Location: Erbil, Baghdad Or Basrah
Background
The Iraq Durable Communities and Economic Opportunities (DCEO) is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) program implemented by Chemonics International in Iraq. DCEO aims to support vulnerable communities to build community resilience against destabilizing factors by increasing their adaptive capacity and economic well-being. The project consists of two objectives. Objective 1, Adaptative capacity of vulnerable communities increased is achieved through two components. Component 1.1 seeks to mitigate drivers of conflict in targeted communities and Component 1.2 seeks to enhance community leadership of inclusive local development. Objective 2, Economic well-being of communities advanced, will rest on the assessments, analysis, foundations, and groundwork of Objective 1.
The Grants Officer(s) will support Objectives 1 and 2. Under the anticipated 100 Solutions for Stability Task Order DCEO will support Iraqi communities to address key drivers of instability through community-based solutions. The Grants Officer(s) will work directly within target communities. The Grants Officer(s) will also support the anticipated Iraq Business Competitiveness and Job Creation Initiative (BCJCI) Task Order under DCEO Objective 2 to promote sustainable enterprise competitiveness, increase employment, and expand private sector development working with micro, small, and medium size Iraqi businesses and entrepreneurs.
DCEO intends to hire multiple Grants Officers and these positions will be based in Baghdad, Basrah, and Erbil with field work and potential travel required to other locations. Applicants from those locations are strongly encouraged to apply.
Reporting:
The Grants Officer reports to the Grants and Activity Manager.
Responsibilities:
- Support the Grants Management unit (GMU) in the management and administration of the DCEO grants program.
- Oversee the day-to-day management of grants, including drafting grant packages, monitoring grantees’ implementation, and closing out grants.
- Conduct monitoring field visits to the project sites and grantees sites to ensure the activities are implemented in accordance with the project objectives, Chemonics and USAID regulations and rise any concerns captured through a field visit report to the grants and activities manager.
- Responsible for the communications with the grantees and acting as a focal point of the GMU.
- Maintain good relationships with potential grantees, disclose any affiliations that could be perceived as a conflict of interest, and will maintain confidentiality regarding program activities.
- Organize and facilitate kick-off meetings with grantees to review grant agreement regulations and other requirements and facilitate the monthly meetings with the grantees during the implementations phase.
- Take a clear minutes of all the grants meetings and making sure all the minutes are documented and filed in the grants files and sent to the grants and activity manager.
- Provide assistance to grantees as required, during grant negotiation, implementation, and closeout.
- Work closely with the grants specialist to maintain all grants files and grantees reports.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required
- At least two (2) years of relevant work experience, including experience with civil society and community-based organizations, governmental entities, support organizations, and the general public.
- Experience drafting the grants memorandum of negotiation and tracking spending strongly preferred.
- Knowledge of political and social conditions in Iraq is strongly preferred.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with culturally and geographically diverse staff
- Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity.
- Exceptional organization skills and ability to multi-task work in high pressure, fast-paced environments.
- Advanced knowledge of MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required.
- Prior experience on USAID programs preferred.
- Ability and willingness to travel within Iraq.
- Fluency in written and oral Arabic and English is required.
