WCS is looking for a “Grant and Donor Compliance Manager” to join our team.

Location: WCS Vientiane

Type: Full-Time

Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (1.5-hour lunch break)

• Reports to (Supervisors): Primarily to Deputy Country Director, Secondarily to Regional Grants/Business Managers.

• Country Program/Sector: WCS Lao Program, Greater Mekong Region, GCP

• Expected travel: As required within the country to field offices, and internationally if/when needed

• Supervisory For: Procurement Officer

• Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

• WCS Lao Program Overview:

WCS began working in Lao PDR in the 1980s, surveying wildlife and habitats around the country to assist the government in creating Lao PDR’s national protected area system. In the early 1990s, WCS documented wildlife and habitats in many of the newly created national protected areas and began supporting the government to train protected area managers, as well as raise awareness about illegal wildlife trade. In 1994, WCS officially established a country office in Lao PDR. Over almost three decades, WCS Lao PDR has successfully implemented more than 30 projects with the Government of Lao PDR, supported by more than 30 donors, and has increasingly moved away from a project approach into a more integrated, programmatic, strategic, and holistic approach to conservation.

Our vision for the Lao PDR Program is that the unique ecosystems of Lao PDR thrive indefinitely and are valued by the people of Lao PDR, and the world, for their biodiversity, natural beauty, and the services they provide to humanity. A core strategy to fulfill that vision is to improve protection and management of wildlife and wild places by building the capacity and meaningful participation of government and local stakeholders, raising public awareness through conservation outreach and education, providing alternative livelihoods—including nature-based tourism—to guardian villages, influencing institutional, policy, legal and regulatory reforms relevant to protected areas and wildlife, developing the national wildlife health surveillance network, and combatting illegal wildlife trade.

The current portfolio consists of (i) Four conservation landscapes: Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park (NEPL NP), Bolikhamxai Landscape, Khoun Xe-Nong Ma Landscape, and Xe Champhone Wetlands; (ii) Two cross-cutting programs on Counter-Wildlife Trafficking and Wildlife Health; and (iii) a thematic focus on conservation policy and research.

• Job Purpose Summary:

The Grant and Donor Compliance Manager plays a critical role in ensuring the effective management, coordination, and compliance of all grants across the WCS Laos Program. This position is responsible for establishing and maintaining a robust grant management system that supports the full grant lifecycle—from opportunity identification to final close-out—ensuring adherence to internal WCS policies, donor requirements, and national legal frameworks. The Manager will work closely with both programmatic (Landscapes, CWT, Health, Policy) and operational (Finance, Admin, HR) teams in Vientiane and field offices to ensure seamless integration of compliance measures into program delivery. Additionally, the role oversees procurement and asset management functions and supervises a dedicated team, while maintaining close coordination with the Country Director/Deputy Director and Regional Grants and Business Managers to ensure full compliance and donor satisfaction across all projects.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Main tasks/duties/responsibilities:

A. General responsibilities

1. Coordinate Grant Management Processes

Coordinate between WCS Laos Technical Programmatic Teams (Landscapes, CWT, Health, and Policy), Operational Teams (Finance, Admin, HR, Procurement), and field offices, as well as subawardees, to manage all phases of the grant lifecycle—from opportunity identification to close-out. This includes meeting all requirements related to activities, technical and financial reporting, and subaward management.

2. Lead Grant Lifecycle Processes

Lead the grant inception (kick-off), implementation, and close-out meetings and processes to ensure systematic and timely execution of each grant.

3. Ensure Proper Documentation and Authorization

Lead the review, routing, and approval of all Financing Agreements, Grant Agreements, modifications, and related documents, ensuring proper authorization and adherence to internal procedures. Maintain a well-organized and auditable filing system.

4. Align and Strengthen Compliance Frameworks

Align donor compliance requirements with WCS global and country program policies, and lead improvements in grant compliance procedures for WCS Laos.

5. Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing

Proactively share relevant donor requirements and compliance knowledge across Operational and technical teams. Facilitate training and capacity building for internal teams, partners, and sub-grantees as needed.

6. Ensure Compliance with Donor Regulations

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of donor rules and regulations. Contribute to the review and improvement of WCS Laos policies and procedures to ensure full grant compliance.

7. Maintain Grant Documentation and Databases

Maintain a centralized and accessible database of project proposals (technical and financial), grant agreements, work plans, budget plans, donor-specific procedures, and reporting requirements.

8. Support Audits and Follow-Up

Support internal and external audits by providing necessary documentation and coordination. Ensure that audit recommendations are communicated and followed up with the relevant teams.

9. Grant Code and Regional Coordination

Prepare grant code request forms and coordinate with WCS regional and New York-based teams. Develop and share training materials on grant requirements with program and finance staff, as well as sub-grantees (if applicable).

10. Ensure Effective Grant Closure

Collaborate with the Finance Team to reconcile and close grants (e.g., GL25 clearance), ensuring compliance with financial close-out procedures.

11. Maintain Grant Management Tools

Ensure the WCS Grant Management Tool is regularly updated and accessible for use by relevant teams.

12. Representation and Communication

Represent WCS Laos in external meetings with government agencies, donors, and partners as required.

13. Other Duties

Undertake additional tasks as assigned by the Country Director or Deputy Country Director.

B. Project Budgeting

14. Coordinate Quarterly Budget Forecasts

Compile and review quarterly grant expenditure forecasts in collaboration with technical program teams, ensuring that projections are realistic, aligned with approved work plans, and reflective of grant conditions.

15. Monitor Budget Performance

Regularly analyze actual expenditures against approved budgets and activity plans on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis by project/grant. Identify variances and recommend appropriate actions to ensure financial performance remains on track.

16. Support Budget Development and Revisions

Work closely with Finance, Accounting, and Technical teams during the development and revision of grant budgets to reflect programmatic needs and donor requirements. Provide guidance on adjusting budget lines in response to programmatic changes.

17. Assist with Proposal and Annual Budgeting

Support WCS Laos Technical and Operational Teams in developing project budgets for new proposals and annual budgeting exercises, in line with guidance provided by the Finance and Accounting Unit.

18. Lead Budget Forecasting Coordination

Coordinate with program teams to lead and follow up on the development of rolling three-month budget forecasts, ensuring timely submission and alignment with implementation schedules.

C. Compliances and Reporting

19. Lead Proposal Process Management

Serve as the process manager for proposal development, ensuring compliance with donor requirements throughout. Coordinate with all relevant units to define tasks, timelines, and compliance needs, and monitor progress to ensure timely and complete submission.

20. Monitor Expenditure vs. Projections

Analyze quarterly projections against actual expenditures for all grants. Provide comments and recommendations to ensure financial performance aligns with activity plans and technical deliverables.

21. Ensure Donor Reporting and Communication

Oversee and ensure the timely submission of all donor-required communications, reports, and administrative documentation. Verify that reporting aligns with donor expectations and internal standards.

22. Resolve Financial and Transaction Issues

Work closely with the Finance Team to identify and resolve accounting discrepancies, pending financial issues, and transaction irregularities. Ensure timely and effective resolution of all outstanding matters.

23. Track and Update Project Milestones

Collaborate with the Technical Teams to update and track progress against project milestones, ensuring accurate and timely milestone reporting to donors and internal leadership.

24. Identify Risks and Propose Solutions

Monitor project implementation to identify potential compliance, financial, or programmatic risks. Coordinate with relevant teams to develop timely solutions and mitigate risks proactively.

D. Procurement:

25. Supervise Procurement Operations

Supervise the Procurement Officer and work closely with Program Leaders to develop, implement, and monitor procurement plans for each grant, ensuring timely and efficient procurement processes across all teams.

26. Ensure Compliance with Procurement Policies

Ensure that all procurement of goods and services complies with WCS and donor procurement policies, applying the more stringent standard where differences exist.

27. Oversee Vendor Screening and Due Diligence

Ensure thorough due diligence of all vendors and service providers, including required checks (e.g., US Bridger Insight, anti-terrorism, anti-corruption screening), with support from the Procurement Officer.

28. Monitor Procurement Plans

Oversee the regular updating and monitoring of procurement plans to ensure alignment with approved workplans, budgets, and grant timelines.

29. Ensure Transparency and Accountability

Promote transparent, competitive, and auditable procurement processes that reduce risk and support program integrity.Ensure all procurement for goods and services are in line with donor or WCS procurement policy, whichever is more rigid.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Minimum Bachelor Degree in Accounting / Finance, administrative or relevant fields

• Minimum 5 years successful experience working in the similar positions with international organizations and/or NGOs

• Extensive knowledge and experiences in computerized financial systems and those in SAP system will be scored more

• Extensive knowledge in the policies, rules, regulations, safeguards and cultures of common donors – such as AFD, KfW, EU, UNDP, USAID, etc.

• Highly developed computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Office applications

• Good skills in English languages

• Strong leadership skills – visionary, pragmatic, analytical, innovative, flexible, system thinking, mentoring and executing

• Strong communication skills – careful listening, synthesizing and analyzing, empathizing, mediating and negotiating, problem solving and consensus building

• Good multi-task management and time management to meet all priorities and deadlines

• Personal qualities: Honest, integrity, humorous, optimistic, cooperative, patient, tolerant and perseverant

• Passion for wildlife conservation and environmental protection

To Apply:

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications should apply by emailing an application letter and CV to recruitmentlaos@wcs.org

Deadline: 10 September 2025

Subject line: Please include “Grant and Donor Compliance Manager” in the subject line of your email.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer, and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations.