Conservation International
Green Climate Fund Grants Director
Conservation International, Arlington, Virginia, United States, 22201
Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.
POSITION SUMMARY – This position is based in Arlington-VA, Bolivia, Brazil (remote), Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico, Suriname, or Peru
The Green Climate Fund Grants Director oversees a portfolio of three Green Climate Fund (GCF) projects totaling more than USD90 million and several GCF Project Preparation Facility (PPF) grants (averaging >$1 million each) and leads the financial and operational development of proposals in the CI-GCF Agency (CI-GCF) pipeline (~5 projects simultaneously). They lead the CI-GCF review of financial, operational, and contractual arrangements in GCF proposal documents and co-develop operations-related components and annexes of the proposals. They represent CI-GCF to the donor during proposal review, grant contract negotiations, and proposal implementation and coordinates directly with senior staff in CI’s Finance and General Counsel’s office. They support the VP of Grants Management in ensuring the CI-GCF portfolio is compliant with CI and GCF policies and procedures. The Director is a member of both the CI-GCF Agency and the CI-GEF/GCF Grants Management teams and will report to the CI-GCF VP. They will also supervise two grant managers who contribute to the portfolio. They provide finance, operational, and compliance support, guidance, training, and oversight of grantees for GCF grants under implementation.
The successful applicant will show competencies for the operational aspects of proposal development and grants management while working closely with a diverse team; excellent communication skills with grantees/clients, colleagues, and donors; attention to detail; and flexibility, adaptability, and ability to manage competing priorities.
Responsibilities
Proposal Preparation and Negotiation; Portfolio Management
For all CI-GCF proposals, serve as lead for reviewing and guiding the development of budgets and contractual arrangements and contribute detailed review and editorial review on all proposal content in coordination with project development directors. For full GCF Funding Proposals (typically $30 million+), lead for reviewing proposals and their detailed finance, operations, and legal annexes and developing multiple Funding Proposal annexes.
Develop and conduct or review capacity assessments for grantee and subgrantee due diligence and determine appropriate risk mitigation measures; lead coordination of legal due diligence process with project proponents, GCO, and Finance.
Respond to donor reviews with written responses, revised documents, and donor calls, with multidivisional coordination.
Develop training materials for proposal development teams and deliver training or consultations on the proposal development process and proposal requirements.
Develop and update guidance documents, templates, and resources for 3 stages of proposal development; provide guidance, expertise, and feedback to funding-proposal development teams in written form or in meetings; contribute to SharePoint site for grantee access.
Maintain the team’s portfolio (pipeline) tracker and oversee pipeline updates in CI’s fundraising software.
Contribute to the development and implementation of the Portfolio and Project Management System (Salesforce).
Grants Management (outgoing)
Provide oversight of grants management staff overseeing large GCF grants (totaling $90 million+) and PPF grants ($500k-3M each) of highly restricted funding for finance, operations, and compliance with grant funding terms.
Lead or support development and/or revisions of CI-GEF/GCF grantmaking policies, procedures, and templates.
Create and update templates for grantee’s annual budget, procurement, and grants planning; review and monitor progress of annual plans.
Create and update financial reporting templates; conduct quarterly and annual reviews of financial reports.
Develop and lead project kick-offs and trainings; develop and communicate grantee training tools.
Provide grant oversight and support with recurring grants-management meetings and other ad hoc support; design GEF/GCF materials for and conduct remote and in-person oversight desk reviews and site visits.
Lead or participate in interdivisional coordination for best practices for GEF/GCF grants management.
Create templates for GEF/GCF grant agreements in coordination with multiple divisions; draft, negotiate and monitor grant agreements with grantees; track agreements in CI systems.
Identify grant implementation challenges and issues and propose solutions collaboratively with grantees.
Review and approve implementation grantee budgets, procurement plans, grants plans, and financial reports.
Provide support to portfolio or project audits.
Donor management (incoming grants)
Act as lead grants-management liaison with PPF donor UNOPS (reporting, disbursement, grant agreements) and supporting role with GCF for budget and finance.
Draft term sheets and lead the interdivisional process for development and approval of term sheets and donor agreements.
Lead cash management of GCF portfolio.
Prepare and review annual financial reporting to the donor and respond to inquiries.
Support reaccreditation applications and negotiations; lead development of sections of the application; and lead annual accreditation reporting with consultant.
Risk Management and Compliance
Lead for assuring GCF grantees meet compliance requirements of donor and CI policies.
Project management for compliance updates, including development of eCourses or other initiatives.
Ensure that all CI-GCF policies and procedures are compliant with the GCF including annual reporting to the GCF providing evidence of such compliance as needed.
Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Candidate should be a local citizen of one of the eligible countries, with permit to work in their country. Travel is expected internationally up to 25%.
This is a hybrid position and full-time office presence is not mandatory, except as required by the country office or supervisor.
Qualifications
Required
Bachelor’s degree.
7 or more years of experience in providing grant management, proposal development and, due diligence.
Direct experience with GCF policies, and/or funding proposal development focusing on budget, due diligence, and operational aspects.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address challenges as they arise.
Strong organization skills; Ability to prioritize and manage high volume and varied tasks and meet competing deadlines across timezones, including short turnaround times from donors and partners.
Resourcefulness and ability to work proactively and independently.
Service focus. Courteous, professional, tactful, and proven ability to work effectively with others from a variety of disciplines, cultures, and backgrounds, including with multilateral donors.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to edit the work of others (including non-native speakers) to a donor-focused audience.
Attention to detail in quantitative tasks (budget and finance) and writing (proposal, donor responses).
Strong work ethic and willingness to take ownership of wide-ranging responsibilities.
Strong computer skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office package (especially Excel) and web researching skills.
Preferred
Master’s Degree.
Project management training or experience.
Affinity with environmental or climate-related issues.
Experience in monitoring and managing grantees, and donor reporting experience with multilateral or bilateral funders.
Experience with CRM or fundraising software (Salesforce, Blackbaud).
Proficiency/fluency with Microsoft SharePoint and Teams.
Proficiency in Spanish.
Experience with work for highly restrictive funding from public-sector donors.
To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.
Conservation International is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility-committed employer. We are proud to have a diverse, global workforce where employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, position requirements, business needs, market conditions, merit, and other legitimate nondiscriminatory factors.
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POSITION SUMMARY – This position is based in Arlington-VA, Bolivia, Brazil (remote), Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico, Suriname, or Peru
The Green Climate Fund Grants Director oversees a portfolio of three Green Climate Fund (GCF) projects totaling more than USD90 million and several GCF Project Preparation Facility (PPF) grants (averaging >$1 million each) and leads the financial and operational development of proposals in the CI-GCF Agency (CI-GCF) pipeline (~5 projects simultaneously). They lead the CI-GCF review of financial, operational, and contractual arrangements in GCF proposal documents and co-develop operations-related components and annexes of the proposals. They represent CI-GCF to the donor during proposal review, grant contract negotiations, and proposal implementation and coordinates directly with senior staff in CI’s Finance and General Counsel’s office. They support the VP of Grants Management in ensuring the CI-GCF portfolio is compliant with CI and GCF policies and procedures. The Director is a member of both the CI-GCF Agency and the CI-GEF/GCF Grants Management teams and will report to the CI-GCF VP. They will also supervise two grant managers who contribute to the portfolio. They provide finance, operational, and compliance support, guidance, training, and oversight of grantees for GCF grants under implementation.
The successful applicant will show competencies for the operational aspects of proposal development and grants management while working closely with a diverse team; excellent communication skills with grantees/clients, colleagues, and donors; attention to detail; and flexibility, adaptability, and ability to manage competing priorities.
Responsibilities
Proposal Preparation and Negotiation; Portfolio Management
For all CI-GCF proposals, serve as lead for reviewing and guiding the development of budgets and contractual arrangements and contribute detailed review and editorial review on all proposal content in coordination with project development directors. For full GCF Funding Proposals (typically $30 million+), lead for reviewing proposals and their detailed finance, operations, and legal annexes and developing multiple Funding Proposal annexes.
Develop and conduct or review capacity assessments for grantee and subgrantee due diligence and determine appropriate risk mitigation measures; lead coordination of legal due diligence process with project proponents, GCO, and Finance.
Respond to donor reviews with written responses, revised documents, and donor calls, with multidivisional coordination.
Develop training materials for proposal development teams and deliver training or consultations on the proposal development process and proposal requirements.
Develop and update guidance documents, templates, and resources for 3 stages of proposal development; provide guidance, expertise, and feedback to funding-proposal development teams in written form or in meetings; contribute to SharePoint site for grantee access.
Maintain the team’s portfolio (pipeline) tracker and oversee pipeline updates in CI’s fundraising software.
Contribute to the development and implementation of the Portfolio and Project Management System (Salesforce).
Grants Management (outgoing)
Provide oversight of grants management staff overseeing large GCF grants (totaling $90 million+) and PPF grants ($500k-3M each) of highly restricted funding for finance, operations, and compliance with grant funding terms.
Lead or support development and/or revisions of CI-GEF/GCF grantmaking policies, procedures, and templates.
Create and update templates for grantee’s annual budget, procurement, and grants planning; review and monitor progress of annual plans.
Create and update financial reporting templates; conduct quarterly and annual reviews of financial reports.
Develop and lead project kick-offs and trainings; develop and communicate grantee training tools.
Provide grant oversight and support with recurring grants-management meetings and other ad hoc support; design GEF/GCF materials for and conduct remote and in-person oversight desk reviews and site visits.
Lead or participate in interdivisional coordination for best practices for GEF/GCF grants management.
Create templates for GEF/GCF grant agreements in coordination with multiple divisions; draft, negotiate and monitor grant agreements with grantees; track agreements in CI systems.
Identify grant implementation challenges and issues and propose solutions collaboratively with grantees.
Review and approve implementation grantee budgets, procurement plans, grants plans, and financial reports.
Provide support to portfolio or project audits.
Donor management (incoming grants)
Act as lead grants-management liaison with PPF donor UNOPS (reporting, disbursement, grant agreements) and supporting role with GCF for budget and finance.
Draft term sheets and lead the interdivisional process for development and approval of term sheets and donor agreements.
Lead cash management of GCF portfolio.
Prepare and review annual financial reporting to the donor and respond to inquiries.
Support reaccreditation applications and negotiations; lead development of sections of the application; and lead annual accreditation reporting with consultant.
Risk Management and Compliance
Lead for assuring GCF grantees meet compliance requirements of donor and CI policies.
Project management for compliance updates, including development of eCourses or other initiatives.
Ensure that all CI-GCF policies and procedures are compliant with the GCF including annual reporting to the GCF providing evidence of such compliance as needed.
Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Candidate should be a local citizen of one of the eligible countries, with permit to work in their country. Travel is expected internationally up to 25%.
This is a hybrid position and full-time office presence is not mandatory, except as required by the country office or supervisor.
Qualifications
Required
Bachelor’s degree.
7 or more years of experience in providing grant management, proposal development and, due diligence.
Direct experience with GCF policies, and/or funding proposal development focusing on budget, due diligence, and operational aspects.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address challenges as they arise.
Strong organization skills; Ability to prioritize and manage high volume and varied tasks and meet competing deadlines across timezones, including short turnaround times from donors and partners.
Resourcefulness and ability to work proactively and independently.
Service focus. Courteous, professional, tactful, and proven ability to work effectively with others from a variety of disciplines, cultures, and backgrounds, including with multilateral donors.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to edit the work of others (including non-native speakers) to a donor-focused audience.
Attention to detail in quantitative tasks (budget and finance) and writing (proposal, donor responses).
Strong work ethic and willingness to take ownership of wide-ranging responsibilities.
Strong computer skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office package (especially Excel) and web researching skills.
Preferred
Master’s Degree.
Project management training or experience.
Affinity with environmental or climate-related issues.
Experience in monitoring and managing grantees, and donor reporting experience with multilateral or bilateral funders.
Experience with CRM or fundraising software (Salesforce, Blackbaud).
Proficiency/fluency with Microsoft SharePoint and Teams.
Proficiency in Spanish.
Experience with work for highly restrictive funding from public-sector donors.
To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.
Conservation International is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility-committed employer. We are proud to have a diverse, global workforce where employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, position requirements, business needs, market conditions, merit, and other legitimate nondiscriminatory factors.
#J-18808-Ljbffr