Director Of Communications And Development Jobs in London, Greater London

Grants Specialist - Job Description 

Location- UK & US

Salary Band UK - £51,050 

Salary Band US - $85,246 

All qualified candidates must submit a cover letter for consideration

About the Fund: 

The Fund for Global Human Rights (the Fund) is a leading supporter of on-the-ground human rights groups around the world.  Dedicated to identifying and investing in the most effective human rights organizations in regions from Latin America to Africa to Southeast Asia, the Fund for Global Human Rights offers grants and facilitates technical support to ensure the long-term effectiveness and viability of front-line groups working in challenging conditions with scant resources. 

As an employer active in the field of human rights, The Fund is deeply committed to the overall well-being of its staff.  It envisions a people centric workplace characterized by compassion, empathy, and balance. Its values are respect, integrity, agility, sustainability, and inclusivity. As the organization adapts and changes, it looks to its values to root and guide itself. Values are woven into The Fund Theory of Change and used to guide its direction and make decisions. 

This is an exciting time at the Fund, having been undertaking a Strategic Review and being about to embark on an Operational Review to optimize our internal structures and systems to support the delivery of the Fund’s mission and strategic direction. 

 Your role:

The Grantmaking Operations team sits within the Fund’s Operations department and is primarily focused on ensuring that resources are reaching frontline activist organizations. The team seeks to hire a Grants Specialist who will report to the Managers of Grantmaking Operations and manage the Fund’s most complex grantmaking programs. 

 The successful candidate will join a high-performing, enthusiastic grants management team, a deeply committed global staff, and an organization constantly learning and adapting to global contexts.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF THE POSITION:

 Grantmaking 

• Manage due diligence and enhanced grantmaking protocols for a highly complex and high-volume portfolio of grants spanning 50+ countries. 
  1. Inform the development and implementation of grantmaking plans, ensuring they are robust and responsive to changing contexts and needs.
  2. Research compliance and financial regulation for various country contexts as needed and flag potential areas of risk to the Manager of Grantmaking Policy and Models. 
  3. Identify and flag operational challenges that may have an impact on programmatic grantmaking ambitions, potential donor commitments or grantmaking advisory bodies.
  4. Coordinate with Program and Grantmaking Operations to ensure grants and grantee relationships are managed according to their risk level and operating context.
  5. Together with Program, Fundraising and Finance teams coordinate grant recommendation processes and timeline for grantmaking portfolios.
     • Prepare and organize applicant materials and prospective grantee documents for all LEF cohorts.
     • Manage incoming grant proposals and evaluate eligibility of prospective grantees in line with grantmaking due diligence protocols.
     • Serve as the primary point of contact for grantees, enhancing grantee relations and maintaining communication in multiple languages, including but not limited to English and French.
     • Coordinate translation of grant and program related materials in line with portfolio grantmaking, (i.e., ensuring all grant and program documents are tailored according to program initiatives and compliance needs)
     • Participate (and lead as needed) in regular check-ins, strategic meetings and retreats to help coordinate the workflow of grantmaking, shape grantmaking budgets and collaboration with external stakeholders.
     • Actively contribute to fundraising stages by integrating data-driven insights and compelling narratives in proposals and evaluation reports.

 Database and Systems Administration

• Contribute to the management of the Fund’s grants management system.
  1. Maintain accurate grant and grantee records – updating grant, organization and contact records daily, updating budget trackers periodically and ensuring OFAC compliance.
  2. Generate reports and dashboards for colleagues across departments, as needed.
  3. Code all grantmaking requests and budgeting information.
• Enhance the grants management system functionalities, including coding and back-end development for improved user experience and data integrity.
  1. Collaborate with Grantmaking Operations colleagues to test new releases to grantmaking database, identifying improvements and addressing bugs.
  2. Contribute to the design and creation of the EOI and proposal forms in the grants management system.
  3. Facilitate the successful launch of newly implemented workflows and forms within the grants management system by identifying and assisting in the resolution of issues, ensuring optimal functionality and user experience.
  4. Support the design and implementation of grantee portals to facilitate efficient interactions and reporting.
  5. Collaborate with Grants Management colleagues to test new releases to grantmaking database, identifying improvements and addressing bugs.

 Project Coordination

• Lead on GM internal projects; brainstorming and implementing workflow solutions to team endeavors, ensuring cohesive and aligned project reporting and closing.
• Provide support to the Manager of Grantmaking Systems & Projects 
  1. Support engagement with all project stakeholders, gathering and integrating feedback to improve project management processes.
  2. Proactively identify risks associated with projects; recommending effective solutions to ensure successful implementation.
  3. Inform the scheduling and coordination of project activities, including meetings and deadlines, in coordination with Legal Empowerment Fund team.
  4. Document project outcomes and adaptations; ensuring learning is embedded in LEF grantmaking operations.

Your Team:

This position is part of the Fund’s Grantmaking Operations Team. The team is comprised of one Director, two Managers and four Specialists spread between the US and UK offices. This position will report to the Manager of Systems & Projects and will be based in the UK or US. 

You Have - Candidates should demonstrate the following range of skills, experience, and qualities:

• Three years of relevant work experience, e.g., managing workflows, projects, and processes + at least one year of complementary education or experience working in human rights, program, or fundraising 
• Demonstrated experience navigating legal and financial frameworks in the UK/US and working knowledge of international grantmaking funding trends and nuances.
• Strong project management skills, including software and people and process management.
• Initiative and strong sense of follow up, demonstrating the ability to keep track of multiple streams of cross-sectional work, and drive forward momentum.
• Diplomacy and the ability to manage sensitive data in a confidential and appropriate manner.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and time management skills
• Exceptional and consistent attention to detail while managing complex tasks and/or large work portfolios in a fast-paced, complex environment. 
• Excellent written and verbal communica6tion skills with the ability to convey information accurately and listen effectively.
• Working knowledge of databases and proficiency in Microsoft Office Teams among other applications
• Strategic and analytical thinker; anticipates the impact of changes—small and large on workflows and process.
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Fluent in English and strong working proficiency in French (written and verbal)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (I.E. NICE TO HAVE, BUT NOT CRITICAL)

• Experience in a non-profit environment; grants management experience at private or public foundation a plus.
• Experience in or demonstrated interest in human rights and/or social justice issues.
• Additional language proficiency, especially in French, Spanish, or Arabic.
• Familiarity with US and/or UK non-profit compliance requirements and best practices.
• Familiarity with grants management systems, especially Fluxx.

 The ideal candidate will also possess the following attributes:

• A constructive and solutions-oriented approach to problem solving.
• Works proactively to address molehills before they become mountains.
• Comfortable in a fast-moving, ever-changing environment.
• Enterprising, curious, and willing to take on new projects.
• Strong interpersonal skills and thrives in collaborative, diverse team settings.
• Customer service oriented; understands who we serve and considers the client(s) when managing change.

Location: Hybrid: Turn2us London Hub (Farringdon) & homeworking

About this role

Turn2us is a national charity tackling poverty and the structural causes of financial insecurity. We work with co-producers and partners to provide people in financial crisis with the means and agency to get back on their feet, build resilience, move forward with their lives and thrive.

As an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to equity, inclusion and diversity and the value people from different backgrounds bring to a team. If, like us, you believe everyone has the right to have enough to live on, and you are ambitious about eradicating poverty, join us and build your career with a charity dedicated to ensuring dignity and equity for all.

The Head of EDIB is a fantastic opportunity to head a team that focuses on how Turn2us maximises the impact for people facing financial insecurity by developing equitable and inclusive processes to help embed a culture where equity and inclusion are engrained in everything we do. The team covers responsibilities for EDIB, safeguarding and co-production.

About You

You will bring experience of designing and implementing EDIB initiatives which have had a demonstrable effect on both organisational culture and the social impact of the organisation’s work. You will have previously worked with an extensive range of internal and external stakeholders to embed EDIB in their own areas. You will have an understanding of the barriers individuals face and an understanding of intersectionality and how that impacts experiences. You’ll need strong analytical skills to be able to translate data, research, and trends into strategy and actionable plans.  

Please read the Head of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Job Pack for further information.

How to apply

For more information, please read the Job Pack attached. Please apply on the Applied website via the Apply button.

Then, the next steps will be:

1. You will then be asked to submit personal details including diversity data. All diversity data will be treated as confidential. Those involved in the selection process will NOT have access to it. The information given by candidates will be solely used for the purpose of improving the recruitment process.
2. As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete some questions which are linked to the requirements of the role. These will be blind-reviewed, and the scoring of these will determine whether you move forward in the process.
3. The closing date for applications is 20th November at 09:00AM.

Please let us know if you will require any special provision as a result of any disability should you be called for interview.

Turn2us is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from members of all communities. It is committed to equality of opportunity, inclusion and diversity. We encourage and welcome applications from all parts of the community regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

Turn2us wants to enable an environment where everyone is kept safe from harm and can thrive. We are committed to safeguarding everyone involved in our charity and the work we do. You can read our safeguarding policy here.

If you join us at Turn2us, you will start on 25 days annual leave per annum (prorated for part time workers). Each year in the month you joined, you will receive additional day of leave up to a maximum of 30 days. On top of this you will receive bank holidays. The charity also offers 2 volunteering days per year to allow staff to gain experiences and skills outside of work for example at a food bank or becoming a trustee at another charity.

We offer flexible working patterns, both in terms of hours and remote working. Please note that all employees are required to work from the office a minimum of 4 days a month. Some roles may be required to be in the office more often than this and this will be agreed with the hiring manager upon starting at Turn2us.

Please note that all job offers are subject to 2 – 3 satisfactory references and a disclosure satisfactory to Turn2us from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS).

About BDCA: BDCA is a dynamic community-led charity that has been serving the residents of the London Borough of Newham since 1998. Our motto is, “working together to change lives and transform our community” and over the past two decades we renovated four previously dead, disused spaces into lively local hubs. From these venues, our diverse team of locally-based staff and volunteers deliver targeted activities for people of every generation from children and their parents, young people and elders too. We also run programmes providing accessible sports, healthy food, poverty support and volunteering. Across all these projects, our mission is to break down barriers, bring people together and build people up.

Job Aim:To work with the Youth Project Coordinator to provide a fun, engaging and exciting programme of activities for young people across the economically disadvantaged but beautifully diverse E6 area within the London Borough of Newham. You will assist in delivering against the partnerships successful EMPOWER youth services commissioning bid to Newham Council. The service provides 10 weekly universal activities across East Ham over 49 weeks of the year for young people aged 9-19 including:

• Three outdoor MUGA sports sessions per week.
• Three youth hub session per week which includes branched off projects such as Junior Gym, screen acting, Muay Thai, healthy cookery sessions, calming crafts and sports.
• EKO Pathways after school delivery sessions, helping to support children with social, emotional, behavioural and mental health needs.
• Outdoor parks MUGA session
• Year-round trips and residentials
• Youth Theatre
• Delivery of three-week summer holiday scheme which involves volunteering placement with accredited Sports Leadership Award for 30 participants and employment for additional young people. This includes Stepping Up life skills training and social action campaign planning workshops.

You will be part of a team of people who are passionate about BDCA’s values of: INCLUDING all local young people by welcoming them into safe spaces and positively engaging with those who often get left out. CELEBRATING their creativity and skills so they have confidence and support to thrive despite their challenges. EMPOWERING them to step up and speak out as local leaders who make positive change in our community and beyond.