Director also plays a lead role in improving awards management data quality, including data entry, defining business data processes & workflows, management of data definitions, and building and informing quality data products.

Key Working Relationships

Position reports to the Director, Planning and Strategic Operations and oversees 2 – 4 full time employees. The position also works closely with colleagues across the organisation, particularly in Information Technology (IT), Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration (RAI), and Crises, Response, Recovery, and Development (CRRD) departments (IRC’s US, Europe, and international programs departments).

Major Responsibilities:

Awards Management Unit (AMU)

Established in January 2016, Awards Management Unit (AMU) is a global unit responsible for identifying, securing, and managing all funding from governments across the world. AMU is a bridge between donors and the field: providing expert technical advice to the field, while maintaining consistency and managing compliance and risk. This unit ensures that donor compliance policies and procedures are implemented consistently and supports all staff working across the grants management cycle for all restricted funding from global government sources.

The department includes the following teams: Program and Award Support, Strategic Partnerships, Compliance and Policy, Business Development, Planning and Strategic Operations, and Training.

The Purpose of the Role

AMU is responsible for IRC’s Award Management System called OTIS. This system was designed and built by IRC 10+ years ago and is used to automate, coordinate, and facilitate the awards lifecycle from opportunity to close out (including subawards).

AMU is in the process of evaluating and rolling out a new strategy to improve the technology and business processes related to OTIS and awards management more broadly. This includes potentially replacing OTIS with a new system. The Deputy Director supervises this strategy and is the lead for improving the technology and related business processes connected to award management at IRC. The Deputy Director also plays a lead role in improving awards management data quality, including data entry, defining business data processes & workflows, management of data definitions, and building and informing quality data products.

Key Working Relationships

Position reports to the Director, Planning and Strategic Operations and oversees 2 – 4 full time employees. The position also works closely with colleagues across the organisation, particularly in Information Technology (IT), Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration (RAI), and Crises, Response, Recovery, and Development (CRRD) departments (IRC’s US, Europe, and international programs departments).

Major Responsibilities:

Awards Management System strategy

• Work with collaborators across the organization to develop a long-term strategy for IRC’s awards management system and related business processes

• Advocate for and communicate strategy with key partners inside and outside of AMU

Business processes and analysis

• Serve as overall manager of AMU’s key awards management data processes and business routines. This includes developing new processes to standardize awards management practices or redefining processes to improve data quality and usage

• Be responsible for data analyses based on strategic requests or to support key business processes, including the reporting of progress against IRC’s strategic plan (“Strategy 100”) targets

• Lead a team that will serve as a troubleshooter and problem solver for ambiguous award management system related data issues

IRC’s Award Management System (OTIS) and other key technology / system improvements

• Oversee team inside AMU and work with other relevant departments such as Information Technology, RAI and CRRD (IRC’s US, Europe, and international programs departments) to identify and implement changes to OTIS

• Lead a partnership between AMU and Integra – IRC’s new financial Enterprise Resource Planning system, and help oversee and coordinate rollout of Integra to HQ offices where AMU’s inputs are required

• Support the rollout of PowerBI dashboards or other interim solutions to improve data reporting

• Investigate potential replacement award management systems and work to roll-out to organization over the coming years depending on outcome of strategic planning

Training and information management

• In partnership with the AMU Director for Training and Curriculum, be responsible for the development of training and learning materials related to award management systems

• Work with AMU and IRC leaders to improve the uptake and knowledge of award management tools and systems, including OTIS

• Develop new information management protocols and central repositories for processes and tools that support awards management

Job Qualifications

Work / Educational Experience:

• Leadership experience in a data analysis, awards management, or systems-related role

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

Note that diversity of experience counts (i.e., paid and volunteer work; lived experiences; transferable skills from another industry or from a gap year, etc.) and gap years will not be penalized on resumes

• Experience leading cross-functional projects and implementing complicated organizational change

• Demonstrated team member leadership skills and demonstrated track record of leading project sponsors and working groups to consensus

• Creative and inclusive problem solver who can lead sophisticated analysis and distill into clear insights and recommendations

• Caring people leader who has experience coaching, inspiring, and forming teams

• Able to prioritize work in order to handle demands from a broad array of team members

• Strong Excel skills, including experience with data cleaning. Knowledge of SQL a bonus

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as, an overall ability to be clear and concise in all communications

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Knowledge and/or experience in awards management – such as grants management, proposal development, and/or government donor compliance

• Knowledge and/or experience in software application development and/or enterprise software selection

• Experience in a humanitarian or development organization, or demonstrated interest for development / humanitarian issues

• Knowledge of French, Arabic, or Spanish a plus

Working Environment:

• This role may require working remotely full or part time, and part time remote employees may be required to share workspace.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

IRC Way: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires new hires to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for any in-office or hybrid positions. All IRC US offices require full vaccination to attend any in-office functions (e.g., meetings, trainings).

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.