Job Vacancy @ Brac Sierra Leone – Knowledge and Grants Coordinator

Job Description

Career with BRAC Sierra Leone

With over 100,000 employees reaching an estimated 135 million people, BRAC is the world’s largest non-governmental organization.

BRAC is a development success story, spreading anti poverty solutions born in Bangladesh to 9 other developing countries in Asia and Africa, making it a global leader in providing opportunities for the world’s poor.

With a holistic approach that uses a wide array of tools including microfinance, education, healthcare, legal services and more, BRAC invests in communities’ own human and material resources, catalyzing lasting change and creating an ecosystem in which the poor have the chance to seize control of their own lives. Of the world’s top development and humanitarian relief organizations, BRAC is one of the few based in the global South. BRAC International is seeking application from competent, dynamic and self-motivated individuals to fill up the following position:

Position:  Knowledge and Grants Coordinator

Duty Station: BRAC Sierra Leone Country Office 

Purpose:

This position will report to the Microfinance PM/COO and work closely with the NGO counterpart(s) in coordination with the microfinance operations team and the product/business development, digital, social performance. The role will have a dotted line reporting to the Knowledge and Partnership Manager at the BIHBV team for guidance and mentorship.

Major 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 behaviours 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 organisation. 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

• 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, encourage others to do so.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• 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)
• Familiarity and experience with microfinance preferred
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the mission of BRAC.

Education:

Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or Development Studies.

Experience (required): 

At least 5 years experience in the development sector, preferably in microfinance.

If you feel you are the right match for the above-mentioned position, please follow the application instructions accordingly:

Candidates need to email their CV with a letter of interest mentioning educational grades and years of experience at [email protected] OR by hand to our Head Office 43 Freetown Road, Lumley.

PLEASE MENTION THE NAME OF POSITION IN THE SUBJECT LINE

Only complete applications will be accepted and shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

• Application deadline: 5th August 2022

Women are strongly encouraged to apply