Grants & Compliance Manager

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

Together we save, protect and rebuild lives. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can defeat poverty or any type of inequality or discrimination.

We are an international confederation of 19 organizations (affiliates) working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development, and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.

All our work is led by three core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness. To read more about our values please click here.

Grants and Compliance Manager (GCM)

Oxfam in North Africa (NA)

Job Description

(Based in Tunisia)

Oxfam’s vision is a just world without poverty: a world in which people can influence decisions that affect their lives, enjoy their rights, and assume their responsibilities as full citizens of a world in which all human beings are valued and treated equally.

Oxfam’s programs in the North Africa sub-region have a one-program approach, working in development and influencing, with the ambition of increasing the role of civil society in influencing & advocacy and knowledge-for-impact both within and beyond the countries where Oxfam works. 

TEAM PURPOSE

The Business Development, Fundraising and Compliance team, under the leadership of the North Africa BDFC Lead, ensures alignments with Oxfam global, regional and NA subregion strategy and partnership approach across all existing grants as well as in all fundraising and donor engagement process. The team purpose includes the development of the fundraising and engagement strategy and their sufficient and successful implementation. Further, the team is also responsible for ensuring sufficient financial management of all grants, in line with Oxfam and donor policies and compliance. The BDFC team works closely and in coordination and alignment with the Program and Partnerships Team, the Finance and Operations team, the Influencing, Advocacy, Campaigns and Communication team and other SMT and colleagues.

JOB PURPOSE

The North Africa Grants and Compliance Manager (GCM) will support the NA Business Development, Fundraising and Compliance Lead in providing strategic leadership on compliance and resource management for the NA Sub-region. The GCM is responsible for i) guarding and ensuring the compliant and sound management and implementation of all grants in line with Oxfam and Donor’s financial policies and requirements; ii) mentoring and monitoring the Grants and Finance Officers work under each of the project teams to ensure the sufficient and effective application of grants management and compliance hence the successful implementation and closure of each project/grant; and iii) leading and ensuring the application and documentation of efficient and transparent financial systems, practices and records internally and externally, as required. Further, the GCM is also expected to join forces with other colleagues within the team and across teams, to ensure that there are strategies in place to maintain adequate skills and capacity, staffing and sufficient income within the Cluster. Where requested and needed, the GCM will engage and contribute to fundraising, donor engagement, and proposal development efforts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Compliance Management (35%):

• Conduct regular, and when needed, reviews of the NA grants, service providers and relevant contracts and ensure their consistency in accordance with national laws, Oxfam policies and general global donor’s requirements. Propose modifications and changes, when needed.
• Engage early on, in fundraising effort, to assess compliance requirements and provide advice and input to the team, as needed.
• Conduct a thorough review of each donor’s contract and relevant annexes and documentation early on and where needed, proactively develop and propose modifications to procedures/systems to align with donors, project needs, etc.
• Together with the relevant team members, lead and contribute to the production and sign off of the Internal Oxfam Partnership Agreement (OPA), ensuring donor compliance as well as the project and team’s interests and needs.
• Lead on producing donor’s compliance guides with key internal policies reference documents to ensure their proper understanding, application and sufficient implementation as well as the required level of documentation by the Grants & Finance Officers and Coordinators (GFOs and GFCs), the Program and Operation teams and partners.
• Lead and maintain sufficient and comprehensive electronic (and hard copy where needed) documentation of all grants’ related contracts and agreements, in collaboration with the GFO, and the program and operation teams.
• Actively engage with and support the GFOs, GFCs and Finance team in ensuring sufficient type and level of documentation for donor’s reporting and contribute and support in financial plans and reports’ production, both internally and externally.
• Ensure compliant grants related preparation and sign off of all financial plans, budget revisions and reports, in line with the structure and steer. And provide approval and sign off.
• Regularly, assess and identify potential areas of compliance risk, remain abreast of all compliance changes, activities and identify trends; communicating appropriately with staff concerning policies, procedures and updates.
• Contribute and support the preparations for external monitoring visits, reviews, and audits, and cross-site evaluations and participate as appropriate.
• Monitor partners’ compliance with Oxfam and donors’ policies and requirements through site visits, audits, and other mechanisms applicable to subrecipients’ monitoring and recommend actions necessary to resolve issues/concerns.

2. Grants Oversight and Management (45%)

• Lead on developing sufficient and effective grants management tools and guidance documents to systematically support and guide the GFOs and GFCs, the program teams and partners.
• Support the GFOs and GFCs and related program staff to ensure that all grants have budget management sheets, and mentor and monitor their regular and sufficient update and maintenance to ensure the best and most compliant utilization of the grant and assess risks and agree on prevention and mitigation measures early on.
• Support GFOs and GFCs in mentoring and monitoring partners and subgrantees budgeting, revisions, spending, etc. Regularly provide guidance, find solutions and suggest alternatives to ensure the sufficient management of funds in the best interest of the projects, and in full compliance with national policies, and Oxfam’s and donors’ requirements.
• Where needed, directly engage in supporting partners in their effort to learn and develop grants and compliance systems and budget, and others.
• Actively engage in supporting and directly contributing to partners’ grants and compliance management assessments, capacity assessment, advice on partners capacity needs and engage in their development, as agreed.
• Support the GFOs and GFCs in the production of grant’s financial revisions, extension, plans and reports and ensure the approval and sign off in collaboration with the relevant program team and in coordination with line manager before their submission to the Affiliate and/or donor.
• Compile overarching grants spending updates after every reporting cycle (monthly, quarterly, annually, as required) to be shared within team, as well as with the program and finance team.
• Proactively lead on setting regular meetings with the Program Leads and other related colleagues for grants spending updates, risks assessment, drafting work and reporting plans, better alignments, etc.
• Liaise, collaborate and manage direct communication with all relevant staff and parties within NA and Affiliates where and as required; follow the enquiries, seek required approvals, etc.

3. Key Coordination and Management -including HR- (20%):

• Provide grants and compliance updates to the Director and SMT, as directed or requested.
• Actively engage in the development of budget for new project to ensure alignments with existing grants and HR structures.
• Advise on partners’ level of capacities to the Program Management Leads, where needed.
• Attend general overarching and strategic program meetings and workshops.
• Where needed and in coordination with line manager and the program team meet and communicate with donor/s.

• Assist in preparations, or possibly lead if needed, on external monitoring visits, reviews, and audits, and cross-site evaluations and participate as appropriate.
• Coordinate with HRC to define annual training budget under grant.
• Support and monitor the GFOs and GFCs to ensure sufficient coordination and alignments with the relevant Program Manager and team and ensure ongoing coordination with related Program Management leads.
• Direct line management of GFOs and GFCs.

• Set in place proper systems and mechanisms for direct team management and support and encourage and ensure healthy working environment amongst the team and across the cluster.
• Responsible for the teams’ HR issues and concerns; team building, staff coaching and development, leave management, performance review and assessment, etc.
• Lead, and facilitates the recruitment and selection processes of related team members, in coordination with relevant program team members and HR.
• Provide steer and regular guidance and support to the different team members in their respective roles as GFOs and GFCs.
• Actively participate in, and lead where appropriate, to the NA cluster global plans, reports, and budget projections and planning as well as in assessing risks and identifying prevention and mitigations measures. Engages in all Cluster’s related strategic events, meetings, and workshops.

Experience, Knowledge and Competencies:

ESSENTIAL

• Self-Awareness
• Mutual accountability
• Relationship building
• Vision Setting
• Influencing
• Strategic Thinking and Judgment
• Agility and flexibility
• Participative and inclusive leadership
• Conflict resolution capacity & Solution-oriented
• CONFIDENTIALITY/DISCRETION: A very high level of confidentiality and discretion is needed.

In addition:

• A degree in finance, grants management or related fields.
• At least 8 years of proven work experience in similar jobs (financial and grants management) and with similar types of responsibility at an international organization or equivalent types of firms.
• Solid experience, very good knowledge and understanding of the donor and funding context, environment and key players in the North Africa sub-region. 
• Sufficient experience and understanding of national laws and institutional and other donors’ regulations and compliance.
• Proven experience with strong skills in developing and managing grants and budgets.
• Very good experience in establishing monitoring and documentation tools, and developing manuals and guidance documents, for grants and financial management.
• Very good experience in developing budget plans, conducting revisions, and producing financial reports.
• Excellent track record of managing and leading successful productive teams.
• Ability to work within a multicultural, multilingual, and multidisciplinary environment.
• Work effectively with others in a team across institutional boundaries and business units.
• Strong organizational and inter-personal management skills.
• Excellent time management and ability to prioritise work issues to meet deadlines with minimal supervision and adjust to constantly changing situations while maintaining focus on delivery and follow-through.
• Strong verbal and written communication, networking, representational, and negotiation skills. 
• Excellent command of English and French; at least good knowledge of Arabic is desirable.
• Excellent computer skills, including various office applications and internet navigation

Desirable

• Solid understanding and convictions of a rights-based approach and gender sensitive, and experience in the NGO sector.

WORKING AT OXFAM

All our work is guided by our core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness, Courage, Solidarity and Equality.

At Oxfam, we work according to the Feminist Principles - Oxfam Policy & Practice.

Oxfam is based on the power of difference. That is why we aim to attract a diverse mix of talented people who share our standards, values and principles, and who are committed to preventing and eliminating any type of misconduct.

We have an active policy against sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any form of abuse of power or lack of integrity and financial misconduct. This subject will be covered in our application and selection process. 

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested and believe you meet the requirements for this position, please submit your application via the following link:  https://jobs.oxfamnovib.nl/job-invite/14025/  by 24 June 2025.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization. Therefore, people of all gender identities, sexes, sexual orientations, races, colors, religions, cultures, abilities, etc. are eligible for this position.

Oxfam aims to attract great talent that not only fits the job but also Oxfam’s high standard of values and principles, who shares and demonstrates Oxfam’s commitment to prevent and eradicate any type of misconduct including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any other type of misuse of power or lack of integrity and financial misconduct. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

Note: All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and may be subject to appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks, or integrity screenings/references relating to misconduct and disciplinary actions in prior employment.