Grants Management Officer (Program Officer), Asia Pacific

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

Job Purpose

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

As part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network, the American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Overseas, as part of the IFRC network, American Red Cross International Services department helps deliver critical assistance to some of the most vulnerable communities in the world, in partnership with the global Red Cross Red Crescent Network. International Services Department has established a Grants Management Unit (GMU) to assist program teams in establishing and monitoring quality programs with a strong orientation to stakeholder accountability.

Under the umbrella of the IFRC Country Cluster Delegation Bangkok, the American Red Cross Asia Pacific Regional Office provides support for RCRC National Societies (NS) implementing programs in the area of Disaster Risk Management, organizational development, capacity exchange engagements and mutual relationship building between RCRC Societies focusing on Thailand, Philippines, Nepal, Timor Leste and Indonesia and in 6 Pacific countries.

Job purpose

The Grants Management Officer (GMO) for Asia Pacific for American Red Cross would be based in the Bangkok, Thailand, Division Office and reports directly to the Manager Grants Management Unit (GMU) and is matrixed to the Asia Pacific Division Deputy Director. The GMO is responsible for monitoring that grants in an assigned portfolio are developed and implemented in compliance with required internal standards and processes as well as donor grant requirements and applicable rules and regulations.
The GMO shepherds grants through the award management cycle, serving as the point of contact between Program Units and Support units, analysing process gaps, and flagging issues for resolution.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Primary Responsibilities
Country portfolio oversight (20%)
• Collect, update, and analyze data related to portfolio profile in assigned countries.
• Provide guidance and support program teams, helping to resolve grant management issues and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Initiate internal meetings and provide guidance and tools to support and empower country teams, ensuring the effectiveness of the portfolio’s projects and programs in alignment with the grant management framework.
• Serve as the support point of contact for donors, partners, and internal stakeholders regarding the portfolio.

Grants administration and compliance (50%)
• Ensure donor compliance with grant requirements and internal standards along the award management cycle, including concept and proposal development, agreement negotiation, analysis and oversight of resource management, performance metrics, monitoring and evaluation plans, reporting requirements, and project/program close-out.
• Monitor the agreement/amendment, due diligence approval processes for sub-awardees/contractors with technical support from the Grant Compliance & Agreement Administration (GCAA) unit.
• Ensure quality and timely submission of donor required documents.

Grants monitoring (25%)
• Support the process for developing non-USG concepts, proposals, and sub-awards.
• Work closely with GMU Manager, and other support unit counterparts to track the progress of global, division, and country Programs and ensure that they are completed on time, within scope, and budget, and in compliance with American Red Cross and donor rules and regulations.
• Contribute to facilitate Asia Pacific division operational meetings and other relevant forums and processes.
• Create or maintain the system to collect data in coordination with the country teams for portfolio monitoring and dashboards.
• Identify financial and operational risks associated with the projects/programs.

Others (5%)
• Recruit, train and supervise volunteers to provide seamless support to assigned programs.
• Participate in program and grant management related special projects when needed and as primary roles and responsibilities of the Grants Management Officer allows, and GMU Manager authorization.
• Other duties as assigned.

Cross-Cutting Functions
• Working with IFRC and other RCRC partners, ensure that Protection, Gender and Inclusion is consistently and effectively mainstreamed into community and institutional response and preparedness programs.
• Working with IFRC and other RCRC partners to ensure community engagement (including two-way feedback mechanisms) and accountability is mainstreamed across preparedness programming and integrated throughout institutional preparedness work.
• Support the integration of climate, asset protection, and PGI into community-based disaster risk reduction programs and cash readiness.

Confidentiality
• Maintain strict moral confidentiality and do not disclose neither spread any confidential or sensitive information.
• Organize archives of all reports and documents and treat them as confidential material

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Duties applicable to all staff

1.Work actively towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals.

2.Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.

3.Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as disaster management, development studies, international relations (Required)
• Post-graduate (i.e., Master’s degree or equivalent) in social sciences/development studies, strategic/programme management, management studies or other relevant discipline (Preferred)

Experience

• 5+ years of relevant experience, with prior track record in successful grant management required (Required)
• Strong skills and experience in international settings managing complex humanitarian and development program portfolios on tight timelines (Required)
• Proven track record supporting the delivery of programs on time, scope and budget (Required)
• Experience working with local partner organizations (Preferred)
• Field experience working in developing countries supporting or managing disaster response, disaster preparedness, recovery or community-based programs strongly preferred (Preferred)
• Proven experience of working in the region (Preferred)
• Experience working within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement or another humanitarian organisation or UN (Preferred)
• Prior experience in developing successful U.S Government awards (USAID, PRM, BHA etc); strong understanding of U.S. gov’t funding and compliance. (Preferred)

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively and in a collegial fashion with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures (Required)
• Must be responsible, self-motivated, and work well in both team and matrix structures (Required)
• Experience working with local partner organizations (Preferred)
• Willing to maintain a flexible schedule to accommodate time zone differences, deadlines and responsibilities related to surge assignments (Required)
• Flexible and able to travel up to 25%, with possible long assignments to support country or regional priorities (Required)
• General comfort level with technology is required with proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, SharePoint and PowerPoint expected. Also, familiarity with Salesforce, Google Drive, Drop Box, Zoom and Skype preferred. Must be detail-oriented and organized and have strong analytical skills. (Required)
• Demonstrated initiative and creativity, by identifying, analysing, problem solving (Preferred)
• Possesses working knowledge of protection, gender and inclusion (PGI) issues in humanitarian and development settings in the context of Asia Pacific Region (Preferred)
• Experience recruiting and supervising volunteers (Preferred)

Languages

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English (Required)
• Language skills from the region (Bangla, Nepali, Bahasa, Filipino) (Preferred)

Competencies, Values and Comments

Salary range : Grade 6 (THB 56,764.00 - 69,377.00)

Thai citizen or foreigner with eligible visa can apply.