Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.    

EDC is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

Project Description 

USAID’s Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative–Mekong Program will strengthen the leadership capacities and networks of youth leaders in Southeast Asia, empowering them to lead with confidence and to claim their right to a sustainable and just future.   

 The leadership development program will provide the knowledge, training, and exposure to empower Southeast Asian youth to act on environmental issues, help integrate them into the web of climate, biodiversity, and sustainability actors in the region in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the Mekong region.   

The program will 

1. Build the leadership capabilities of youth in Southeast Asia with focus themes of climate change, environment, and biodiversity within the Mekong sub-region countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam,  
2. Strengthen ties among Mekong sub-region countries, other ASEAN countries (plus Timor-Leste), and the United States, and  
3. Nurture a community of leaders who work locally and across borders to address shared issues relating to the focus themes.  

Focus themes of the program are: 

• Climate change – advance equitable and ambitious actions to confront the climate crisis with dual climate change priorities of mitigation (reducing emissions) and adaptation (improving resilience to climate impacts) 
• Environment - Ensure that the environment and the natural resources upon which human lives and livelihoods depend are managed in ways that sustain productivity growth, a healthy population, as well as the intrinsic spiritual and cultural value of the environment. 
• Biodiversity - Conserve biodiversity and manage natural resources in ways that maintain their long-term viability and preserve their potential to meet the needs of present and future generations. 

YSEALI-Mekong will be hosted by the Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), and will partner with local, regional, and international relevant stakeholders. 

The Grants Officer will coordinate and support the administration (from the call for application stage to the end of the life of the grant) of all grant awards under YSEALI- Mekong program. The Grants Officer will report to the Finance and Administration Manager and will ensure effective and efficient grant making processes. In coordination with the Finance and Administration Manager, s/he is responsible for ensuring the preparation, implementation, monitoring, and completion of project accompaniment local grants and grants to higher education institutions, ensuring compliance with the financial management, reporting, and accountability requirements of USAID and EDC. The Grants Officer will implement the component based on the EDC Grant Manual and the process for the project's grant program in compliance with USAID regulations.  

The person in this position will work with minimal supervision. The position requires considerable experience and training and extensive subject matter knowledge.

Essential Functions
The Grants Officer’s specific responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Support the Finance and Administration Manager in the administration of YSEALI Mekong program, ensuring compliance with EDC and USAID regulations.
• Manage the grants program under the guidance of the Finance and Administration Manager and in coordination with other YSEALI and EDC home office staff.
• Lead document review and participate in site visits of grantee applicants as needed, evaluating plans for expenditure of grant funds and administrative areas to determine level of risk; provide recommendations on grant awarding and execution based on assessment.
• In consultation with the Finance and Administration Manager, provide direction and guidance to Grantees on fund management and control, as needed.
• Support the Finance and Administration Manager in the conduct of post-award orientation meetings with the grantees to ensure that all terms/conditions of the contract /grant were understood.
• In coordination with the Finance and Administration Manager and other YSEALI staff, perform periodic evaluations in order to review compliance with grant requirements and EDC and USAID regulations. Detect and resolve implementation problems.
• Support the Finance and Administration Manager in the administration and oversight of grant expenditures in accordance with EDC and USAID guidelines.
• Maintain good reporting processes for all grants, reporting any grants pipeline issues to management on a monthly basis.
• Monitor milestone table budget to ensure project expenditures versus milestones and milestone means of verification.
• Collect progress reports on the implementation of milestone activities.
• Assist with tracking costs of grants.
• Maintain and update a detailed grants status calendar and grants filing system (physical & electronic).
• Ensure the proper presentation and safekeeping of accurate and complete supporting information for audit purposes.
• Assist in the preparation of all supporting information for audits and contacting finance and accounting staff as needed.
• Guarantee the reliability and integrity of supporting documentation and reports.
• Understand the terms of the USAID grant, specifically the expected results of the project, and ensure compliance with the requirements.
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

The candidate for the position of Grants Officer shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required.

Skills and Experience:

• A minimum of 5 to 6 years of directly relevant experience.
• Experience working with donor-funded grant projects highly preferred.
• Familiarity with USAID regulations, particularly related to grants.
• Demonstrational good IT skills including MS Word and MS Excel experience required.
• Experience in budget review and monitoring with development projects, preferably on USAID projects.
• Experience in budget analysis and cost controls in development projects.
• Excellent writing and editing skills.
• Demonstrable initiative, creativity, and flexibility.
• Strong interpersonal & organizational skills.
• Capacity to work independently and effectively with teams.
• Strong time management and attention to detail.
• Ability to travel in the Mekong and ASEAN regions.

Language:

• Fluency in English and Vietnamese are required.

Please note: There will be no relocation allowance provided for this position.

Job Closing Date: 9 December 2022

Due to the volume of applications submitted, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls, please.

Applications submitted without a resume will not be considered.

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EDC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

This announcement is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this notice are the sole responsibility of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.