Contracts and Grants Officer

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC), a five-year global project funded by PEPFAR and USAID, is dedicated to achieving and maintaining HIV epidemic control. The EpiC project provides strategic technical assistance (TA) and direct service delivery (DSD) to break through barriers to 95-95-95 and promote self-reliant management of national HIV programs by improving HIV case-finding, prevention, care and treatment programming, and viral load suppression. EpiC is led by FHI 360 with core partners Right to Care, Palladium, Population Services International (PSI), and Gobee Group. The project also draws upon regional resource partners to provide TA, as well as global resource partners who bring unique capacities.

The EpiC team’s approach to TA is guided by four mutually reinforcing principles: (1) a focus on speed, scale, standards, and sustainability; (2) customization according to local priorities, financing, epidemiology, and the differentiated needs of target populations; (3) adaptive management based on results; and (4) transition of TA and DSD to local and regional partners to enable them to receive direct awards. In addition, EpiC applies human-centered design thinking to resolve persistent challenges along the HIV service cascade.
- Job Summary:_

A Contracting Officer is primarily responsible for managing the administrative processes for contract administration from pre-award to contract close-out. He/she will provide professional expertise in contract administration to ensure full compliance with donor rules and regulations. The functions of the position include:
a) Comprehensive analysis of contract terms and conditions to ensure that the organization has the organizational capacity or is able to acquire the necessary capacity to successfully perform and meet contractual obligations;

b) Expert interpretation of donor (USG and non-USG) rules and regulations;

c) Standardization of administrative procedures for efficient award and sub award management;

d) Development of contractual documents including templates and ancillary business forms; and

e) Capacity building and replication of contract portfolio management systems and best practices in award and sub award management.

A Contracting Officer will lead or supervise other staff in the efficient operation and maintenance of an effective contracts portfolio management system. Contracting officers will work in partnership with operations staff and other enterprise services staff to achieve successful and compliant contract performance. The scope of contract administration may include contract interpretation, compliance with regulatory requirements and restrictions, sub award administration, and donor relations among others.
- Accountabilities:_

Pre-award:

- Serves as a technical resource to proposal development units (Business Planning and Proposal and Cost and Pricing) by analyzing solicitations, interpreting regulations and award provisions, clarifying compliance issues, etc.
- Reviews and negotiate critical award terms and conditions.
- Identify significant risks and recommend plan for mitigation including justification of working at risk.

Post-award:

- Manages contract set-up in the contract management and/or financial management system.
- Advises senior management on matters of concern and elements of risk that can be detrimental to successful contract performance. Recommend alternative approaches to overcome any negative impact.
- Reviews the work of contract specialists before submission to donors. These will include contract add-ons, budget realignments, cost extensions, and other transactions requiring donor approval such as sub awards, salaries, consultant rates, waivers, etc. The contracting officer will handle the more complicated or business-sensitive transactions.
- Conducts complex negotiations requiring senior staff engagement.
- Develops and maintain strong relationships with counterparts (internal and external).
- Responds to audit matters (internal and external.
- Articulates and advocate for the organization’s position on matters of regulation and other contractual issues.
- Collaborates with operations staff and other enterprise services staff to monitor prime contract and subcontract performance.
- Negotiates substantive provisions in lower
- tier subcontracts.
- Trains other staff in standardized procedures for efficient award and sub award management.
- Manages input to contract close-out.
- Applied Knowledge & Skills:_
- Advanced knowledge of donor (USG and non-USG) rules and regulations, various mechanisms of funding and types of award of acquisition (contracts) and assistance (cooperative agreements and grants).
- Strong and solid command of professional theory, techniques, practices and procedures requiring comprehensive knowledge of contracting principles.
- Effective skills in negotiations, sub award management and procurement.
- Improve upon the work of contract specialists