Role Title: Grants Officer – Fixed Term 

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract   

Workstyle Arrangement: Hybrid 

Reporting To: Associate Director, Grants Management 

Department: Grants Management 

Location: Amman and Berlin  

Team Name: Grants Management 

Opportunity or Team Description 

The Grants Officer will manage complex strategic grantmaking activities, including grant triage, due diligence, monitoring, compliance and close out. The role will also conduct the equivalency determination process, support non-US funded grant administration and address conflicts of interest, sanctions, and data privacy requirements. 

Role Purpose 

The Fixed-Term Grants Officer will provide specialist capacity across complex strategic grant-making activities, with particular responsibility for processing equivalency determinations and reviewing and closing non-US funded grants. The role will conduct pre- and post-award due diligence, monitor grant compliance, maintain accurate grant data, and address sanctions, conflicts of interest (COI), data privacy and wider regulatory risks. The Grants Officer will also support urgent leadership directed grants and help ensure that grantmaking activities are delivered accurately, efficiently and in accordance with funding entity requirements and Open Society policies. 

Key Responsibilities 

As a Grants Officer, you will: 

• Conduct and train staff on Grants Management processes for equivalency determination.   

• Contribute to planning the annual funding cycle to estimate fundingresource allocation requirements throughout the year.   

• Liaise with Finance and Accounting & Compliance on Open Society audits and in preparing financial statements.   

• Conduct pre-award and post-award due diligence to ensure that grants are consistent with funding entity requirements, comply with Open SocietyFOSI requirements and foundation policies for Opportunities and other grantmaking programs.   

• Coordinate with Opportunity and other program staff to ensure proposal compliance review, structure of grant award, issuing of grant letters, payments and amendments, and the review of reports and closeout of grants are timely and efficient.   

• Educate and train Grants Management and Open Society staff on grant award compliance, grantmaking process and procedures, GrantSmith, and Power BI.   

• Collaborate and serve as a resource to Grant Associates and other Grants Management colleagues.   

• Conduct Grants Management processes for Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and COI compliance.   

• Assist in processes for data privacy.   

• Assure integrity of data in the grantmaking system and provide reporting and analysis.   

• Monitor grant payment schedules and program budgets.   

• Liaise with Communications, Finance, Information Technology, Office of General Council, and other departments and outside organizations and/or affinity groups on matters of shared interest.   

• Develop, document, revise and implement Grants Management policies, procedures, documents, templates, and multimedia materials.   

• Participate in staff meetings.   

• Manage internal Grants Management operations.   

• Contribute to special projects. 

The ideal candidate (essential criteria) 

Essential Education  

• A university degree at BA or BSc level. 

• Relevant professional experience within a large and complex nonprofit, foundation, or international grantmaking organization. 

• Demonstrable experience making and administering grants to organizations and/or individuals. 

• Direct, hands-on experience processing equivalency determinations and working with specialist vendors. 

• Demonstrable experience processing and closing non-US funded grants. 

• Experience reviewing grant reports and conducting pre-award and post-award due diligence. 

• Experience applying OFAC sanctions, conflicts of interest or comparable grant compliance controls. 

• Strong understanding of good grantmaking practice and how grantmaking supports program strategy. 

• Demonstrated proficiency using GrantSmith and Power BI, or closely comparable grantsmanagement and reporting tools. 

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data and evidence to make informed decisions. 

• Proven project management, organizational and prioritization skills. 

• Excellent written and spoken English and German. 

• Availability to travel approximately 50% to office under the applicable hybrid-working model.  

Essential Experience  

• A university degree at BA or BSc level. 

• Relevant professional experience within a large and complex nonprofit, foundation or international grantmaking organization. 

• Demonstrable experience making and administering grants to organizations and/or individuals. 

• Direct, hands-on experience processing Equivalency Determinations and working with specialist ED vendors. 

• Demonstrable experience processing and closing FOSI grants. 

• Experience reviewing grant reports and conducting pre-award and post-award due diligence. 

• Experience applying OFAC, sanctions, conflicts of interest or comparable grant-compliance controls. 

• Strong understanding of good grantmaking practice and how grantmaking supports programstrategy. 

• Demonstrated proficiency using GrantSmith and Power BI, or closely comparable grants management and reporting tools. 

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data and evidence to make informed decisions. 

• Proven project management, organizational and prioritization skills. 

Desirable Experience  

• Experience supporting grant, financial, or compliance audits. 

• Experience preparing information for regulatory filings or financial statements. 

• Experience training or coaching colleagues on grants management processes. 

• Knowledge of Arabic or another relevant language. 

• Previous experience working across multiple jurisdictions, cultures and time zones. 

Travel  

• Travel is required. Travel frequency is 30% of working days per year.  

Functional Competencies 

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365, CRM tools, and digital organization platforms, including the ability to use technology to organize work, track priorities, manage information, and improve administrative processes. 

• Exposure to compliance requirements to ensure the organization adheres to laws and regulations. 

• Demonstrated ability to use verbal and written communication to deliver support for multiple professionals including in the virtual environment. 

• Ability to handle information with the utmost confidentiality. 

• A proactive, service oriented approach to resolving administrative issues and improving processes. 

Personal Competencies 

• Demonstrates commitment to Open Society’s core values of humility, commitment, collaboration, respect, inclusivity, and integrity 

• Strong analytical mindset. 

• Strong interpersonal skills enabling relationship building at various levels within and outside the organization, with sensitivity to cultural differences. 

• Demonstrated resourcefulness and self-motivation, able to work independently and solve problems creatively. 

• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion by recognizing and responding positively to individual and group differences in the workplace and beyond. Building an inclusive workplace by respecting and seeking out diverse viewpoints and perspectives. 

• Exceptional opportunities to learn, grow, and make an impact; from a generous annual professional development allowance for every employee to onsite training and learning conversations with visiting experts. 

• Excellent benefits and perks to promote well-being and a healthy work-life balance, including: 

• Generous time off and flexible work arrangements. 

• Staff are required to work in an Open Society office 50% of working days per month. 

• Employer paid health insurance for individuals and families (no employee contribution required). 

• Exceptional retirement savings plan (non-contributory for employees) and life insurance. 

• Progressive paid parental leave, reproductive and family planning support, and much more. 

• A commitment to nurturing a diverse and inclusive workplace, so you can bring your whole self to work and make a positive impact. 

WHO WE ARE

Open Society Foundations aim to establish vibrant and inclusive democracies where governments are accountable to their citizens. Our operating model organizes grantmaking around specific, time limited projects, developed alongside support for established partners, enabling us to respond swiftly to emerging needs. We are committed to promoting human dignity, equality, and rights; reimagining democratic ideals and practice; and advancing equity in governance systems. 

Guided by our founder’s values and the belief in the art of the possible, we engage directly with global entities, individuals, and policymakers through grants, advocacy, impact investing, and strategic human rights litigation to drive positive change. At the heart of our mission is a deep commitment to rights, equity, and justice, inspiring every action we take.