Lead Grants Specialist - Africa

Location: Africa, Kenya · On-site

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Lead Grants Specialist provides highly specialized public awards administration and finance/accounting-related services to TNC’s Africa Region. They support a Grants Manager in the supervision of a team and in the oversight of TNC’s programs. The Grants Service Network (GSN) within the Conservancy, provides guidance and administrative support for awards of funds to the Conservancy from United States federal, state, and local government agencies, multilateral agencies, and other national and local governments. The GSN also administers the Conservancy’s grants of funds to other entities, including those funded by a government agency, multilateral organization, other non-profit organization, private foundation, or private donor.

We’re Looking for You:

The Lead Grants Specialist has a high level of expertise in award administration and financial services. The position administers and maintains public award documentation and completes financial activities in accordance with TNC policies and procedures, public rules and regulations, and best practices in financial/organizational management. The Lead Grants Specialist provides assistance to all levels of personnel in their specialty area. They respond to complex employee/management questions and problems based on advanced knowledge of the subject area. The Lead Grants Specialist shares knowledge with other members of the Grants Services Network (GSN), supports and participates in GSN activities, and supervises GSN staff.

The Lead Grants Specialist oversees and manages a team of Grant Specialists and/or Grants Associates within their assigned geographical area. The Lead Grants Specialist may monitor team funding trends and work with the Grants Manager on team workload distribution and new hires. They communicate with the Grants Manager to report, discuss and resolve issues, and identify and implement projects. May collaborate with other Lead Grants Specialists. Position location is flexible with strong preference given to Kenya, Tanzania or an established Nature Conservancy office within TNC’s Africa region.

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field and at least 5 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in public award accounting, financial management, compliance, and financial analysis.
• Knowledge of accounting principles, practices, regulations, and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Experience using accounting and financial reporting systems.
• Experience with U.S. Federal Uniform Guidance, state and local regulations, and standard contract clauses.
• Experience with multilateral and international donor regulations, including IKI, UK GOV, GCF, GEF, UNDP, BAF, or similar funding mechanisms.
• Experience recruiting, supervising, developing, and managing staff.
• Professional certification such as CPA or CIA preferred (or required, if applicable).
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Desired Qualifications:

• Multilingual skills and/or experience working in multicultural environments.
• Advanced expertise in Microsoft Excel and demonstrated ability to analyze and manage complex financial data.
• Expert knowledge of GAAP and/or other applicable accounting and regulatory frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting complex regulatory requirements and applying them to practical business situations.
• Experience monitoring and ensuring compliance with organizational policies, applicable laws and regulations, and finance, accounting, and management best practices.
• Experience evaluating the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls and recommending process improvements to enhance efficiency and compliance.
• Proven ability to interpret guidelines, analyze complex information, and adapt processes and procedures as needed.
• Ability to independently identify, analyze, and resolve complex financial, compliance, or operational issues.
• Experience serving as a technical resource and providing guidance to colleagues and stakeholders on accounting, financial, and compliance matters.
• Professional certification such as CPA or CIA preferred.

Who We Are:

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant’s unique experience. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and stay for the people.”

What We Bring:

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here.

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.

Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Employees must submit their application by logging into Workday and applying via the Jobs Hub.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.