Grant Manager – FZS Zambia Office

Frankfurt Zoological Society conserves wildlife and ecosystems focusing on protected areas and outstanding wild places. FZS maintains long-term conservation programmes in Africa, South America, Asia and Europe. The Africa Programme is FZS’s largest and oldest and is active in five focal countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe (www.fzs.org).

FZS Zambia (FZS ZM) has been active in the North Luangwa Ecosystem since 1986 and Nsumbu since 2017, working to conserve these globally important wilderness areas. FZS ZM supports effective and efficient protected area management, focusing on law enforcement, conservation education and empowering communities in GMAs to manage their resources. FZS ZM continues to seek to expand its activities both geographically and thematically. FZS ZM’s work is funded with significant grants from FZS core funding, international government partners and private donors.

A new position is now available for FZS ZM grant management through developing proposals, administering grant contracts, and reporting compliance.

Scope of Work

The FZS ZM Grant Manager, based in Lusaka, will provide support to FZS Zambia for donor funding from proposal development through to grant close out with travel to the North Luangwa and Nsumbu landscapes and intermittently to the FZS HQ in Frankfurt, Germany.

Based in Lusaka, Zambia the FZS ZM Grant Manager will provide grant management, development and reporting support across the FZS ZM portfolio. The Grant Manager will work closely with programme sites, M&E, finance, operations and senior management team (SMT) staff to ensure quality management of both pre and post-award grants functions. The Grant Manager will support donor compliance, timely reporting, high-quality proposal development, project document filing, preparing donor briefs and donor/internal visibility.

Areas of Responsibility

• Information management
• Act as custodian of documentation of institutional knowledge and programme activities in coordination with relevant sector supervisors and coordinators
• Maintain comprehensive electronic files for programmes, and ensure FZS ZM colleagues have access to relevant records and information
• Donor Relations and Communication
• Liaise with donors and potential donors, and other operational partners, including through attendance at meetings, and representing FZS ZM’s interests by maintaining positive and constructive relations
• In coordination with relevant colleagues, respond to requests from donors for compliance information and respond to donor compliance questions as needed
• Ensure that relevant staff members are aware of all donor communications, changes in regulations, and meetings or events
• Facilitate and participate in donor visits and/ or meetings
• Develop external communication materials including factsheets and programme updates
• Compliance
• Maintain up to date comprehensive knowledge of donor guidelines relevant to the FZS ZM portfolio, including but not limited to USAID
• Provide training to FZS ZM staff on compliance and donor-specific compliance requirements
• Closely monitor grants for internal or donor compliance issues, and flag concerns in a timely manner
• Grant Management and Development
• With the support of the SMT, coordinate the development of quality proposals and narrative reports with relevant teams, including acting as lead writer when necessary
• Liaise with FZS HQ and Africa Regional Office to ensure proposals meet internal standards and are responsive to donor requirements
• Support programme site staff to assess funding opportunities in line with FZS ZM’s strategic objectives and the local context, advising on these as required
• Work with programme and project managers to coordinate the timely development of high quality new funding proposals and reports
• Work closely with other members of the grant department unit to proactively support grants management processes across the portfolio
• Monitor and support the use of grant/project management tools to ensure accurate tracking of opportunities, reporting and programmatic adjustments through the project life cycle
• Provide technical guidance on FZS ZM and donor regulations to ensure compliance across FZS ZM, proactively raising and resolving issues
• Manage all reporting deadlines, and coordinate and consolidate reports as necessary to ensure documents are of the highest quality and in line with donor requirements
• Act as a focal point for FZS HQ grant administration and compliance colleagues, including maintaining submissions as requested
• Contribute proactively in meetings in collaboration with relevant programme and project leads to ensure timely, quality implementation of project

Qualifications and experiences – required:

• An MSc. or higher degree in international affairs, development, international political economy or another relevant subject
• At least 3 years practical experience in relevant fields
• Minimum 5 / preferred 10 years of experience managing diverse and high-value donor-funded projects
• Experience in complying with donor award agreements, procurement regulations and financial reporting requirements, financial audits, and internal and external evaluations
•  Proven successful experience in project design and development; writing proposals and donor reports; and fundraising with private, NGO and bilateral donors
• Excellent editorial management, editing and writing skills with close attention to detail and formatting
• Strong organisational, time management and analytical skills
• Ability to follow procedures but also use own initiative, juggle competing priorities, meet hard deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively with team members under pressure in dynamic environment
• Flexibility to adapt to changing requirements and circumstances
• Fluency in English and German, both written and oral
• Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities, including exceptional writing, verbal and listening skills
• Demonstrated ability to work with both Microsoft 365 and Google suites. Strong Excel skills are a must
• Aptitude to adapt to different contexts and cultures
• Willingness to travel

1. A cover letter explaining why you should be considered for this position.
2. A comprehensive CV highlighting your relevant experience and achievements.
3. Contact details for two referees (who will not be contacted without your permission). Please mark your application as ‘Grant Manager’.