Sub Award Manager at TechnoServe

TechnoServe Background:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business 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 are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.

Program Description:

TechnoServe is implementing “ReGenerate Rwanda” a program funded by the Swedish Embassy that aims to break the cycle of vulnerability, poverty, and gender inequality in some of Rwanda’s poorest and environmentally fragile districts in the Western and Southern Provinces. The program uses a market systems approach to catalyze systemic changes that result in sustainable, increased incomes for tens of thousands of poor people, particularly women, living in Western and Southern Rwanda. ReGenerate Rwanda applies an environmentally sustainable/regenerative business lens to reduce economic, environmental, and social barriers that keep poor women, youth, and men trapped in poverty and unlock opportunities for their full engagement in and benefit from economic opportunities. To achieve its objective, ReGenerate Rwanda is working in close partnership with a diverse range of market actors to support a portfolio of interventions within priority sectors and cross-cutting market functions.

Position Description:

TechnoServe seeks a Subawards & Sub Award Manager for the ReGenerate Rwanda program in Kigali. The Subawards & Sub Award Manager will be responsible for the implementation and management of the project’s Subawards program. This role will oversee due diligence, reporting, budgeting, auditing, program monitoring, and other operational activities in compliance with Subaward-making guidelines. The incumbent will ensure adherence to the program's Subaward manual and monitor the performance and compliance of sub-awardees, including conducting monitoring visits. Additionally, the Manager will provide technical assistance to sub-awardees to support their compliance and optimize their performance. This position will report to the Senior Finance and Administration Manager.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Sub-Award Management

• Maintains programmatic and financial management files for Subawards and ensures audit trail for all necessary Subaward documentation.
• Provides compliance support on sub-awards, including solicitations, due diligence, awards, implementation and post-sub-award close-out.
• Ensures that sub-awardees are aware and trained on requisite flow-down requirements from the donor
• Ensures that sub-awardees are adhering to the terms of their awards, are in compliance with requirements, and are submitting required deliverables on time
• Works with the project and finance teams to align on process flow for invoices, payments and anticipated milestones 
• Works with TechnoServe’s Awards team on all sub-awards to issue new sub-awards and modifications
• Aligns with the Awards team, finance and procurement staff to ensure that the right instrument is selected for different types of partnerships
• Create and manage sub award monitoring plans. Coordinates and ensures timely financial disbursements, compliance with Subawards financial management policies, monitors all Subaward expenses, and provides regular updates on Subaward status.
• Review sub award financial and narrative reports and ensure they align for the reporting period

Subawards Planning and Implementation

• Provides end-to-end support on Subaward planning, design, awards, implementation and post-Subaward close out
• With the TechnoServe Awards team, reviews technical and financial proposals from local partner organisations, including negotiating annual budgets, and reviews Subawardee financial expenditure reports for accuracy and adherence to the SOW and budget.
• Participates in work planning and activity planning to align the Subawards program with overall project activities.
• Maintains timelines and details required for all Subaward activities;
• Leads or supports market search and price analysis in coordination with technical staff.
• Manages the evaluation and selection committee process for Subawardees.
• Ensures all due diligence is conducted prior to Subaward awards, including environmental compliance. 
• Secures approvals to ensure compliance with internal and external award and policy requirements
• Prepares Subaward agreements and amendments, explaining terms, conditions, roles, and responsibilities. Ensures that identified weaknesses in initial Subawardee assessments and related requirements are incorporated into the agreements explicitly/clearly with the required monitoring and actions on the part of the Subawardee.
• Organizes kick-off meetings and apprises Subawardees of the responsibilities, requirements and policies and procedures to be followed during the life of the Subaward.
• Ensures post award Subaward management in accordance with relevant regulations and generates reports of status of Subaward activities, such as forecasting payment, audit, inventory, amendments, close outs, and sector specific data (i.e. monthly and quarterly reporting). 
• Monitors milestones and payment schedules, with Finance and Technical Teams to ensure on-time deliverables, payments, and cash flow requests.
• Stays up to date with the latest developments in Subawards management, particularly as it pertains to Subawards to private sector actors.

Compliance:

• Provides training, guidance, and direction to project staff on planning, implementation, and compliance of sub-award and Subawards policies, procedures, and instructions, specifically their role in the process. 
• Reviews Subawards for completeness and appropriateness with the work plan. 
• Ensures all required documentation is stored in required TechnoServe systems. 
• Monitors sub-award and Subaward milestones and requests for payments against Subaward agreements to ensure compliance. Provide regular milestone updates to internal stakeholders such as the Award team. 
• Trains on and enforces policies and procedures to prevent improprieties, intentional and unintentional. 
• Leads an annual audit of Subaward and sub-award files 

Management:

• Providing ongoing training, guidance, and direction to project technical on planning, implementation, and compliance of Subawards and sub-award policies, procedures, and instructions.
• Ensures that policies, procedures, and/or practices are being met.
• Work closely with Finance and Admin team to develop clear process flow documents and templates to support the team in determining appropriate instruments for partnership engagement
• Provides quality control on all documentation required with various departments i.e. technical, Subawards, and finance.
• Review newly awarded contracts, Subawards, and cooperative agreements advise teams on donor terms and conditions to support project implementation and compliance.
• Prepare and disseminate Award Management Summaries, including coordinating with the project team to capture relevant project implementation detail as it relates to compliance.
• Develop and review sub-agreements in accordance with prime agreements and their respective flow-down provisions.
• Ensure donor milestones are completed and recorded, sub recipient monitoring is conducted and recorded, and closeout reports are completed and documented.
• Prepare or review requests for donor approvals and modifications such as no-cost extensions, changes in key personnel, changes in the scope of work and program add-ons, and budget realignments.
• Monitor award closeout process and assist program/country staff in collecting necessary close-out documents in accordance with TechnoServe and SIDA Develop donor-specific close plans for use by country staff.
• Complete other tasks as assigned
• Coordinate closely with other staff on partnerships requiring contracts or other procurement instruments

Basic Qualifications:

• At least 5 years’ professional experience in Subawards or contracts management for a large-scale, complex international development assistance program. 7 years’ experience for Bachelor’s degree.
• Progressively responsible work experience in managing Subawards as outlined in this job description.
• Understanding of different partnership modalities (including MOUs, Subawards, sub-awards, and sub-contracts) that will include a mix of private sector, government, civil society and NGO partnerships.
• Experience working with local organisations in Rwanda preferred 
• Knowledge of development issues in the program regions, ability to travel and work in the field with administrative and subject area specialists. 
• Experience working with major donors (SIDA, USAID, FCDO, etc) is preferred.

Required Languages: Kinyarwanda and English Fluency Required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and adapt to changing priorities
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and organised
• Able to thrive in a dynamic team environment

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 affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of 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.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.