USAID/BHA Grant Specialist

Macfadden, a PAE company, is seeking Grant Specialists to support USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). BHA leads and coordinates the U.S. Government’s humanitarian assistance efforts overseas in response to natural disasters and protracted crises. The bureau also supports early recovery efforts that restore and protect basic systems and services and invests in risk reduction programs that prevent or reduce risks associated with chronic and recurrent hazards. The vast majority of grants and cooperative agreements are non-competitive in order to meet the need for rapid humanitarian assistance to global disasters and emergencies. Macfadden serves as an Institutional Support Contractor to USAID.

The Grant Specialist will support BHA’s application/proposal review and award making processes. The Grant Specialist is responsible for conducting thorough reviews and cost analyses of project budgets submitted by potential BHA partners. The Grant Specialist will also negotiate and prepare all pertinent documentation for new grants and cooperative agreements to non-governmental organizations (NGO), interagency agreements, awards to public international organizations (PIO), and all amendments/ modifications thereto, and supporting documentation such as memoranda of negotiations. The incumbent will prepare award files and obtain approval of the client’s Agreement Officer for grants and will be responsible for entering appropriate grants information into client’s assistance planning and financial systems and for maintaining and reconciling database containing grant award information, status and ownership.

Key Responsibilities and Essential Functions

• Review application submissions from U.S. and non-U.S. non-government organizations (NGO) to ensure all application documents are complete, accurate, and comply with BHA’s Application Guidelines and USAID requirements.
• Conduct detailed cost analysis of cost proposals/budget to determine reasonableness, allowability and allocability of proposed cost elements.
• Review partner audits to assess risk and determine organizational capacity to manage federal funds and implement programmatic activities.
• Evaluate partner requests for waivers, exceptions, and deviations to applicable federal requirements and collaborate with BHA program staff to ensure such documentation is prepared and approved.
• Prepare and draft agreement documentation (grant schedule, negotiation memorandum, Agreement Officer Representative (AOR) delegation letters, etc.) for NGOs, PIOs, and other government agencies using standard templates and USAID systems.
• Negotiate with BHA partners on cost estimates in budgets and the agreement terms and conditions.
• Help facilitate BHA’s Annual Program Statement (APS) and Request for Application (RFA) processes: Participate in planning meetings, draft selection committee documents, post Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on grants.gov; monitor and review application submissions and concept papers and provide technical advice to the selection committee on federal rules and regulations.
• Provide technical assistance to and respond to inquiries from BHA AORs and program staff related to federal award making, federal regulations, and award terms and conditions.
• Review documentation and provide recommendations on award-related issues, provide guidance and support on processing necessary approvals and modifications and assist in formulating the necessary documentation and obtaining necessary clearances to process recommendations/actions with BHA Activity Managers, AORs, and/or Agreement Officers.
• Review and process post-award approvals for the Agreement Officer including, but not limited to, procurement of capital equipment and supplies, sub-award approvals, procurement of restricted goods and commodities, and disposition of equipment and supplies.
• Conduct post-award orientations.
• Perform ad-hoc operational functions and tasks for the Grants Unit that could include, but are not limited to, reviewing and drafting internal guidance documents, coordinating pre-award letters, and tracking country specific waivers and special award conditions.
• Perform other duties and tasks delegated by the Team Lead or Deputy Manager, as needed.

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Education, Experience and Skills: **

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree with 8 years of relevant experience
• MS/MA/MB with 6 years of relevant experience
• JD/ABD with 5 years of relevant experience
• Ph.D. with 4 years of relevant experience
• Less than BA with 10 years of relevant experience

EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in the fields of federal assistance/grants and/or acquisitions/contracts.
• Experience working with USAID funded agreements and programs or other federally funded agreements providing international assistance.
• Experience working with federal awarding agencies and/or international non-governmental organizations.
• Experience interpreting and applying federal regulations (2 CFR 200 and 700) and policy directives and/or procedures (ADS 303 & 308).
• Experience in developing and/or reviewing program budgets, performing detailed cost analysis, and assessing cost elements for reasonableness, allowability, and allocability.
• Experience in writing and editing office communication products and/or professional materials and conducting presentations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of applicable USAID Assistance Regulations such as Code of Federal Regulation (CFRs) and Automated Directive System (ADS) series; OMB Circulars and other directives governing assistance agreements.
• Ability to interpret and apply federal regulations, procedures, and policies to individual assistance agreements.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills to express ideas verbally and in writing, document procedures, and professionally represent the organization to internal and external parties.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct cost analyses of multimillion-dollar program budgets.
• Must be able to work independently in a highly demanding environment and capable of handling tasks with varying deadlines.
• Exceptional attention to detail and excellent analytical, critical thinking, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Ability and willingness to mentor junior staff and understanding of knowledge transfer to provide training for junior staff members.
• Proficiency in basic Microsoft Office suite and/or Google suite (docs, slides, sheet).
• High level of integrity, professionalism and supports teamwork to deliver within short deadlines.

Ability to obtain and maintain a US Government issued Secret clearance for the duration of your employment. Only applicants who currently hold an active Secret or higher-level security clearance or who are eligible to receive a Secret security clearance will be considered for this position.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and use hands. to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The employee must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds. This position description reflects Macfadden’s assignment of essential functions; nothing in this job description restricts the Company’s latitude to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

PAE is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, national origin, age, United States military veteran’s status, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, family structure, medical condition including genetic characteristics or information, veteran status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law.

An Equal Opportunity Employer. PAE’s hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, national origin, age, United States military veteran’s status, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, family structure, medical condition including genetic characteristics or information, veteran status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law.