Economic Development, Governance, and Enterprise Growth (EDGE)

Executive/Grants Assistant – Local Recruitment (North Macedonia)

Position: Executive/Grants Assistant, starting in November 2020 through the end of July, 2022 with a possibility of two one-year extensions.
Type: Junior-level full time employment contract
Location: Skopje, North Macedonia (with the option of working remotely)
Closing on: 13.10.2020

Organization Description

International Development Group LLC (IDG) is an international development consulting firm that assists donors, governments, and the private sector to achieve sustainable, broad-based economic development and poverty reduction. IDG is seeking qualified candidates from North Macedonia for the role of Executive/Grants Assistant on USAID’s Economic Development, Governance, and Enterprise Growth (EDGE) activity in the Europe & Eurasia region implemented by IDG.

EDGE is a 3- to 5-year, up to $21 million, regional activity in Europe and Eurasia (E&E) that aims to create inclusive, sustainable economic growth and to support intra-regional and Euro-Atlantic integration. The Grants aim to bring together stakeholders across 12 countries. These are the Western Balkans countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia; the Caucasus countries of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan; and the Western Newly Independent States (NIS) countries of Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus.

The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development’s E&E Bureau, and its project EDGE has already awarded 10 unique regionally-led projects totaling 1,25 million Dollars. The Grants will:

• Improve the conditions for intra-regional trade and reduce the complexity and costs of trade processes in the targeted regions.
• Improve the competitiveness of SMEs within targeted value chains; (1) Agriculture and ag processing; (2) Light manufacturing (apparel and textiles and wood processing) and (3) Tourism (inbound tourism: ecotourism, rural tourism, and adventure tourism)
• Increase SMEs trade with the EU and other Western markets; and
• Increase SMEs ability to comply with EU standards;

Key Responsibilities

The Executive/Grants Assistant will provide support to Chief of Party (CoP) and Grants Manager

A. Provide assistance to the Chief of Party - 60% of his/her time including, but not limited to:

• Provide support to CoP in managing the day-to-day operations and ensuring the project complies with USAID rules and regulations and IDG policies and procedures
• Provide support for preparation and implementation of EDGE core activities
• Assist CoP in preparation of annual work plans, quarterly reports, annual reports, and ad hoc reports
• Use desktop processing skills to produce complex texts, reports, presentations, charts, figures, graphs in line with EDGE format
• Draft routine correspondence (letters, memos, faxes)
• Draft Minutes of meetings and provide assistance in editing large documents
• Incorporate agreed comments into documents
• Assist in preparation and logistical planning for various events, conferences, workshops, presentations, trainings, etc.
• Track assigned tasks/project steps/timetables using modern office management technologi

B. Provide assistance to the Grants Manager - 40% of his/her time including, but not limited to:

• Provide technical and administrative support in the planning, design, oversight, and implementation of grants program.
• Provide administrative and other support to the grantees during the implementation of grant activities;
• Under the guidance of the EDGE Grants Manager and EDGE technical team, review and ensure quality control of the deliverables of the grantees;
• Review all grants deliverables to ensure their compliance with USAID requirements.
• Assist in design solicitations, formation of grant evaluation committees and selection, prepare grant awards and approvals.
• Assist in conducting pre-award audits of possible grantees and post-award audits during implementation and at close-out under the guidance of the EDGE technical team and the EDGE Grants Manager.
• Monitor financial management of grant funds to ensure consistency with agreed technical plan and for compliance.
• Monitor administrative implementation of grants to ensure timely progress reporting and continued alignment with EDGE objectives, proposed strategy, work plans, and AMELP.
• Upload and maintain grants files in compliance with USAID rules and regulations and IDG policies/procedures.
• Support EDGE Grants Manager and EDGE technical team in providing grant-related training and other support to grantees, as appropriate;
• Contribute to all required monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, including grants results reporting.

Qualifications and skills:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in the field of international development projects and grants support
• Prior experience with USAID projects and grants administration is preferred
• Bachelors’ degree in relevant discipline
• Fluency in English and Macedonian is required
• Detail oriented, organizational skills
• Strong computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Strong organizational and time management skills with proven ability to work efficiently under pressure
• Strong initiative, sound judgement

To apply for the position, please send a cover letter and CV to the email: edgeoffice@internationaldevelopmentgroup.com

About the Organization
International Development Group (IDG) is an equal opportunity employer (Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran). Closing on 13 October 2020