Senior Specialist, Grants and Contracts

Global Communities champions innovative solutions to complex challenges at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, and financial inclusion. We ensure our approaches are as dynamic and diverse as the communities we serve. We bring together local ingenuity and global insights to save lives and secure strong futures.

The Senior Specialist, Grants and Contracts, provides advanced technical and operational support across the full lifecycle of grants, contracts, procurement, and subawards for headquarters and field offices. The role ensures compliance with U.S. Government (USG) and other donor regulations, as well as Global Communities’ policies, while supporting efficient and effective program delivery.

Working closely with Program Operations, Finance, Legal, and country teams, the Senior Specialist contributes to proposal development, award management, procurement processes, and compliance systems. This position also supports capacity building and continuous improvement of organizational policies, tools, and processes, ensuring consistent and high-quality grants and contracts management across the organization.

This position can be based in our headquarters offices in Bethesda, MD or San Diego, CA, or remotely within the US or a country in which we're registered in.

Responsibilities

Grants, Contracts & Compliance Support

• Provide timely and accurate guidance to HQ departments and country offices on grants, contracts, subawards, and procurement processes.
• Ensure compliance with USG, other donors, and Global Communities’ requirements throughout the full award lifecycle (pre-award, implementation, and closeout).
• Review and support the preparation of agreements, subawards, amendments, and consultant contracts within delegated authority.
• Serve as a resource to interpret donor regulations and advise teams on award terms, conditions, and compliance requirements.
• Partner with Program Operations to monitor award performance, identify compliance risks, and recommend corrective actions.
• Support the development and implementation of compliance systems that ensure accurate documentation, reporting, and audit readiness.
  
  

Procurement & Contracting Support

• Assist in the preparation, advertising, and distribution of solicitation documents (RFPs, RFQs, RFIs) for goods and services.
• Participate in proposal evaluations, including cost and price analysis, vendor assessments, and documentation of selection processes.
• Support negotiations with vendors, consultants, and subrecipients, ensuring alignment with donor and organizational requirements.
• Compile and maintain vetted supplier/vendor lists to support efficient and compliant procurement processes.
• Assist in promoting procurement practices that support small and disadvantaged businesses in alignment with donor requirements.
  
  

Program & Field Support

• Provide direct support to programs and projects, including budget review, subaward formation, and compliance guidance.
• Coordinate with field teams to ensure procurement and award management processes are implemented consistently and effectively.
• Support expatriate logistics, including management of personal effects shipments in accordance with organizational policies.
  
  

Systems, Policies & Knowledge Management

• Maintain and contribute to the continuous improvement of grants and contracts management systems, tools, templates, and workflows.
• Support the management and updating of OGC SharePoint and other knowledge platforms, ensuring accessibility of current templates and resources.
• Conduct research on donor regulations, internal policies, and industry best practices to inform program implementation and business development.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Finance, Legal, Programs) to strengthen alignment across contractual, financial, and operational processes.
  
  

Training & Capacity Building

• Assist in the design and delivery of training materials and sessions on grants, contracts, and procurement processes.
• Provide ongoing guidance and mentorship to staff to strengthen understanding and consistent application of compliance requirements.
• Contribute to building institutional knowledge and improving staff capacity in award and procurement management.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, International Development, Procurement, Contracts, Finance, or a related field.
• Six (6) years of grants, contracts, procurement, and subaward management processes in an international development or nonprofit environment.
• Familiarity with USG regulations (e.g., 2 CFR 200, FAR, ADS) and other donor compliance requirements.
• Experience supporting proposal development, procurement processes, and award management across the project lifecycle.
• Ability to occasionally travel to domestic or international offices.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams and cultural contexts.
• Experience working with international programs and/or in developing country contexts preferred.
• Fluency in English required; additional language skills are an asset.