Lead Grants Specialist

Role Overview

You will lead a regional grants management team, ensuring that public awards are administered accurately from kickoff to closeout. Your days will involve reviewing financial transactions, interpreting complex donor regulations, guiding staff through compliance decisions, and acting as the go-to expert when unusual award or accounting questions surface. This role matters because your oversight protects the organization’s funding relationships and keeps multi-donor portfolios running smoothly across the Africa region.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and develop a team of Grant Specialists and Grants Associates, assigning workloads, reviewing output quality, and supporting their professional growth.
• Maintain complete and audit-ready documentation for public awards, ensuring all records align with internal policies and external funder requirements.
• Perform financial administration duties such as reviewing expenditures, preparing financial reports, reconciling project budgets, and monitoring cost allowability.
• Interpret and apply federal, state, and multilateral donor rules—including Uniform Guidance and international funder terms—to real-world grant scenarios.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex compliance or financial issues from colleagues and management, providing clear, practical resolutions.
• Collaborate with the Grants Manager on team capacity planning, hiring needs, process improvements, and resolution of systemic award-related problems.
• Contribute to the wider Grants Services Network by sharing expertise, participating in community initiatives, and mentoring staff beyond your immediate team.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field, plus at least 5 years of relevant professional experience—or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 3 years of experience specifically in public award accounting, financial management, compliance, and financial analysis.
• Solid understanding of accounting principles, financial reporting standards, and GAAP.
• Hands-on experience with accounting and financial reporting systems, including advanced ability to work with complex data in Microsoft Excel.
• Familiarity with U.S. Federal Uniform Guidance, standard contract clauses, and state/local regulations.
• Working knowledge of multilateral and international donor regulations, such as IKI, UK GOV, GCF, GEF, UNDP, BAF, or similar mechanisms.
• Proven experience recruiting, supervising, developing, and managing staff.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; additional languages are a plus.
• Professional certification such as CPA or CIA is preferred.

What We Offer / Why Join

This is a leadership position with the flexibility to be based in Kenya, Tanzania, or another established Nature Conservancy office within the Africa region. You’ll have the opportunity to shape how a mission-driven conservation organization manages its public funding, while working alongside a global network of grants and finance professionals who value collaboration, continuous improvement, and real-world impact.