Senior Award Specialist

Title: Sr Award Specialist

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Resource Mobilization & Award Management Team

LOCATION:Beijing/Kunming/Chengdu/Guangzhou/Shanghai

GRADE: 3

POST TYPE:National

Child Safeguarding:Level2 - the responsibilities of the post do not require you to have one to one contact with children or young people but you may have regular but infrequent contact usually with different groups of children and young people.

ROLE PURPOSE:

Senior Award Specialist reporting to the Director of Growth Strategy and Strategic Partnership and is a member of the Extended Senior Management Team (ESMT). The role is responsible for day-to-day administration and coordination of development and humanitarian awards sub-awards and contracts in collaboration with country office teams. The role supports staff capacity building implements established process improvements and helps ensure compliance with SCI and donor regulations by following risk management and internal controls. It also coordinates assurance audit preparations and adapts to emergency response demands as required.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to:Director of Growth Strategy and Strategic Partnership

Dimensions:

Staff directly reporting to this post:N/A

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Award Management

• Support the China programmeinupholding the SCI Essential Standards in Award Management and Donor Compliance andcontribute tomeeting the SCI global Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Management Indicators (MIs) in award management including the coordination of budgets and payment schedules and the coordination of high quality and timely submission of donor reports.
• Support the implementation of award management systems and processes andhelp maintainkey controls to comply with donor conditions.
• Participate proposal development meetings if necessary and draft quality documents such as PART AMET etc.
• Conduct Award Kick-off meetings to ensure that all award information including donor and reporting requirements is shared effectively with relevant staff including field offices and partners.
• Initiatetheclose-out process with China Programme project and finance teams and respective SC member to ensure the process is completed on time.
• Timely escalation of award management and donor compliance risks with the aim to cross-functionally mitigate theserisks.
• Support regular award monitoring across the country office by facilitating meetings with key stakeholders in collaboration with other relevant functions.
• Closely monitor individual award performance to ensure its full compliance with donor conditionsflagging any potential compliance issues or delays toline manager.
• Address routine award management issuesusing knowledge of SCI and donor guidelines and inform/train colleagues on standard procedures.Escalate complex issues to the line managerand under guidance help implement in completing the Award Risk Assessment and Joint Opportunity Risk Tool by gathering necessary input from relevant staff for all new awards.
• Keep theline manager and SC members updated timely about any potential issues amendment requests and NCEs.
• In the event of a humanitarian crisis the role is expected to provideoperational support and contribution in accessing SCI humanitarian fund and relevant funding streams providing training for incoming surge capacity during the responses.

Compliance (systems processes donor)

• Maintaining a clear understanding of SCI processes and key donor requirements andprovide guidance andsupportto CO to help them follow established procedures for opportunities proposals contracts and amendments.
• Main and distributeappropriate donor formats in-country andhelp communicatedonor requirements/expectationsto staffthroughout the award cycle.
• Monitor forpotential issues and amendment requests reporting them to the line manager for escalation to donors via the relevant in draftingdonor waiver/derogation requests.
• Ensure the day-to-day accuracyofAMS records and are responsible for attachingall required documentationin a timely manner.
• Coordination and submission of partners and sub-award agreementsforlegal vetting ensure their proper entry and trackingin AMS andsupport relevant staffin communicating basic donor requirements to implementing partners.

In the event of donor required/audit spot check event or general donor visitact as a key support personto help prepare documentation coordinate logistics and facilitate the processunder the leadership of line manager

Partnerships / Sub-Awards

• Coordinate the processto ensure all implementing partner organizations undergo legal vetting andare accurately input and trackedin the Award Management System (AMS).
• Participate the process of organizational assessments of Partners as per SCI Awards Management procedures and facilitate the completion and approval of the relevant Partnership Assessment Tool
• Prepare draft sub-award agreementsusing the correct contract templates andliaise withSave the Children global to seek required approvals for any proposed modifications ensuring compliance with global guidelines.
• Supportline managernecessary
• in contract negotiations with partners as requiredand assist in the developmentof partner capacity building plans under guidance.

Work with the programme teamtohelp identifypartner-related risks and capacity gapscontributing tothe drafting of improvement plansfor review.

Communication

• Serve as a key liaison for day-to-day communications with designated Save the Children member headquarters on donor compliance and reporting mattersensuring information flows accurately and on schedule.
• Contribute to the capacity building of partners as identified in and required by the PAT.
• Work regularly with theRegional BPand SCI Centre toseekclarify inconsistencies andupdate CO award management and donor compliance best practices/ lessons learned.
• Provide informational support for communications with Chinese regulators.

Risk Management Global Assurance Audit and Reporting

• Provide administrative supportfor the CO RMP process.
• Compile and distribute regular updates to the SMT tracking the status of outstanding actions;
• Under the guidance of the line manager help identifypotential control and compliance concerns using established risk tools andassist in draftingthe annual verification work plan.
• Serve as an administrative focal point for risk related documentation in CO and support the orientation for new E/SMT members onbasicriskprecedures.
• Maintain the tracking registerfor Global Assurance (GA) audit recommendationsmonitoring the completionof action plans andreporting progressto the line manager.
• Support the preparationof summary reports on audit outcomes and lessons learned for SMT review focusing on accurately presenting the information provided by management.

Capacity Building

• Participate in and support to initiatives that promote knowledge sharing and continuous improvement on donor compliance and award management in the country.
• Provide day to day guidance and troubleshooting supports to China Programme teams to ensure full compliance with donor conditions.
• Act as facilitator or trainer during orientations and trainings on award management procedures and donor requirements for Save the Children staff and partner organisations in particular reporting writing.

Portfolio Management:

• Support the cross-functional reviewof donor and member requirements bygathering and organizing informationfor alignment with CO as CO PRIME champion support programme teams daily use of PRIME and act as trainers during trainings relevant to PRIME.
• Support the NBD process within the country office.

Undertake other ad-hoc tasks as assigned by the management team such as GIK opportunities coordination and delivery.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self accountable for making decisions managing resources efficiently achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit providing the necessary support to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals forthemselves takes responsibility for their own personal development.
• Future orientated but also detail driven.

Collaboration:

• Maintains effective relationships with their team colleagues Members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable good listener.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest encourages openness and transparency.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential:

• A professional qualification at graduate level or equivalent in a related subject.
• 5-7 years experience with at least 3 years of relevant experience working in an NGO corporate foundation or related sector
• Outstanding attention to details in all tasks.
• Strong interpersonal communication and networking skills suitable for a range of different audiences. Ability to write and edit at a level suitable for publication in English.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Ability to collaborate and build support from other staff to achieve shared objectives and wider organisational initiatives.
• Good thinking multi-tasking and planning skills including ability to set priorities manage work-planning and evaluate progress.
• Ability to operate within a predominantly administratively self-servicing environment.
• Commitment to the aims of Save the Children an organisation working for social change and active in the promotion of the rights of the child.

Desirable:

• Previous grant management experience in a non-profit organisation.

Equal Opportunities

Theroleholder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process which includes rigorous background checks reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety:

The roleholder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.