Grants Officer – (Jordan nationals)

The Orgnization

Plan International Jordan is contracted by Novo Nordisk Foundation to implement a 5-year youth empowerment program called “Najahona” (2022-2026). The action will aim to complement JRP’s top priority, which is to strengthen systems to protect the dignity and welfare of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians impacted by the Syrian crisis. By doing this, the project will support Jordan’s enduring commitment to continue to build an integrated multi-year framework to respond to the Syrian crisis in a transparent, collaborative, and sustainable manner in line with the Global Compact on Refugees framework.

Plan International is an independent child right and humanitarian organization committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence, and injustice. Plan actively unite children, communities, and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. Plan support children to gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. Plan place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind. Plan has been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years and is now active in more than 70 countries. Plan Denmark and Plan International Jordan are both parts of Plan International. Plan Denmark works with Plan Country Offices in more than 77 countries to ensure that children, adolescents, and young people are safe and influence decision-making in resilient communities that respect their rights and offer equal opportunities for all regardless of gender. Plan International Jordan was established in 2016 and works to improve the resilience of vulnerable Syrian refugees and Jordanians in both the Azraq refugee camp as well as in host communities.

The Consortium

The Najahona consortium is composed of five organizations, Plan International (Consortium Lead), The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), The Royal Health Awareness Society (RHAS), Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and The Confederation of Danish Industries (DI). The consortium partners bring an exceptional combination of experience, capacity and presence built on many years working with refugees and conflict-affected youth in ensuring access to Education, Youth Economic Empowerment, Health/Protection mainstreaming, and gender and gender transformative approaches in various countries around the world and in Jordan, including the targeted governorates and the refugee camps. The consortium partners and local partners provide complementary reach to strengthen each other’s existing programming; while ODI and local partner Information & Research Center King Hussein Foundation (IRCKHF) are the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) and research partners, ensuring our evidence-based programming, learning and research are integrated with all of our work.

The program will seek to empower Jordanian youth, Syrian refugees, and other conflict-affected youth, especially adolescent girls and young women, with skills and capacities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities and challenge and break down gender, social, economic, and refugee barriers as active social and economic members of civil society.

ROLE PURPOSE

Plan International Jordan is seeking an experienced Grants Officer with demonstrated knowledge and experience in project implementation and liaising with relevant stakeholders. The Grants Officer will represent Plan International in a “front-line” role, effectively and efficiently communicating the “Najahna” Program objectives, activities, and methodology to program stakeholders. The Grants Officer will facilitate regular coordination meetings with staff, and national and local partners in order to ensure effective implementation of project activities as per the set timelines.

The Grants Officer will be responsible for following up on the “Najahna” Program implementation plans, overseeing project implementation, and liaising with relevant stakeholders. The Grants Officer will be monitoring activity progress in the field and providing accurate and timely status reports and supporting the development of donor reports. The Grants Officer will support the Grants Coordinator and Program Manager with the preparation of plans and reports aligned with donor requirements, and other administrative tasks as required.

The Grants Team will be responsible for ensuring implement and quality of the cycle of grants and training process under the “Najahna” program (youth economic empowerment component) implemented by Plan Jordan as one of a part of the international consortium.

ROLE Dimensions

The Grants Officer will be based in Amman with frequent travel to project locations inside Jordan. He/ She will comply with rules and regulations and provide full support in launching grants competitions, grants processes, and procedures, project designs, budget negotiations, preparing agreements, and payments, building the capacity of the beneficiaries, monitoring beneficiaries’ projects implementation, mentoring beneficiaries on technical approaches, closing grants, documenting success.

He/ She will be following up on the “Najahna” program implementation plans, overseeing project implementation, and liaising with relevant stakeholders. She /He will be monitoring activity progress in the field and providing accurate and timely status reports and supporting the development of donor reports.

The Grants Officer will play an integral role in the operational management of grants in “Najahna” programs and will contribute to the advancement of best practices in the grants.

The Grants Officer will support the Project Manager and Grants Coordinator with the preparation of plans and reports aligned with donor requirements, and other administrative tasks as required.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Grants Officer will be responsible for the following:

Grants Management & Implementation:

• Perform his/her duties and responsibilities in accordance with the project proposal and in addition to the programmatic, administrative, and financial policies/ regulations of Plan International, and in line with the donor rules and regulations.
• In close cooperation with the Project Manager and the Youth Economic Empowerment Specialist, ensure detailed implementation plans are developed and implemented in line with project activities and quality standards.
• Support the development of strong M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools, and efficient review and modification systems to ensure high-quality implementation in order to achieve the set objectives.
• Coordinate all activities and meetings of the target beneficiaries and local partners in order to ensure effective implementation of project activities as per the set timelines.
• Monitor grants for legal, financial, and program compliance including but not limited to ensuring that grants requirements are correctly documented in the grants files and database.
• Monitor and document the grants workflow processes, forms, templates, reports, and data to assure full compliance with internal controls and legal requirements.
• Support and facilitate in managing the entire grants cycle process (pre-award, award, and post-award).
• Follow up on the project activities and compliance, monitoring, and evaluation frameworks to support the operational success of the beneficiaries’ projects.
• Work with the finance department to ensure grant compliance, programmatic budgets, and award payments are accurate and timely.
• prepare or generate financial and narrative reports and data analysis for the program or board.
• Work with the grants team to find solutions to common programmatic and grants process issues.
• Assist beneficiaries in preparing work/action plans for the implementation of the planned activities.
• Assist beneficiaries in the procurement process as instructed by the donor and the terms of the grants, and assist in the resolution of financial bids according to the instructions of the donor and conditions of the grants.
• Follow up the communication material and the visibility term for all publications which will create by the beneficiaries according to the instruction publications of the donor in accordance with the communication team.
• Guide the beneficiaries in all financial aspects.
• Prepare the narrative reports on the progress of work in the implementation of all the beneficiaries projects.
• Help the beneficiaries in preparing the financial reports according to the payments of beneficiaries’ schedules agreed.
• Help the beneficiaries in providing their narrative reports correctly and on time.
• Review beneficiaries’ settlements and do request the disbursement on time according to the financial report and agreement.
• Conduct field visits and field reports (regular, inspection and closure visits).
• Help in reviewing the training material that will be created for capacity building for the beneficiaries.
• Document the grants file and recorded it according to the grants management system to ensure accurate and adequate paper and electronic document retention.
• Ensure that child and youth safeguarding standards are understood and met.

Coordination and Communication:

• Represent Plan International in a “front-line” role, effectively and efficiently communicating the “Najahna” program objectives, activities, and methodology to target beneficiaries and local project stakeholders.
• Support in collecting quantitative and qualitative data in accordance with the monitoring and evaluation plan and provide updates and reports to the project manager.
• Support the information provided in the project’s Steering Committee, which incorporates program experts and operational management focal points of each partner, and is responsible for annual planning, coherence, and synergy.
• Undertake all other duties that may be determined by the line manager and head of Mission and that is compatible with the job.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

• Minimum 2-3 years of progressively responsible professional experience in development and/or humanitarian organizations.
• Bachelor degree in development, business studies, social science, economics, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Strong experience in management, monitoring, and implementing small grants.
• Demonstrated experience in overseeing project implementation and liaising with relevant stakeholders.
• Experience in youth economic empowerment, livelihood development in humanitarian or refugee settings, community-based projects, social entrepreneurship, and community participation is an asset, and working knowledge of data systems and business practices.
• Demonstrated capacity in effective planning, coordination, mentorship, and working in a multi-stakeholder collaborative environment.
• Demonstrated capacity to solve challenging issues/concerns with collaborating project partners.
• High level of problem-solving techniques with demonstrated capacity to coach teams to solve inter-personal conflicts and other operational challenges.
• Strong facilitation skills, including the design and management of effective training, workshops, and meetings with a diverse population are desirable.
• Strong communication and coaching skills to build and maintain appropriate and productive relations with a range of actors, including youth, parents, and local and national authorities, through mutual respect, mentorship, and team work
• Flexible, creative and problem solving-oriented.
• Demonstrated experience in implementing and executing policies and procedures.
• Ability to work independently within a small team.
• Ability to handle stress and deliver under tight deadlines
• Fluency in English and Arabic and ability to effectively write reports.
• Detail-oriented and committed to producing high-quality work.
• Ability to problem-solve, troubleshoot, and follow projects through to completion.
• Ability to work with others in a team-based environment and on an individual self-managed basis.

Child protection, gender equality and inclusion

• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan

Level of contact with children

Low contact: Occasional interaction with children

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

1. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
2. We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
3. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.

ROLE PROFILE & Application process

Type of Role: Fixed-term Job

Contract Duration: 6 months – renewable based on performance

Reports to: Grants Finance Coordinator

Location: Amman, Jordan

Grade: C1

Closing Date: 15 August 2022