Job Title / Grants Manager
Key Focus/ Role Purpose /

To be responsible for the management of the Credit Union Challenge Fund and Grant making processes within the CU Foundation.

Hours / 35 hours – Full Time
Location / Manchester
Reporting to;- / Shared Services Director and CUF
Salary / Up to £35,000

Key Deliverables

1.  Project manage the detailed operational design and the delivery of the Credit Union Challenge Fund (CUCF) ensuring successful delivery in accordance with agreed timelines, on budget.

2.  Establish and execute the CUCF grant management process, detailed assessment criteria, application and monitoring and evaluation processes.

3.  Understand alignment with other project activities affecting credit unions, most notably the Credit Union Expansion Programme (CUEP), identify opportunities for alignment and leverage to benefit credit unions and the programme sponsor.

4.  Perform due diligence on all applications in line with the Foundations aims & policies, preparing grant agreements as required.

5.  Establish appropriate monitoring and evaluation, monitoring results from grantees, evaluating reports and results to ensure sustainable success.

6.  Develop a communications plan, partnering with the Policy & Communications team and the sponsor including online channels and engagement of credit unions

7.  Maintain budget cost effectively, in accordance with agreed phasing, in partnership with the ABCUL shared services team.

8.  Ensure programmes support sponsoring partners broader objectives, including Public Policy, Financial inclusion, Publicity, Brand, etc. Ensure relevant publicity channels profile activity, partnering with sponsors and the Policy & Comms team.

9.  Represent ABCUL/CUF with programme sponsors and at all levels within Credit Unions, ensuring their successful engagement with programmes.

10.  Provide quality update reports to the senior leaders, sponsors and CUF trustees.

11.  Manage third party suppliers and negotiate all costs structures & quality products.

12.  Act as an ambassador for the work of the Foundation, maintaining strong relations with the foundation's trustees, partners, grantees, other foundations and links other external contacts

13.  Any other duties consistent with this job

Key Knowledge, Skills and Experience

·  Experience of working with non-profits or grant-making organisations; grant management experience

·  Experience of managing a successful team

·  Experience of managing multiple projects in a formal setting using disciplined project management process and a successful track record delivery on time, on budget with limited resources.

·  Clear understanding of the expectations and needs of major corporate partners in relation to large scale community investment programmes

·  A commitment to understanding the needs of credit unions and stakeholders in the project in order to develop the project to meet customer needs.

·  Significant diplomacy and influencing skills sufficient to work with corporate partners within a democratic movement, with voluntary board members and Credit Union operational staff.

·  Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate complex information in an understandable manner within reports and presentations for project stakeholders.

·  Strong analytical, monitoring and evaluation skills

·  Excellent PC and keyboard skills sufficient to use a PC effectively on a daily basis to service themselves e.g. e-mail, Goldmine, Timesheet, Microsoft Office Software, internet, etc.

·  Available to work some weekends and evenings throughout the period as required.

·  Ability to work independently, use initiative, multi-task & prioritise; a highly organised self- starter, with first class time-management skills to manage competing demands on workload.

·  Excellent budget and project management skills required

·  Bachelor's degree minimum

·  Preferably experience of working in a financial environment

·  Preferably experience or knowledge of credit union operations and credit unions’ legal and regulatory framework.

·  Preferably experience of a shared service or central service provider environment.