Sub-Awardee Specialist

Job Title: Sub-Awardee Specialist (Nigeria)

Reports to: Senior finance specialist 

Location: Abuja, Nigeria

About TechnoServe:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics, and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they can access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off. 

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Senior Finance Specialist with a dotted reporting line to the Grants and Contracts Manager, the Sub Awards Specialist is responsible for working with a portfolio of TechnoServe Nigeria's project sub-recipients to ensure that TechnoServe’s implementation strategy and Donor funds are deployed and utilized according to the intended purpose; providing thorough and diligent oversight. A critical aspect of this position involves working closely with the project team and project manager to ensure accurate activities, financial, and impact reporting, and procedural compliance on awards and sub-awards.Particularly the position works with partners to ensure they meet the accountability requirements of their contracts and generally manage their finances effectively, which involves appropriate partner staff capacity development. This position forms the link between the project and finance team. The position holder will also actively support project procurement and administration activities for the FuFaN project as well.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Project Inception Phase

With the support of the Program Managers, take the lead on developing a subawardee’s activities and report tracker.

Support the MEL officer in ensuring Sub awardees follow the project work plan, MEL package, and tools.

Support SMEs/Aggregators recruitment, develop and maintain an up-to-date tracker of EAs in the assigned communities, and track their performance and activeness.

Facilitate the process for awarding sub-awards including working with budget holders and the program development team to, ensure that Technoserve’s policies and procedures are applied effectively from selection and partner funding process, completing the approval checklist, obtaining approvals as per threshold, drafting and finalizing the partner funding agreement, providing copies to all relevant stakeholders and filing copies as per the procedure.

Project Implementation Phase

Due Diligence check for identified sub-awardees.

Take ownership of keeping sub-awardees updated and integrated.

work with sub-awardees to implement/ administer signed agreements and ensure that the terms, conditions, and requirements are fully understood

Ensure all project reporting requirements, plans, and timelines are followed by the sub-awardees.

Provide start-up and periodic training to sub-awardees on financial reporting and templates.

Prompt review and submission of sub-awards reports and providing feedback on any observed errors or incomplete documentation.

Prepare and process cash disbursement to sub-awardees.

Assist sub-awardees in their expense projections according to signed agreements.

Ensure sub-awardees comply with all statutory requirements.

Interface with sub-awardees on finance and procurement-related issues.

Act as a liaison between the Sub Awardees, TechnoServe & stakeholders; ensuring that all Sub-Awards procedures are followed promptly and stakeholders are informed of any requirements for action on their part.

Support the project manager in a project administration capacity.

Ensure all procurement concerns are timely and quickly handled for the core project team and sub-awardees.

Take ownership of the learning centers and track farmer's engagement activities.

Understand, respect, and promote TechnoServe’s values, vision, and strategy in the implementation of assigned duties.

Supervise sub-awardee operational expenses accounts.

Perform other duties in line with the evolving needs of the program.

Budgeting

Gather cost inputs from relevant sources for proposal budgeting.

Prepare budget for proposals written to potential donors

Assist in the preparation of annual and mid-year corporate budget

Budget monitoring and tracking activities across all projects

Conduct a budget variance analysis

Basic Qualifications:

A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Agricultural Economics, and Agribusiness with a minimum of 3 years’ experience working with and supporting SMEs, with procurement, accounting, capacity building, and operations. Alternatively, a Master’s degree with a minimum of 1 year.

Preferred Qualifications:

Must have strong interpersonal skills.

Proven skills with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Knowledge of the use of Comcare, KoBoCollect, and accounting software like Sylogist, etc will be an advantage.

Excellent communication skills.

Demonstrated understanding of accounting, procurement budget management, and contracting

Ability to engage and advise a broad range of stakeholders, especially community leaders,

Demonstrated experience in data collection and analyses.

Demonstrated experience with digital and in-person training delivery mechanisms.

Demonstrated experience in report writing.

Required Languages:  Fluency in English and Hausa or Fulani (written and spoken)

Travel:  Local Travels

Supervisory Responsibilities – None

Closing Statements:

This position is contingent upon full confirmation of the award. We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and and do not discriminate based on gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability, and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.