DREEM Grants Officer

DREEM Grants Officer, Pan-Africa – RLOs

The DREEM Grants Officer, Pan-Africa – RLOs provides RLO-focused support to ensure effective administration and monitoring of the DREEM Sub-grants, an initiative funded by the Mastercard Foundation. This role also delivers operational and technical support to the DREEM Senior Manager, Pan-African in overseeing the full cycle of the DREEM Sub-Award, ensuring adherence to contractual, legal, donor, and financial regulations. Responsibilities include grant reporting, budget monitoring, subgrantee oversight, and leading audit preparation to ensure accountability.

Key Responsibilities

Grant Management and Administration Support

• Assist in the end-to-end process of handling funding from application to post-close out, ensuring compliance with regulations, strategic use of funds, and achievement of project goals.
• Oversee activities through progress reports, site visits, and expenditure verification to ensure adherence to donor regulations.
• Conduct due diligence assessments of potential partners.
• File key grantee financial documents.

RLO Capacity Development and Performance Monitoring

• Train staff and partners on donor compliance, rules, and regulations.
• Track progress and deliverables of RLOs.
• Conduct site visits, desktop/online support, and technical assistance to RLOs.
• Develop and implement a grantee performance measurement/assessment tool.
• In collaboration with Grants, Finance, and the program team, organize quarterly review/assessment meetings with RLOs.

RLO Financial Reporting and Payments

• Manage the flow of funds (disbursements) to RLOs and verify reports to ensure eligible costs are properly documented.
• Prepare in-house reports, updates, and schedules as required for projections, planning, and decision making.
• Support the preparation, review, and tracking of grantee budgets.
• Coordinate joint review and sign-off of RLO financial and narrative reports.

RLO Compliance, Audits and Risk Management

• Facilitate compliance review meetings, refresher workshops, etc. to foster compliance with donor rules and regulations.
• Conduct spot checks, verifications, visits, and reviews of RLO activities and reports.
• Conduct due diligence assessments of potential partners.
• Risk profile RLOs by identifying, evaluating, and developing risk mitigation strategies.
• Facilitate RLO audits, both internal and external.

Qualifications & Competencies

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Commerce, Business Administration, Project Management, Development Studies, or related fields.
• Over 5 years of experience in Finance & Grant management / Audit & Compliance Management for donor-funded programs/projects.
• Familiarity with donor regulations and requirements.
• Demonstrated experience in providing coaching and mentoring support to subgrantees on compliance.
• Microsoft Excel expert with strong knowledge of accounting software (e.g., Sage). Previous experience with NetSuite is a desirable asset.
• Fluent in English; French language skills preferred.
• Strong organizational skills, with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.