Job Description

The role

We are currently looking for Head of Award and Donor Compliance based in Vientiane Capital.

Role Purpose

Award management in the country office is crucial to ensure that all aspects of award management and donor compliance are carried out to the highest standards. It leads and oversees the complete award cycle, spanning portfolio planning, securing new funding, implementation, reporting, and close out, which is essential for aligning donor funding with the country office’s strategic objectives. By coordinating the development of high-quality proposals and budgets, they also ensure that funding opportunities are maximized and align with donor priorities as well as organizational needs.

Head of AWARD and donor compliance (AMDC)’s responsibilities include managing compliance with complex donor requirements, facilitating timely approvals and reviews, and ensuring that all documentation is accurate and complete. AMDC leadership role is key in risk management, ensuring that potential operational and organizational risks are properly assessed and mitigated, particularly through tools like risk assessments and regular review meetings. AMDC will strengthen the country office’s ability to deliver high-quality, impactful, and donor-compliant programs, improving operational effectiveness and supporting long-term organizational sustainability.

ADMC will be responsible for the capacity building of both SCI staff and partners on understanding of donor compliance. He/she will be responsible to build capacity for AWARD manager on day-to-day job to make sure that local capacity is built for the long-term capability in the country office as well as supporting SCI staff to perform high quality of the donor compliance. Coordinates internal and external reporting schedules and guarantees that the country office adheres to the Scheme of Delegation for approvals. AWARD also owned and manage Right First Time (RFT) KPI by working closely with different function to ensure that that RFT is well performed.

She/he will be supporting program and support function in partnership process for sub grant which include legal vetting and a capacity assessment prior to commencing work with Save the Children. They will be engaged with appropriate agreements and effective monitoring systems in place so that partner delivery meets donor expectations and requirements according to Save the Children and donor policies.

She/he will be responsible contributing to the development of best practices systems and processes for AMDC in-country and in the global level as relevant.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Ensure they fully understand the provisions of the Child Safeguarding Policy, the Code of Conduct and Local/Country Procedures.
• Conduct themselves in accordance with the rules of the Child Safeguarding Policy, in their personal and professional lives – which includes reporting suspicions of child abuse.

Key responsibilities:

Leadership, portfolio management, business development & strategy

• Define the strategic direction of the awards management and donor compliance unit and undertake effective planning that supports the unit to establish and maintain an efficient and effective awards management process
• Provide guidance to New Business Development Managers during the development of concept notes and funding proposals (including log frames and budgets), to ensure coordination and information sharing between technical and operation teams (finance, logistics) and compliance with donor requirements
• Use key performance indicators and other management information to identify and address operational issues that could impact negatively on the delivery of programmes
• Work with SMT and Technical Advisors (Tas) & COPs to engage with members/donors and identify possible funding opportunities in line with CO strategy where required
• Engage with Save the Children globally and provide information to support in the building of professional relationships with donors to identify strategic fundraising opportunities
• Build and maintain positive relationships with relevant networks and award management and donor compliance staff of similar organisations in the country.

Compliance (Systems and Processes)

• Ensure that the Award Management System (AMS) meet SCI standards, is effectively maintained and up to date for all awards and sub-awards including authorization and document retention.
• Ensure that key staff (including partners) have a clear understanding of donor compliance requirements throughout the project management cycle and that there is a complete audit trial of the implementation and reporting for all awards.
• Ensure potential issues and amendment requests are flagged promptly to the CD and/or DOP, PDQ and to donors via the relevant member. This may include developing business cases where donor waiver/derogation requests need to be more thoroughly articulated or negotiated with donors.
• Ensure all partners and sub-award agreements undergo legal vetting, are input into and approved through AMS, and work with relevant staff to ensure relevant donor requirements are understood by implementing partners (this may include capacity building).
• Working on all donor and external auditors to ensure close coordination with support functions like finance and supply chain, program, and MEAL to provide required documents and respond to auditor comments in a timely manner.
• Ensure that Global Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Management Indicators (MI) and Right First Time Indicators (RFT) fall within the responsibility of Awards management and donor compliance are met with good performance.
• Engage with SCI global on the development of award and donor engagement systems and processes and sharing of best practice

Monitoring and analysis

• Work in collaboration with the Finance Director, to ensure the CO has a clear framework for master budget development, cost allocation, monitoring of award budgets, phasing and forecasting, ensuring alignment between the master budgets and funding tracker.
• Work with the Finance Director and NBD on a regular analysis of the award portfolio and pipeline.
• Work in collaboration with the Finance Director and provide technical advice regarding strategic donor costs allocations with a view to minimize compliance issues where possible.
• Monitoring all the requirement related to donor compliance, members request etc to make sure that related function have provided timely such as reports, risk mitigation risk etc.
• Involvement of CO’s forecast, master budget exercise, SCARF and other similar standard SCI submissions

Communicating with impact (Pipeline, Proposals, Reports)

• Engage monthly with Finance and PDQ on the pipeline to provide regular updates to CD and/or DOP on all aspects of award management including pipeline management and donor compliance, including providing analysis of current/ pipeline awards to senior management.
• Coordinate the preparation of timely programme and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal Save the Children requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Track reporting requirements and ensure reports are prepared in a timely fashion.
• Review reports and ensure they are of a high standard and meet donor requirements and accurately reflect the impact achieved and lessons learnt during the implementation of an award

Team Management and Capacity Building:

• Build a high performing of Senior AWARD officer to support good practice and high-quality delivery across the Country Office.
• Ensure the team members have clear objectives and workplans
• Lead Awards related capacity building both within the Awards team and for other relevant staff members including budget holders
• Support DOP, PDQ, NBD to build the capacity of programme staff on project design and management

Subgrant Management

• Supporting Save the Children’s staff understand sub grant’s Partnerships tools and procedures.
• Ensures that the sub-award management processes follow Save the Children partnership processes and principles.
• Responsible for partner assessment, vetting, and based on the results of partner assessments.
• Working closely with program and project managers to make sure that a partner capacity-building plan is implemented.
• Develop and coordinate sub-award agreements with partners and ensure that partners have a clear understanding of Save the Children's partnership principles and requirements and donor compliance.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Development studies or relevant field.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• At least 7 years’ experience (5 years working in AWARD) of experience in award management procedures and processes in development organization(s)
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills include influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets.
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
• Experience of building personal networks, resulting in securing significant new opportunities for the organization.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and Commitment to Save the Children values
• Analytical, decision making and strategic planning skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities
• Ability to coach, mentor, delegate appropriately and provide developmental guidance to supervised staff

Contract length: Fixed term (1 year with the possibility of extension)

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information:

Interested candidates please submit a full application using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document including contact details of three professional referees (current and last line managers and HR department). Please also include details of your salary expectations and a copy of your ID card. Please note that we will require a copy of your Criminal Records (ໃບແຈ້ງໂທດ) later.

Save the Children International is a child-rights based organization. Safe recruitment is central to the safeguarding of children and young people that we come into contact with, and support through our programmes.

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.

Save the children is an equal opportunities employer, qualified females, persons with disability and candidates from diverse cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.