Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 and based in New York, that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. In the Greater Mekong Region has Country Programs in Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam and is managed through a dispersed regional network with a developing administrative/financial hub in Bangkok.

Position Summary:

To support the WCS Asia Program’s European Union-funded CWT Project, WCS seeks a Grant Manager to lead the administration, compliance and finances of a large five-year EU funded project, involving multiple countries and partners.

The project, “Support to Civil Society in combatting wildlife trafficking and forest crime in the Greater Mekong Region, Malaysia and the People's Republic of China” is funded by the European Union and aims to disrupt illicit supply chains from source to market for tiger, Asian elephant, Siamese rosewood, and freshwater turtles by leveraging civil society partnerships to increase the effectiveness of the EU Government funded action.

The Project Grant Manager will work closely with the Project Coordinator on overall management of this Action.  The Grant Manager will lead the grant management throughout all the WCS country programs and the Project’s co applicant Partners, which includes compliance with EU regulations, budget management, and financial reporting.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Oversee the administration and finances of the EU-funded Project.
• Work with the Project Coordinator and regional management support team to build and execute plans and processes, with emphasis on budget planning and monitoring, strengthening capacity for the Project’s grant management, and ensuring compliance, transparency and accountability
• Work with the WCS Country Programs and Project Partners to prepare and review all Project agreements and contracts, including modifications, relevant sub awards, and consultancy and service agreements, while ensuring compliance to EU and WCS policy.
• Support, monitor and advise all WCS County Programs and Project Partners on grant administration and compliance
• Track financial and procurement performance and compliance to WCS and EU Project requirements throughout the project’s lifecycle
• Monitor all WCS Country Programs and Project Partners to ensure employee effort reports are submitted on time and costs are correctly allocated. Work with the finance teams and provide technical advice to allocate donor costs strategically and efficiently.
• Provide support to audits as required by the Regional Controller, Greater Mekong.
• Develop user-friendly tools for a Project grant management database, that including: (i) original technical and financial proposal; (ii) signed grant agreement with approved budget; (iii) timeframe and periodicity of reporting; (iv) financial and technical reports; (v) deliverables – results modules, indicators; and (vi) EU-specific procedures and regulations.
• Maintain an up-to-date tracking system to enable adequate and timely technical and financial reporting and coordinate with the country program technical and financial teams in the timely preparation of periodic narrative and financial reports for grants as required.
• Develop and implement a system to analyze and track grant budgets, funds available and disbursements.   Ensure the maintenance of the budget tracking system and management system for all grants that generates the following reports/information: (a) user friendly budget comparisons on a monthly or quarterly basis; (b) quarterly pipeline analysis of budget expenditures against line item allocations; (c) annual budgets variance; and (d) financial reports in conformity with the grant requirements and compliance.
• Provide appropriate capacity building support to relevant Project staff, and facilitate learning, including providing guidelines and lessons learned via on-the-job-training, group calls, meetings or training workshops.
• As well any and all other work assignments, duties, and/or functions as WCS or its management may designate or instruct in the course of the EU-funded Project operation, which may include assignments, duties, and/or functions that vary from the above

Position Requirements:

• The successful candidate must have strong interpersonal skills and display evidence of good leadership, business partnering, professional judgment, and influencing skills. S/He must have excellent written and oral communication skills and be comfortable participating both as an effective individual contributor and as a leader and listener. S/He must have significant attention to detail, be well organized, self-motivated, resourceful, effective and efficient at coordinating multiple resources to get things done; can work on multiple tasks at multiple levels and switch between them; can foresee and plan around obstacles.
• At least three years of experience with EU-funded Project procedures and financial reporting, preferably those that involved multiple countries, Co-Applicants and/or subawards. Experience with PRAG 2016 preferred.
• Bachelor degree required. Related program of study such as finance, accounting, economics or business strongly preferred.
• Proven grant and financial management and reporting experience in an international or non-governmental organization (3+ years).
• Willing and able to be responsive and have efficient communications with colleagues in both New York as well as in Asia, regardless of time zone.
• Ability to travel as needed to NY and throughout Asia.
• English fluency required.  Competency in a local language(s) is a plus.
• Excellent computer and systems skills required with respect to MS Office applications (advanced skills in MS Excel required) and major financial accounting and reporting software (SAP or equivalent).
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, with attention to mentorship and professional development of staff
• Self-motivated and organized with attention to detail; superb professional judgment in ambiguous situations
• Effective “roll up the sleeves” work ethic; Demonstrated ability to work with diverse, multi-cultural teams. Must be solution-oriented, and have strong problem solving and analytical skills and the ability to creatively contribute to thinking on issues.

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, should apply by sending an application letter and CV together with the names and contact information of three references to globalrecruitment@wcs.org latest by March 20^th, 2019 deadline. Please include the “Grant Manager EU CWT Project, Greater Mekong” in the subject line of your email.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews. The job will be filled when a suitable applicant is found, so interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, and definitely before March 20^th, 2019.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations