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.

Project Description

The Opportunity 2.0 (O2), a 5-year program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to strengthen second-chance education programs for vulnerable out-of-school youth in the Philippines. The O2 collaborates and works with national and local systems to provide 180,000 youth with the skills and opportunities to improve their education, employment, and livelihood outcomes.

Achieving this vision requires a multi-faceted, systems-strengthening approach that aligns the formal education system, markets, and youth “sub-systems” at the regional levels. This will be achieved by providing experienced project personnel embedded in government departments; further aligning the input of technical assistance; and maximizing opportunities to bring together the respective stakeholders to identify and refine synergies and transition pathways for youth, particularly between Department of Education (DepEd)’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) program and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The Grants Officer - Cebu Hub 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 O2 program within the Cebu Regional Hub. The Cebu regional hub currently includes five (5) sites: Cebu City, Iloilo City, Isabela City, Tagbilaran City, and Zamboanga City.

The Grants Officer will report to the Grants Manager and will ensure effective and efficient grant making processes. In coordination with the Grants 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 – Cebu Hub will implement the component based on the EDC Grant Manual and the process for the project's grant program in compliance with USAID regulations.  

Essential Functions

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

• Support the Grants Manager in the administration of the O2 grants program, ensuring compliance with EDC and USAID guidelines 
• Participate in site visits of current and future grantees, evaluating usage of grant funds and administrative areas to determine level of risk; provide recommendations to grant execution based on assessment.
• In consultation with the Grants Manager, provide direction and guidance to Grantees on fund management and control, as needed.
• Support the Grants 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 Grants Manager, perform periodic evaluations in order to review compliance with grant requirements and EDC/USAID regulations. Detect and resolve implementation problems.
• Support the Finance Manager and Grants 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) 

Other Duties

• Ensure EDC compliance with government and USAID requirements
• Ensuring the proper presentation and safekeeping of accurate and complete supporting information for audit purposes
• Assisting 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.
• Understand USAID regulations, coordinate with EDC headquarters for consistent interpretations, and ensure they are applied appropriately when appropriate.
• Assist with periodic reports as appropriate and submit contributions in a timely manner
• Demonstrate a high level of professionalism when it comes to sensitive and confidential documents and information, and with coworkers and EDC partners
• Provide support for other special initiatives related to job scope and description
• Comply with project and organizational policies concerning security, human resources, financial and grants management, the confidentiality of information, and the like Comply with EDC’s administrative and HR regulations, including policies and procedures on performance management and annual performance review
• Perform other duties as may be assigned.

Organizational Relationships and Employment Status

• Reports to Grants Manager
• Supervise: N/A
• Based in Cebu City with travel to all project sites
• Regular, full-time employee

Education:  

• A Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of directly relevant experience required.

Skills and Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in a similar position 
• Familiarity with USAID regulations 
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Proficiency in Excel and MS Word
• Experience in budget review and monitoring of development projects, preferably USAID-funded
• Experience in budget analysis and cost controls in development projects
• Demonstrated capacity to work effectively with teams
• Excellent people skills at all levels, cultural sensitivity, ability to work well under pressure, negotiate diplomatically, and the ability to work well in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary work environment 
• Excellent oral communication skills in Filipino and oral and written communication skills in English
• Ability to prepare presentations and reports  
• Willingness to work and travel in all project areas

Language:

Fluency in Filipino and English.

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