Contracts and Grants Officer Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI)

SCOPE OF WORK

USAID SCALING UP NUTRITION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (SUN TA)
CONTRACTS AND GRANTS OFFICER (GRADE 8)

1. Project Background:

The Scaling Up Nutrition Program is a cross-ministry and multi-donor program to reduce stunting in Zambia through implementation of the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) 1,000 Most Critical Days Program. SUN TA provides support and direct technical assistance to sub-national local government departments in target districts to plan, implement, coordinate, and monitor integrated nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific activities to reduce the rate of stunting among Zambian children under two and improve the nutritional status of pregnant and lactating mothers. USAID has identified two main objectives that address stunting, including (1) Adequate Quantity and Quality of Dietary Intake among Target Groups; and (2) Adequate Health Conditions for Biological Utilization of Nutrients. SUN TA interventions increase access and availability of safe, diverse, nutritious food; adoption of better child feeding and household hygiene practices; and access to improved health, water, and sanitation services. The project prioritizes sustainability by improving intra-household joint decision making and building the capacity of local government and their stakeholders to ensure coordination, accountability, and learning, following the Scaling Up Nutrition model.

2. Purpose:
Under the supervision of the Contracts and Grants Manager, the Contracts Officer supports the administration of contracts awarded as well as contracting short- and long-term service vendors for procurements.

3. Place of Performance and Reporting:

The Contracts Officer will be based in Lusaka and will report to the Contracts and Grants Manager.

4. Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Support department record keeping by ensuring that procurement, contracts and grants related electronic and hard copy files are maintained in a clear and systematic manner.
• Promptly update procurement contract trackers e.g. receipt of deliverables, schedule reporting requirements and payments for contracts as needed.
• Working with the logistics team to ensure that supporting documents evidencing the dispatch and/or issuance of WASH or GRANTS supplies, equipment and materials are appropriately completed and filed.
• Schedule and actively participate in contracts and grants/procurement/operations meetings, drafting agendas, preparing minutes of meetings/notes of discussions held and tracking action points.
• Draft reports/presentations providing an overview of the contractual progress being made by each Contractor.
• Draft correspondences relating to contractual matters e.g. letters of regret, close-out notifications, warning letters.
• Coordinate with procurement and program staff in order to draft, review, edit, modify and close-out contracts for short- and long-term service procurement vendors.
• Assist in the submission of contractual/grant related payment requests for finance approvals and payments.
• Assist the procurement, contracts and grants department in the administration, coordination and monitoring of contracts. Participate in negotiations with contractors/vendors/grantees, consult and advise on program and financial reporting, and prepare memoranda summarizing negotiations.
• Support contract and grants monitoring, participating in site visits and liaising with project staff.
• Depending on the situation, the Contract Officer may be asked to perform other tasks as requested by the supervisor.
• Other duties as assigned.

5. Supervisory Responsibilities:

The Contracts Officer will not have supervisory responsibilities

6. Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, law, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in contracts administration; training or work experience in construction contract management a plus.
• Familiarity with USAID contracts management policies and procedures is desirable, but experience with other donor-funded projects will be considered.
• Organizational skills are required for this position in order to ensure the record of documentation is filed professionally and accurately for internal and external audits.
•  Excellent report writing and reading comprehension skills and demonstrated ability to analyze contracts clauses.
• Able to maintain good working relationships with team members while retaining high levels of confidentiality and discretion.
• Good hands-on experience using Microsoft Excel, Power Point, Word, Outlook.
• Fluency in English is required

7. Key Result Areas

• Ensuring that procurement, contracts and grants related electronic and hard copy files are maintained
• Update procurement contract trackers
• Perform secretarial duties for contracts and grants/procurement/operations meetings.
• Provide reports, presentations, correspondence and coordinate procurement and program staff to draft review, edit, modify and close out contracts for short- and long-term service procurement vendors.

8. Key Competencies for the Role

Intellectual – planning

Interpersonal – team player and internal and external stakeholder engagement

Communication – written and verbal communication

Technical – computer literate (microsoft excel) and detail oriented

Leadership – Self -management to ensure quality support to team members