Grants & Procurement Officer

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW

The five-year (2020-2025) USAID Local Impact Governance Activity (Local Impact) will help Zambia build up a sub-national system of governance for devolved service delivery more responsive to citizen needs. The program will engage national and sub-national authorities to expand the capabilities of district-level governance bodies to deliver sustainable development outcomes, increase effective citizen and private-sector involvement in development planning and monitoring, and improve public financial management and domestic revenue generation.

The activity will work toward three objectives:

• Objective 1: Citizens improve their collective skills to effectively assess service-delivery needs and performance and constructively engage with government.
• Objective 2: The sub-national governance system becomes more responsive to citizen needs, generates, and accountably expends revenue, and improves service-delivery outcomes.
• Objective 3: The program generates learning and facilitates problem solving that supports the development of an effective, financially viable sub-national governance system for devolved services, capable of being scaled up throughout Zambia.

PURPOSE

The Grants & Procurement Officer will be responsible for supporting the Procurement & Logistics Coordinator and the Grants Manager with the administration of procurement and grants activities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Procurement

• Supports procurement activities as directed by the Procurement & Logistics Coordinator
• Ensures DAI/USAID and FAR policies, and procedures are followed and enforced
• Uses efficiently, accurately and effectively DAI’s procurement system in TAMIS
• Adheres strictly to the policies and procedures detailed in Local Impact’s Field Operations Manual
• Monitors, tracks and expedites all project procurement activities and delivery status of goods/services
• Solicits bids and quotes from vendors
• Through market research efforts, identifies and qualifies potential suppliers (and products/services)
• Ensures that beneficial, ethical and open supplier relationships are created and maintained according to procurement policies
• Conducts price/cost/reasonability analyses
• Maintains local procurement lists and schedules
• Inspects goods or verifies services, confirms delivery and receipt of goods, and monitors the use and disposition of goods
• Prepares complete backup documentation for procurement purchases
• Acts as a member of the procurement selection committees and ensure that the committee works collaboratively to make final recommendations and selections
• Guides other project staff in the use of DAI procurement systems, as necessary
• Assists staff in the preparation of clear SOWs/procurement specifications
• Provides accurate information for inventory management

Grants

• Supports grants activities as directed by the Grants Manager
• Reviews grantee proposals, applications, and budgets for cost reasonableness and adherence to grant management strategy and policies
• Assists in the training of local grantees in compliance with USAID assistance regulations, and DAI grant policies and procedures
• Drafts submissions to Requests for Applications (RFAs), or other solicited and unsolicited proposals, as outlined in the Activity’s Grants Manual
• Helps facilitate Grant Selection Committees, in compliance with the required evaluation process.
• Establishes and maintains accurate grant documentation
• Assists the Grants Manager with grant implementation from execution and signing of the award, monitoring of and documenting grantee activities, administrative actions, as necessary, and final reports
• Reviews grant deliverables and vouchers for payment before disbursements are made
• Facilitates the timely processing of grants
• Assists the Grants Manager with grant closeout procedures
• Provides administrative assistance in grants management processes
• Submits progress and status reports as required
• Works compliantly with the Grants Manual, and effectively and thoroughly uses the TAMIS system for grants and procurement

Other duties

• Provides leave of absence cover for staff as required
• Escalates any issues to his/her supervisor immediately
• Prepared to travel to project provincial offices as required
• Performs any other duties as assigned

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE AND REPORTING

• The position will be based in the Local Impact Activity’s main office in Lusaka, Zambia and will report to the Procurement & Logistics Coordinator, with secondary reporting to the Grants Manager.
• There may be some travel to provincial offices

QUALIFICATIONS

• University degree in relevant field required
• 6+ years of relevant experience in procurement and grants administration
• Minimum 2 years’ experience working in a relevant role for USAID funded projects
• Knowledge of applicable grants and procurement-related USG & Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) regulations
• Knowledge of USAID’s donor policies and procedures related to procurement and inventory management
• Ability to respond effectively to time sensitive demands & inquiries
• Demonstrated exceptional customer relations (both internally & externally)
• Excellent organizational skills with a willingness to take initiative and be proactive
• Ability to work on multiple concurrent procurements
• An energetic, forward-thinking and creative individual with high ethical standards and appropriate professional image
• Fluency in English is required

APPLICATION

• Use the URL provided in the advertisement to apply
• Applications must be received before the closing date
• Only short-listed candidates will be notified
•   No phone inquiries