Call for Proposal - Contracts & Grants Specialist - Muscle Shoals, AL, US

About IFDC

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization that advances soil health and strengthens agricultural systems through science-based innovation. For over 50 years, IFDC has translated research into practical solutions that improve nutrient use efficiency, restore degraded soils, strengthen local agricultural markets and expand opportunity for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth.

We work with farmers, governments and private sector partners to build resilient farming systems that produce nutritious food, improve livelihoods, and safeguard natural resources for future generations.

Our Values

We are guided by four core principles:

Collaborate – We work across teams, countries and partners to create lasting impact.

Innovate – We apply evidence and continuous learning to design practical and responsible solutions.

Include – We promote equity and meaningful participation for women, youth and underrepresented groups.

Act with Integrity – We steward resources responsibly, uphold transparency and remain accountable to the communities, partners, staff and donors who place their trust in us.

Position Summary

The Contract & Grants Specialist position provides support to Contracts, Grants & Awards Management, specifically the Contract Management Officer. This position helps to ensure the Organizations’ contractual and partnership standards are adhered to. The position will handle a variety of contractual and grant functions within Contracts, Grants & Awards Management. The position will work across all countries including the USA (Muscle Shoals and Washington D.C.).

The contractual aspect of this position involves reviewing, editing, drafting, providing contractual support and filing all contracts and contractual-like legal agreements at IFDC. While the grants aspect of this position involves supporting technical staff, monitoring agreements, ensuring due diligence, preparing spreadsheets, tracking grant progress and any other responsibility to ensure the success of the project.

Responsibilities

• Review submitted agreements for accuracy and consistency with IFDC policies as well as standards set forth in the IFDC Contracts, Grants, and Awards Policies;
• Assist the Contract Management Officer with the organizational aspects of managing agreements. Monitor the contract making process until the document is fully executed;
• Work with staff to draft agreements based on contractual needs. Give specific attention to legal clauses, consistency of the document (including annexes), formatting, budget and payment aspects;
• Maintain a tracking and reporting system to ensure timely submission of all contract activities, including notifying technical and financial staff of end dates;
• Maintain a filing system for all contractual agreements, based on the project/country;
• Support project and technical staff in finalizing contractual agreements;
• Ensure all due diligence documentation of potential new partners are obtained with support from the project team;
• Review action plans/ToRs and budgets proposed under subgrants and service contracts;
• Visit selected organizations that are implementing activities through subgrants, in close collaboration and consultation with the country teams, to monitor, assess performance, attainment of targets, adherence to contractual obligations stated in subgrants and quality of interventions;
• Perform other duties, including a variety of other minor-related duties as required (e.g., editing documents).

Requirements

This position requires a broad understanding of contracts, grants, and the applicable legal and regulatory environment, as well as the ability to apply that knowledge effectively in carrying out the duties of the role. The position may require the following:

• 3-5 years of relevant work experience;
• Previous experience in grant management in agribusiness programs;
• Experience in working and managing in multi-country and multi-cultural settings;
• Knowledge of contractual and legal standards, principles and practices in order to develop and maintain records and agreements;
• Ability to manage multiple complex tasks and maintain composure under demanding conditions;
• Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in French is an asset;
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing effectively;
• Willingness to travel within and outside of the country.

Reporting and Work Relationships

This position will work closely under the supervision of the Contract Management Officer.

Location

This is a USA recruitment with a duty station at the IFDC Headquarters office based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Benefits

IFDC's benefits include annual and sick leave, health, dental, vision and group life insurance coverage, social security and pension contribution in compliance with local laws. 

Salary Clause

The salary grade for this position is BG 8. The determination of new employee salaries considers various factors. These include the salary range linked to the assigned job grade, the candidate's qualifications in relation to the job's responsibilities and prerequisites, internal fairness, the competitive state of the job market, as well as potential organizational and budgetary considerations.