Grants and Contracts Specialist

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Grants and Contracts Specialist to join our dedicated and talented team in Davao City, Philippines on our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

PROJECT SUMMARY

The five-year initiative, Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA), strives for more resilient and inclusive economic growth for women and men cacao smallholder farmers (SHFs), including religious and ethnic minorities, in Mindanao, Philippines, from strengthened cacao market systems supported by investment. With a focus on Davao region and exposure to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), RIISA responds to multiple challenges in the Philippines cacao sector and draws on MEDA’s experience in market systems development (MSD), Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) business support, gender lens investing (GLI), gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), and environment and climate change (ECC). RIISA will address sectoral constraints by piloting an innovative market systems approach that identifies cacao market system gaps, mobilizes investment capital, and strengthens local capacity; as well as strategically gathering learnings that can be replicated to strengthen the cacao sector’s enabling environment.

With support from the Government of Canada, MEDA is implementing Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA). This project aims to support inclusive economic opportunities in the poor, rural areas of Mindanao (Davao Region and BARRM areas), in the Philippines. Aligned with the Government of the Philippines’ post-coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery response, this project works to increase the productivity of cacao farms and enterprises, particularly those led by women, while promoting gender equality and resiliency in communities vulnerable to conflict and climate change.

RIISA will address cacao SHFs socio-economic challenges while contributing to market systems resilience (MSR) by:

1. Mobilizing gendered Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) focused investment for cacao sector small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and financial intermediaries (FIs).
2. Strengthening the capacity on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and human rights (HR), and Environment and Climate Change (ECC), of local business service providers (BSPs) to deliver better services and products to cacao SMEs and cooperatives.
3. Strengthening the capacity of cacao cooperatives and smallholder farmers (SHFs) for environmentally sustainable and inclusive farming and business practices.
4. Improving the key enabling environment actors’ awareness of gendered Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in the cacao market system. MEDA expects that RIISA’s investment and TA will directly benefit more than 5,400 SHFs (40% women), while indirectly impacting more than 30,000 members of cacao SHF households, employees of cacao SMEs and cooperative members.
5. MEDA expects to have positive impacts in the wider investment and market system enabling environment through the project’s Strategic Learning Agenda (SLA).

POSITION SUMMARY

The Grants and Contract Specialist supports the Deputy Country Director during the planning, implementation and evaluation of grants and sub-grants to Business Service Providers (BSPs), Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) and Cooperatives recipients of the project and Matching Grant initiatives. He/she will assist in monitoring grantee compliance over the life of the project and provide support and assistance as needed, monitor and document BSP and SME budgets, and ensure that grants documentation and financial records are accurate.

The Grants and Contracts Specialist is expected to work closely with the Deputy Country Director and Technical team members to ensure that the project’s relationship with all grantees are coordinated and harmonized with all programming components.  The Specialist will also work with the Contracts and Administration Officer and Finance Officer respectively, to ensure agreements and contracts, and financial documentation and processes are adhered to.

• Job Status:  Full-time Contract

• Anticipated Start Date: February 2023

• Location: Davao City, Philippines

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the analyses and evaluations of all proposed work plans and budgets submitted by partners to ensure adherence to the contract terms, Global Affairs Canada and MEDA grant management policies and regulations.

• Assist in the organizational and financial due diligence check of SME and Cooperative applicants and Matching Grant programs.

• Monitor sub-grant agreements through contracts developed and signed between MEDA and BSPs, as approved by MEDA’s signing authorities.

• Support in the regular review of partners’ recordkeeping processes to ensure that all expenses claimed to the project are accurately documented according to the financial policies of MEDA.

• Support the timely release of funds to BSPS, and SMEs and Cooperatives for the effective and smooth execution of project activities.

• Support the Deputy Country Director to identify capacity building needs of BSPs in grant management and ensure that these needs are addressed in a timely and appropriate fashion.

• Support the Deputy Country Director to develop a database system to track the flow of grants to BSPs, SMEs and Cooperatives and disbursements to ensure effective use of funds.

• Collate quarterly financial reports of the three grant mechanisms and submit to the Deputy Country Director and Finance Manager for consolidation into the project financial reports.

• Maintain proper documentation for each grant, from the call for proposal stage to final closure.

• Conduct field visits to grantee sites for verification and follow up purposes or as required.

• Support the Deputy Country Director to ensure that the project adheres to Philippine law, including financial reporting, tax, labor and proper registration with all relevant authorities as required; and

• Carry out other duties as assigned by the Deputy Country Director

REQUIREMENTS

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting or another relevant field

Experience: At least 3 years’ experience in accounting, finance and sub-grant management with international projects

Additional Qualifications:

• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s Mission vision and values.
• Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development, and MEDA’s approach to creating business solutions to poverty.
• Experience with development program start-up is preferred.
• Demonstrated donor relations reporting, relationship management and ability to monitor grants.
• Excellent report writing and review skills.
• Experience in designing and conducting finance trainings
• Prior work experience in Philippines or similar country context is preferred.
• Legally able to work in Philippines.

Technical Competencies:

• Strong grants and contracts management, financial management and audit skills
• Knowledge of Global Affairs Canada regulations, systems and procedures for managing grants programs.
• Knowledge in financial systems software, above-average computer skills

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis when received. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. Only successful applicants will be contacted.

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to creating an inclusive and diverse environment of mutual respect_. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring such accommodation make their needs known in advance._