Country Grants Manager - Vietnam

DAI

Country Grants Manager, Vietnam

• This position is to be based in Hanoi, Vietnam. The preferred candidate will be required to work from the COAST Viet Nam office in Hanoi, following the set working hours established by the COAST Facility Team.
• This position is full-time, starting from September 2025 (definite start date is to be decided).
• The COAST Vietnam team is lean and operates at a high pace. This position will be responsible for the running of the Grants Department alone and will not be provided officers/and or any junior staff to delegate administrative tasks to.
This role is open to Vietnamese nationals only

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The COAST Country Grants Manager (Country GM) will support the design, selection and management of the grants across their country portfolio – providing oversight and management for all grants made in the relevant priority country. The Country Grants Manager will:

• Initiate the grant competitions, support grant applicants and advise on the design and implementation of screening processes in line with COAST’s overall approach.
• Coordinate the grant competitions, support to applicants and the efficient administration of grant competitions and funding, quality assurance of compliance and due diligence procedures,
Manage grantee performance and ensuring the application of monitoring and due diligence systems across the Country Portfolio.

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The Country Grant Manager will work closely with the Finance Managers and Country Team Leader to ensure the grant activities effectively contribute to the wider COAST country objectives and strategy. The Country Grants Manager will support on collated reporting across the grant portfolio including results data and learning.
The Country Grants Manager is a full-time role based in the Country Team Office and will be line managed by the COAST Country Team Leader and will be matrix managed by the PMU Head of Grants to provide coherence across all grant management approaches for COAST.
Roles And Responsibilities
Grant Process set up

• In collaboration with the PMU Head of Grants, the Country Grant Manager will input into the design of the Grants Competition and Grant Management processes including soliciting, screening and evaluation processes, grantee due diligence and vetting, contracting and onboarding finalising the processes during mobilisation to commence in implementation.
Contribute to the establishment of the COAST E-Platform ensuring that it is fit for purpose for assessment and grantee data collection and establishing country level systems as needed, in coordination with the PMU Head of Grants and Deputy Team Leader.

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Design and Implement Country Grant Competitions

• Produce Competition Plans for each country specific grant competition including, key dates, budgets, evaluation processes and roles and responsibilities for the country teams
• Coordinate, design and implement Early Market Engagement to maximise the number of applications received
• Where appropriate, facilitate the co-creation of grant applications for direct awards, ensuring that applications respond to COAST’s priorities
• Set up the COAST E-Platform for each specific country grant competition including adapting a guidance document for applicants and assessors, troubleshoot and log suggestions for improvement
• Tailor COAST grant application packs to Country Grant competition priorities
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• Adapt and conduct eligibility checks ensuring that only eligible organisations are awarded grants
• Modify evaluation and screening processes to ensure they align with the agreed requirements
• Facilitate transparent and efficient evaluation processes, including, where necessary, contracting and training evaluators
Lead moderations meetings to agree recommendations to be sent to the FCDO

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Grantee Mobilisation

• Collate and manage all applicant onboarding processes including due diligence using COAST’s adapted Grants Capacity Assessment Tool
• Produce and distribute Grant Offer Letters and subsequently Grant Agreements
• Co-design Grantee payment milestones and special conditions as part of the Grant Agreement signing process
Lead Grantee Kick off meetings and agree appropriate reporting schedules

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Grantee Management

• Review quarterly financial reports submitted by grantees and collated across the grant portfolio and flag risks and achievements for inclusion in client reporting
• Review expenditure and supporting documentation, working closely with the COAST Finance Managers to improve grantee financial reporting, forecasting and performance.
• Review MEL achievement and supporting documentation, working closely with the COAST MEL managers to improve grantee MEL reporting and understanding of the project logframe.
• Support grantee documentation reviews and audits (internal and external).
• Monitoring compliance of Grantees in accordance with the Grant Agreement and operations in accordance with the Grant Management Guidelines.
• Organise and lead the Traffic Light Report input sessions collating information from MEL, finance and CTLs on grantee performance following quarterly reporting
Oversee change request and grant amendment request processes including financial and programmatic changes to grant projects for grantees and tracking due diligence and monitoring requirements.

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COAST Grants Portfolio Management

• In coordination with the Country Team Leader and PMU Head of Grants, ensure learning from grantees feeds into updated prioritisation and processes.
• Conduct financial analysis across the grant portfolio feeding into financial reporting and forecasting, narrative and results data reporting for country level reporting and where required into programme level reporting and forecasting.
• Provide consolidated forecasting for the country grants portfolio ensuring that quarterly forecasts are within 5% variance of actuals.
• Retain oversight of the grant portfolio to identify opportunities to scale or replicate learning and facilitate sharing of learning.
• In coordination with the PMU Head of Grants, support the development of surveys or feedback loops with Grantees for programmatic improvements and feed into COAST reporting and annual reviews.
• Identify capacity building requirements for applicants and grantees; develop capacity building modules and support to applicants and grantees where needed (and in coordination with the PMU Head of Grants and wider COAST Team).
With the other in-country Grant Managers and PMU Grant Manager, MEL and GEDSI teams, ensure comprehensive reporting for COAST including analysis against all COAST Logframe and Cross-Cutting themes and targets.

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Qualifications And Experience

• A bachelor's degree is required, with a master's degree in a field related to the COAST project being highly preferred.
• A minimum of 15 years of independent experience in managing and developing ODA grants.
• Proven ability to work independently and manage an entire grants department.
• Experience in connecting and working with government agencies at national and local levels.
• Experience in coordinating with diverse partners, including international and local NGOs, as well as the private sector.
• Proficiency in using grants management software.
• Strong presentation skills.
• Fluent and professional English language skills, both written and spoken.
• Experience in fisheries, environment, or biodiversity conservation is highly preferred.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders.
Strong negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with experience dealing with vendors and other stakeholders.

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Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition (COAST) Background to COAST
Human activities such as harmful fishing practices, coastal habitat conservation, and pollution directly contribute to biodiversity loss and degradation of ocean and coastal ecosystems and ecosystem services. This degradation amplifies coastal populations’ vulnerability, particularly in developing countries already burdened by high poverty, and frequently dependent on fragile ocean and coastal livelihoods such as artisanal fisheries and aquaculture. While the ocean is the primary source of animal protein for billions, climate change raises the stakes and compounds the problems as coastal areas are increasingly exposed to sea level rise, intense storms, marine heatwaves, and ocean acidification, posing existential threats to both marine life and human communities.
DAI recognises the need to address these challenges holistically, integrating targeted interventions to improve both environmental and social systems. Our vision for COAST Facility is “ to revolutionise coastal and marine ecosystem management through a pioneering approach that uniquely combines local community empowerment with national reform and global advocacy .” COAST Facility will implement activities in 4 priority countries – Mozambique, Indonesia, Viet Nam and the Philippines - and a demand led Technical Assistance Facility in ODA recipient countries outside these four priority countries.
We propose an integrated methodology founded on five core delivery principles to direct our delivery approach. These principles are appropriate for addressing coastal and ocean challenges effectively; ensuring flexible and innovative solutions; the ability to deliver, manage and maximise impact; and ensure a high standard of programme and activity management tailored to the complexity of COAST. They are a holistic approach, community-centred solutions, collaborative partnerships, legacy and sustainability, and learning and adaptation .
Background to DAI
To deliver COAST Facility, DAI will capitalise on our extensive experience in Indonesia, Mozambique, Philippines, and Vietnam to support aligned partner country governments and local community-based organisations. Our delivery of COAST will a) provide a team of world-leading experts in coastal and ocean sustainability coupled with deep experience in ODA fund management; b) leverage DAI and our partners’ expertise delivering programmes alongside partner governments and communities; c) provide deep understanding of effective multi-country, multi-component TA and fund management programmes.
DAI will lead the COAST consortia and be responsible for the overall delivery of the contract. Our Consortia partners are Blue Green Advisors, DevLearn, Monterey Bay Aquarium and Wildlife Conservation Society.
Recruitment will be ongoing until the role is filled. It is expected to complete in September 2025
Salary £24,000 to £26,500 - (VND 843,242,400 to VND 931,080,150)
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