Title: Roving Grants Officer, SPRING – Philippines

KEY INFORMATION

Job Title: Roving Grants Officer (one position supporting Occidental Mindoro, Leyte and Davao Oriental)

Reports to: Grants Manager

Location: Leyte Subnational Office, with regular travel to Davao Oriental and Manila as required.  Alternative subnational or Manila-based arrangements may be considered based on operational needs.

Duration: One year, renewable annually based on performance and program needs.

SUMMARY OF PROJECT

The DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Social Protection, Inclusion and Gender equality (SPRING) program is Australia’s flagship investment of support to the Government of Philippines (GPH) on Social Protection, Gender Equality, Disability, Social Inclusion and Indigenous Inclusion. It is an AUD 34 million investment over 5 years that will support the joint Development Partnership Plan (DPP 2024-2029) between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Philippines (GPH). The investment will be the DFAT’s primary avenue in the Philippines for supporting poverty reduction and bilateral funding on gender equality and social inclusion at the national level and with some select Local Government Units (LGUs). SPRING will support efforts under Australia’s new International Development Policy and its forthcoming new strategies on gender equality, disability equity and rights, and translate these into implementation in the Philippines.  

The intended goal of SPRING is to contribute to the goal that the social and economic transformation in the Philippines reduces poverty and provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos in line with the Philippines Development Plan.

The objective of SPRING is that Australia works in partnership with the GPH to improve systems and structures that reduce poverty and inequality and advance gender equality and the rights of people with disabilities. 

SPRING has four mutually reinforcing End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs): 

1. Philippine Government social protection plans, policies and programs increasingly close gaps in the social protection floor.

2. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and select LGU systems increasingly deliver quality social protection that is inclusive, gender and shock responsive, and climate sensitive. 

3. The Philippine Government increasingly invests in gender responsive policies, plans, programs and systems.

4. The Philippine Government improves data, systems and targeting to enable people with disability and Indigenous Peoples improved access to targeted services.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Reporting to the Grants Manager, the Roving Grants Officer will support the day-to-day administration, financial management, monitoring and documentation of SPRING’s CSO Grant Fund across the three subnational locations: Occidental Mindoro, Leyte and Davao Oriental. The position will work closely with subnational teams, grantee partners, finance and operations colleagues, social protection and GEDSI technical teams, and MEL staff to ensure grant-funded activities are aligned with SPRING End of Program Outcomes and Intermediate Objectives, and implemented efficiently, transparently and in line with Cowater International policies, DFAT requirements, SPRING’s Operations Manual and the approved grant management framework.

The Roving Grants Officer will serve as the principal grants focal point across SPRING’s subnational grant portfolio during the pilot year, with an expected emphasis on practical partner support, field engagement and monitoring. Subject to final operational planning, the role is expected to be based in Leyte where travel costs to Manila and Davao are comparatively efficient and where the CSO environment is expected to generate strong partner engagement, while maintaining regular support to Occidental Mindoro and Davao Oriental.

Working under the guidance of the Grants Manager and with technical support from the International Grants Adviser and National Grants Adviser, the Roving Grants Officer will support local CSOs and other eligible partners throughout the grant lifecycle, including application support, due diligence, contracting, disbursement tracking, implementation monitoring, partner reporting, financial acquittal and close-out. The role will also coordinate closely with the expanded national operations team and relevant subnational staff to ensure finance, procurement, HR and administrative support needs are identified, planned and escalated appropriately.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

lifecycle, including application support, due diligence, contracting, disbursement tracking, implementation monitoring, partner reporting, financial acquittal and close-out. The role will also coordinate closely with the expanded national operations team and relevant subnational staff to ensure finance, procurement, HR and administrative support needs are identified, planned and escalated appropriately.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Administration, Systems and Documentation

• Support the Grants Manager to implement SPRING’s CSO Grant Fund systems, procedures, tools, templates, registers and documentation requirements.
• Maintain accurate and complete grant files for grants across the three subnational locations, including applications, due diligence records, agreements, budgets, workplans, correspondence, reports, risk logs, approvals, disbursement records, acquittals and close-out documentation.
• Ensure grant information is entered and updated in SPRING’s management information systems in a timely and accurate manner.
• Support practical guidance and orientation for local partners on grant processes, reporting requirements, eligible costs, documentation standards and compliance obligations.
• Identify process issues, partner support needs and opportunities to improve the accessibility and efficiency of grant administration, and raise these with the Grants Manager.

Application, Due Diligence and Contracting Support

• Support grant application processes across Occidental Mindoro, Leyte and Davao Oriental, including outreach, applicant information sessions, collection of applications, clarification processes and communication with applicants.
• Conduct initial administrative and financial checks of grant applications and contribute to shortlisting and assessment processes as requested by the Grants Manager.
• Support partner due diligence processes, including collection and review of organisational, governance, financial management, safeguarding, risk and compliance information.
• Assist with preparation of grant assessment documentation, selection records, partner profiles, risk summaries and approval documentation.
• Support drafting and finalisation of grant agreements, budgets, disbursement schedules, reporting templates, workplans and milestone documentation in collaboration with the Grants Manager, finance, operations, technical and safeguarding colleagues.
• Support communication with unsuccessful applicants in line with agreed program processes.

Grant Implementation, Compliance and Partner Support

• Support day-to-day monitoring of active grants across the three subnational locations, ensuring activities, deliverables, expenditure and reporting remain aligned with approved objectives, budgets, workplans and milestones.
• Maintain regular communication with grantee partners to collect reports, follow up documentation, identify implementation issues and support timely resolution of administrative and financial matters.
• Track grant disbursement schedules, partner financial reports, acquittals and supporting documents, and coordinate with finance colleagues to support timely review and processing.
• Monitor partner compliance with grant agreements, financial procedures, safeguarding requirements, procurement rules, fraud control procedures, conflict-of-interest requirements and reporting obligations.
• Identify and document fiduciary, safeguarding, delivery, performance or compliance risks, and escalate emerging issues to the Grants Manager in a timely manner.
• Support partner capacity-strengthening activities related to grant administration, financial reporting, documentation, procurement, safeguarding, MEL and compliance requirements.
• Plan and undertake frequent field visits, partner meetings, monitoring activities and grant review processes across the subnational locations, including regular travel to Manila during the grant mechanism start-up period and thereafter as required.
• Support financial and administrative close-out of grants, including final reports, acquittals, asset documentation, lessons learned and complete partner records.

Team Leadership, Coordination and Reporting

• Coordinate closely with the Grants Manager, SPMs, subnational team members, expanded national operations team, finance, procurement, HR, MEL, GEDSI, safeguarding and technical colleagues to support coherent grant implementation across all three subnational locations.
• Provide regular updates on grant progress, partner reporting, disbursements, expenditure, risks, issues and support needs to the Grants Manager.
• Contribute to grant portfolio tracking, dashboards, briefing notes, work planning, budgeting, forecasting, risk registers and internal reporting.
• Contribute to MEL and learning processes by supporting collection of partner data, implementation lessons, case examples, partner feedback and evidence from grant-funded activities.
• Participate in team meetings, planning processes, after-action reviews and learning discussions to support adaptive management of the CSO Grant Fund.
• Support practical coordination of finance, procurement, administrative and operations requirements for subnational grant delivery, working through national operations colleagues and relevant subnational staff rather than duplicating approved operations roles.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in accounting, financial management, business administration, international development, public administration, social sciences or another relevant field.
• Training in grants management, financial management, compliance, procurement, safeguarding or project management is an advantage.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in grants administration, financial management, partnership administration, program operations, compliance or project support, preferably in international development or donor-funded programs.
• Experience supporting grant processes, partner due diligence, grant agreements, reporting, disbursement tracking, financial acquittals, documentation and close-out processes.
• Experience working with CSOs, local organisations, community-based organisations, research institutions or government partners in the Philippines or comparable contexts.
• Experience supporting distributed, field-based or subnational program implementation, including travel planning and coordination across multiple locations, is desirable.
• Experience with DFAT-funded programs, Cowater International systems or other major donor compliance requirements is an advantage.

Essential Skills:

• Good understanding of grant administration, financial documentation, partner reporting, compliance, risk tracking and close-out requirements.
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to track multiple grants, deadlines, documents and partner communications.
• High attention to detail and accuracy in maintaining grant files, registers, financial documentation and reporting records.
• Ability to identify, document and escalate fiduciary, safeguarding, fraud, conflict-of-interest, delivery or compliance risks.
• Ability to provide practical and respectful guidance to local partners on grant administration, reporting and documentation requirements.
• Demonstrated commitment to localisation, locally led development, GEDSI, disability inclusion, Indigenous Peoples’ inclusion and safeguarding principles.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear updates, meeting notes, partner correspondence and simple reports.
• Ability to work collaboratively with finance, operations, procurement, MEL, GEDSI, safeguarding, technical and subnational teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications; experience using grant management systems, MIS platforms or financial tracking tools is desirable.
• Proficiency in English and Filipino; knowledge of languages used in SPRING’s subnational locations, including Leyte, Occidental Mindoro and Davao Oriental, is an advantage.

• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of GEDSI principles, with knowledge or experience in promoting gender equality, disability, and social inclusion especially within adaptive programs like SPRING. This includes a clear understanding of and practical experience in safeguarding, particularly in the context of child protection (CP) and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH), with the ability to integrate safeguarding measures into program implementation.

• Compliance to DFAT policies on fraud control, financing terrorism, child protection and other social safeguards.

• Strong communication skills, including proficiency in written and oral English and Filipino.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Candidates are encouraged to apply by 04 September 2026. This is an ongoing, rolling recruitment, and candidates may be reviewed before and leading up to the deadline.

For your application to be considered, please upload or submit your documents using the following file naming format: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position.

Please send your cover letter addressing the position selection criteria and CV with the name and contact details of three professional referees to hr@springphilippines.org, mentioning the position you are applying for in the subject line: “SPRING Roving Grants Officer”.

Women, persons with a disability and Indigenous Peoples are highly encouraged to apply.

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law. Persons with disabilities may send a request for reasonable accommodation to participate in the recruitment process to hr@springphilippines.org.

Cowater International adheres to the highest standards of protection of children and vulnerable adults in the delivery of programs and services. Cowater is committed to the prevention of sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination.

Cowater International upholds standards of ethical conduct and has zero tolerance against fraud and bribery.

Prior to any offer of employment, applicants will be subject to appropriate background checks.

We thank all applicants; however, only those shortlisted will be contacted.

About Us

Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.

We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow with Cowater International.