Internal call

The Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

About the position

Based in Rome, Italy and under the direct supervision of the Manager, Grants Management Unit, the Associate Team Leader will be responsible for providing operational support to the Manager, Grants Management Unit, and for coordinating day-to-day work plans across the regional team. The ideal candidate will have experience in project coordination, task oversight, and support a portfolio of active grants and subgrants.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day team activities, including the technical onboarding and task-level supervision of team members, offering guidance on complex operational matters.
  
• Coordinate a large portfolio of active grants and subgrants, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and internal policies and procedures.
  
• Provide operational inputs to support the improvement of regional team workflows and tools. Support the operational maintenance and the technological development of all team’s system (ERP) and maintenance and development of Power BI’s Dashboards to increase scientific community engagement, Data curation and information accessibility. Including being the access point between the IT department and GMU.
  
• Support the GMU Manager with team performance monitoring, providing input for individual annual objectives based on work plans, mid-term reviews and annual performance reviews.
  
• Liaise with other regional coordinators and ensure communications regarding global level priorities are trickled down to Asia team.
  

• Conduct review of donor contracts against the Alliance's policies and procedures and facilitate the process of contract clearance and signature.
  
• Provide support to more junior staff in the review and negotiation of complex grants.
  
• Apply risk management and compliance practices to improve grants management.
  
• Contribute to the negotiation of contracts with donors for their subsequent execution.
  
• Monitor the portfolio of projects assigned and ensure that the commitments in legal documents with donors and partners are accomplished by the established dates and in compliance with the Alliance's regulations.
  
• Coordinate the interaction with the Finance and Accounting Units, including active participation in the generation and interpretation of financial analysis on payables and receivables.
  
• Coordinate grant audits and assist with financial and institutional audits.
  
• Maintain an overview of reporting requirements (deadlines, templates, etc.), carry out compliance reviews, and communicate it regularly to relevant internal stakeholders.
  
• Liaise with donors on all grant-related issues, including submission of donor reports and requests for project modifications.
  
• Support scientists in the overall management and monitoring of grants, sharing information about compliance requirements and reviewing adherence to them.
  

• Implement established processes and procedures for subgrants to ensure compliance and risk management.
  
• Coordinate capacity assessment and due diligence review of prospective partners.
  
• Ensure partners' awareness of reporting requirements, research ethics, and contractual compliance.
  
• Support the review of subgrant agreements connected to the assigned project portfolio to ensure compliance.
  
• Provide ongoing support to internal stakeholders and partners throughout the subgrant lifecycle on administrative and compliance issues, including contract modifications.
  
• Support the development of capacity-building, communication, and information-sharing materials around grants and subgrants administration; facilitate training for Bioversity and partners' staff as required.
  
• Support the Grants Manager in developing improved processes and tools for grants and subgrants administration.
  

• Coordinate the operational mainten