KNOWLEDGE AND GRANTS COORDINATOR (AD# MCFBMT-2202)

Career with BRAC International

BRAC is an award-winning international non-governmental development organization, with the vision of a world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination, where everyone has the opportunity to realize their potential. BRAC is a leader in developing and implementing cost-effective, evidence-based programmes to assist poor and disadvantaged communities in low-income countries, including in conflict-prone and post-disaster settings. It is an organization of and for the people of the Global South, pioneering new development and social enterprise approaches to equip communities to achieve prosperity. As well as being the world’s biggest NGO by number of staff and people directly reached, BRAC has regularly been ranked the number one NGO in the world by the Geneva-based NGO Advisor, an independent organization committed to highlighting innovation, impact and governance in the non-profit sector. BRAC retained the top spot in 2020 among the top 500 NGOs for the fifth consecutive year.

BRAC was founded in Bangladesh in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. It started its first programme outside of Bangladesh in Afghanistan in 2002, and has since reached millions of people in 11 countries in Asia and Africa. BRAC has a holistic approach to development that uses a wide array of programmes and social enterprises, including in microfinance, education, health, agriculture, gender and human rights. BRAC believes that every person has inherent potential, and when an enabling environment is created and that potential is unleashed, even the poorest can become agents of positive change in their own lives, for their families and their communities.

BRAC Maendeleo Tanzania is part of a leading development organization that started its operations in 2006 in Tanzania, focusing on thematic areas of Agriculture, Youth and Women Empowerment, Food Security and Livelihood

In 2022, the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with BRAC International (BI) will be announcing an initiative that will create a positive and measurable impact for 1.2 million adolescent girls and young women and 9.5 million people across seven countries in East and West Africa, including Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda.

There is mounting urgency to support adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living in poverty, which has been further amplified by the global pandemic. Through this partnership, scalable economic development approaches will be delivered in communities to foster the agency and voice of AGYW. They will have the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations, achieve sustainable livelihoods, and engage in advocacy issues.

BRAC International will implement an integrated and holistic model to address the various life cycles of a young woman living in poverty, ensuring she is able to transition safely from adolescence to adulthood. She will be equipped with the appropriate skills, tools, and access to finance to effectively exercise her agency and build a fulfilling and productive livelihood.

In preparation for the launch, BRAC International is seeking applications from competent, dynamic and self-motivated individuals to fill the following position in BRAC Maendeleo Tanzania

1. KNOWLEDGE AND GRANTS COORDINATOR (AD# MCFBMT-2202)

The Microfinance Knowledge and Grants Coordinator will support functional teams (product, digital, social performance etc.) in implementing integrated projects, coordinate microfinance activities with the NGO team, lead grant management activities from microfinance side and support knowledge management for operational learning.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Coordination with NGO

• This position will work closely with the Microfinance operations team and the product/business development, digital, social performance to support proper implementation of all projects that have an integrated component with other NGO activities
• Organize and attend periodic coordination meetings with the NGO counterparts. Make sure the meetings are informative and action-oriented – set agendas, ensure participation, prepare with the required information, take notes and follow-up on action items.
• Train and guide field level staff on understanding the integrated nature of programme delivery and bring structure to coordination between different programmes at the branch level. Visit and monitor field activities and ensure structured coordination between staff and stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Work with the NGO counterpart to support field staff in resolving coordination issues as they arise.

Knowledge Management

• Work closely with Product, Social performance and Digital teams to generate and document insights and lessons from pilot implementations to help guide improvements to products/channels/processes.
• Make sure learnings from operational challenges and opportunities are shared with the management on a timely basis and that they are used effectively to help with change management.
• Work closely with the BIHBV team in the creation of quality knowledge products, such as case studies, papers, blogs and articles, and create reports on knowledge management for engagement of internal and external stakeholders
• Act as the first point of contact for knowledge management for the microfinance entity. Actively encourage knowledge-sharing and learning behaviors among staff, be a reference point to troubleshoot any issues with the knowledge hub, and be able to direct staff to where resources are stored and how to access them. Continuously reference, promote, and encourage the use of the knowledge hub, whenever and wherever possible
• Act as the primary content manager for the country-specific knowledge hubs by updating, maintaining, validating, and performing quality checks of hub content. Ensure that the relevant country experts are conducting timely reviews and quality checks of resources in the hub.
• Orient staff at the country head office and country regional office levels (i.e. regional managers, regional accountants, etc.) on how to effectively use (i.e. make the most out of) the knowledge hub. Conduct regular refresher orientations for those who have already been oriented, as well as for any new employee
• Conduct annual learning organization surveys to track the entity’s progress towards becoming a learning organization. Work with the Knowledge and Partnerships Manager, BRAC International Holdings B.V. to devise strategies for driving the culture shift around knowledge management among staff and for improving the knowledge hub based on challenges observed by the champions and challenges highlighted in the learning organisation surveys. Drive the implementation of these strategies at the country level
• Attend bi-weekly check-in calls with the Knowledge and Partnership Manager, BRAC International Holdings B.V. and quarterly knowledge management peer group meetings with knowledge champions from other countries to share updates, challenges, key learnings, and suggestions for improvement of knowledge management strategies

Grant Management and reporting

• Represent microfinance in periodic grant management meetings
• Coordinate with all relevant teams across NGO and Microfinance (Finance, operations, monitoring, IT/MIS etc.) to draft regular financial and narrative reports.
• Ensure grants reporting follows the set process in a timely manner
• Ensure timely submission of high-quality reports

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the programme’s goals on safeguarding implementation**
• Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment
• Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action
• Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place and encourage others to do the same

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelors in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or Development Studies

At least 5-year(s) experience in the development sector, preferably in microfinance

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• Know-how to validate, record and store knowledge in a useable, structured, digital format
• Tech-savvy with strong ability to learn and use new technologies. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint etc.) required, and proficiencies in knowledge management databases and/or professional services applications preferred
• Ability to interpret financial data and prepare budgets and financial grant reports
• Strong problem-solving skills, highly organized, strategic thinker with strong attention to detail.
• Strong sense of teamwork and collaboration and demonstrated ability to build relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Diplomatic and highly effective on an interpersonal level in addition to cross-cultural sensitivity
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to distil complex information into concise and pragmatic messages. Able to communicate effectively and tailor communication for a wide variety of audiences
• Drive, flexibility, resilience, and the ability to work under pressure
• Proactive problem-solver with strong analytical skills
• Task-oriented and strives to continuously improve
• Fluency in English required (spoken, reading, and written)
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the mission of BRAC.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Familiarity and experience with microfinance preferred

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: (Contractual)

SALARY: Negotiable

JOB LOCATION: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania