Senior Director, Grants

About Malala Fund

Registered in the U.K., U.S. Nigeria, and Pakistan, Malala Fund is working toward a world where all girls can learn and lead. Malala Fund advocates for resources and policy changes needed to give all girls a secondary education. The girls we serve have high goals for themselves and we have high expectations for leaders who can help them. We invest in local education leaders and front-line organizations, the people who best understand girls in their communities in regions where most girls are missing out on secondary school. We give girls the tools they need to advocate for education and equality in their communities and a platform for the world to hear their voices. We believe girls should speak for themselves and tell leaders what they need to learn and achieve their potential.

About the position

The Senior Director, Grants is responsible for Malala Fund’s grantmaking approach and will lead on the development, management and oversight of Malala Fund’s grant modalities. Working closely with our external affairs and country teams, they will be responsible for ensuring that Malala Fund’s strategic priorities and funder identity are reflected in grantmaking and management practices across grant initiatives and typologies. They will also guide Malala Fund’s engagement with grantees, prioritising impact at the country level to advance policy change for girls’ education. They will have demonstrated exemplary leadership abilities and interpersonal skills and enjoy working across teams and cultures.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Senior Director will lead a team of talented and creative grant professionals and proactively identify opportunities to ensure our grantmaking approach reflects Malala Fund’s commitment to increasing girls’ access, retention and completion in school in our target geographies. They will work hand-in-hand with all departments at Malala Fund to ensure grant strategy drives toward our strategic objective and remains aligned across the organisation in support of our mission to secure 12 years of free, safe, quality education for all girls so they can learn and lead. As a senior leader, they will support colleagues across the organisation, offer strategic counsel on grant approaches and maintain a deep commitment to delivering impact for girls.

Location: Washington, DC Office

Responsibilities

Grant Strategy and Fund Design

• Lead on development and execution of Malala Fund’s grantmaking strategy. Ensures grant modalities and funding models are aligned with Malala Fund’s  strategic plan and priorities, funder identity and value system.

• Refine existing grantmaking practices and assess how funder values and impact goals are being operationalised through grant processes and grantee relationships, making adjustments in consultation with other cross departmental teams where necessary.

• Drive forward initiatives to gather grantee feedback, learnings, and perceptions on Malala Fund’s funding approach and follow through on actionable insights.

• Provide strategic recommendations to the COO  on sector best practice,  partner selection and grant budget allocations.

• Determine application of Malala Fund’s grant values to relevant grant typologies - such as  determining type of funding awarded (project based, unrestricted) and types of organisations reached.

• Create and adapt funding calls, application and reporting materials, and proposal review rubrics that prioritise education policy change and implementation in target geographies.

• Oversee Malala Fund’s grant accompaniment offerings and activist engagement strategy.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent Malala Fund with peer funder networks and partnerships and at external events to share and learn about best practices in grantmaking approaches.

• Build networks and cultivate relationships with potential grantee partners at the country level across Malala Fund’s targeted geographies.

• Liaise with Development team leadership to plan for restricted funding allocations across the grants portfolio, and strategize on donor engagement from a grants perspective.

• Work with Malala Fund’s Communications team to identify opportunities to elevate and amplify the work done by our grantees and partners for wider audiences

• Work with Malala Fund’s Executive Office on the development and deployment of Co-Founder Fund resources, aligning the objectives of the grantss with Co-Founder priorities, identifying suitable partners, tracking expenditure and making recommendations for future grant allocation.

• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team to ensure systems are in place to effectively monitor the implementation and measure the impact of Malala Fund’s grant portfolio, fostering a culture of learning.

Financial Management & Oversight

• Oversee the team's financial management of all grants, including due diligence and compliance. Ensure compliance with donor requirements and organizational policies.

• Implement and monitor internal controls to safeguard grant funds.

• Serve as a business partner to the finance team, overseeing the financial management systems and grant lifecycles.

• Lead the development of grant budgets in collaboration with relevant teams.

• Monitor and analyze budget variances and recommend corrective actions as needed.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Passion for our mission and a commitment to using your skills to make a positive impact on behalf of girls.

• At least 12 years experience of grants management, program design, proposal review and grantee project monitoring and troubleshooting.

• Knowledge of inclusive and trust based approaches to philanthropy and grantmaking.

• An understanding of the global grants landscape with the ability to bring fresh ideas and perspective to the team.

• Prior experience working directly in or with partners in Asia, Africa, Latin America or the Middle East

• Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people across the organisation in a fast paced environment with multiple priorities and frequent deadlines.

• Ability to think critically and consistently apply good judgment.

• Show initiative and be able to work effectively under pressure independently, within a team and with a wide range of external stakeholders.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to produce high quality materials including funding calls, grant recommendation memos, board information and presentations.

• Budget management experience.

Desirable

• Experience with grantmaking focused on policy change,  feminist programming or advocacy and influencing.
• Specific familiarity with the global education and/or girls’ rights sectors and past experience developing grant strategies on these topics
• Work and/or lived experience in one or more of Malala Fund’s programme countries.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Recruiting,  interviewing, and training new staff

• Overseeing the daily workflow of the Grants Strategy and Management unit within the wider Grants Team.

• Providing constructive and timely performance feedback and performance evaluations.

• Handling discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.

Living our Values

We aim to center girls in all we do and create a supportive environment where people excel in their craft while never compromising our organizational values:

We aim high. Inspired by the girls we serve, we set ambitious goals for ourselves and push others to do the same. We focus on impact and delivering tangible, purposeful results.

We dare to be brave. We speak truth to power and hold leaders accountable to their commitments to girls. We have the difficult conversations, say yes to tough projects and aren’t afraid to take risks

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We value differences. Our best work happens when we bring many voices to the table. We embrace diverse perspectives and open dialogue. We strive for equity in all we do and are always learning from others. 

We think creatively. Getting all girls in school requires innovative thinking and solutions. We are resourceful and seek unconventional approaches to overcoming challenges. 

We act with integrity. The relationships we build are grounded in trust and accountability. As an organization and with each other, we endeavor to do what’s right and respectful.

If challenging the status quo that limits girls’ potential excites you, we might be the perfect fit!

Please note that due to the very high number of applications we receive when positions are posted, we may only be able to respond directly to candidates who we wish to move forward in the interview process.

Malala Fund is an equal opportunity employer and inclusive organization who welcomes applications from under-represented and intersectional groups including BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities. We are seeking people with different backgrounds, cultures, ages, experiences and identities to provide a wide range of experience, ideas, views and insights into the strategy, policies, culture and ambitions of Malala Fund.

Malala Fund is also committed to ensuring the safety of those involved in our work. Our first priority is protecting everyone who comes in direct or indirect contact with our organization.

Malala Fund has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and exploitation by any of our staff, representatives or partners. We commit to ensuring that those who work with Malala Fund or on our behalf are able to work in an environment that is free from harm. To this end, Malala Fund reserves the right to conduct background checks on prospective and current employees.