(Consultancy) Grant Management Consultant

Terms Of Reference 

Position title: Grant Management Consultant 

Position location: Remote

Reports to: Grants Management  Working Group Leaders

Duration: 20 days

Start Date: January 19, 2025

WUSC is a Canadian global development organization working to catalyze positive education and economic outcomes for young people. We bring together and collaborate with a diverse network of partners (including students, volunteers, schools, governments, not-for-profits, and businesses) who share this mission. Together, we influence systems change and foster inclusive, youth-centered solutions that enable young people to thrive and belong. We work with all young people, with a focus on women and displaced populations.  WUSC currently operates in 28 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in Canada, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $65 million. Our global team includes over 100 staff in Canada and more than 250 staff internationally, implementing a diverse portfolio of development projects in collaboration with numerous multilateral and bilateral donors and philanthropic foundations.

Nature and Scope:

WUSC is seeking an external Consultant to support the grant management standardization and automation initiative. 

The Consultant will work closely with the Grants Management Working Group at WUSC and will conduct consultations with Project staff in the WUSC Country Offices to get their input and ensure relevance to the local contexts of operation. 

The consultancy consists of 20 days of work in total. These days will be spread intermittently across the period of January 5, 2025, through May 31, 2026, based on project needs.

Key Deliverables:

• Proposed work plan for agreement by WUSC
• Standardized processes for business support grants and for CSO support grants, ready to be handed over to the automation team

Key Responsibilities & Tasks: 

• Complete consultation calls with country teams and the audit of grants employed by WUSC programs (currently, previously, or planned), including articulating:
  • The theory of change for each grant (why)
  • How each grant works operationally (including all supporting documents)
  • Pivots made and lessons learned
  • Metrics used to articulate success for each mechanism
• Validate and expand upon current needs requirements based on a standardized process, reflecting on which components will need to be customized for the various grant opportunities and  flagging which requirements could be automated
• Establish standardized processes for different categories of business support grants and CSO grants, within the partnership framework (and identify where standardization is not needed)
  • Risk assessment/management
  • Contracts (a version being reviewed by a lawyer)
  • Competitive process pieces (applications, selection panels, etc.)
  • Financial Due Diligence and Management
  • Monitoring/evaluation of different granting mechanisms
    • Make any necessary adjustments according to feedback received throughout the process (biweekly check-ins in the WG leadership team)

Qualifications and Competencies:

• Senior-level technical consultant with a  background in project granting mechanisms and/or grant management
• A minimum of 3  years of experience working and/or consulting in finance and operations, preferably for international development organizations, and preferably with experience in developing countries;
• Strong analytical and research skills;
• Proven ability to work productively with a variety of stakeholders to run participatory processes and meet deadlines with an emphasis on producing quality products;
• Effective interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.

Languages: 

Full fluency in English; French fluency is strongly encouraged.

Applications:

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion, sexual exploitation or abuse of any form. Successful applicants will be required to undertake an enhanced criminal record check where appropriate.

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls, please.