Grant Executive, LEAD at Krea University

Type: Full-time 

Location: Chennai 

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience 

Reports to: Director Grant, Finance and IT

Collaborates with: Project Teams, Field Teams, External Donors, and Vendors

About LEAD at Krea University:

LEAD is an action-oriented research centre of IFMR Society (a not-for-profit society registered under the Societies Act), leverages the power of research, innovation and co-creation to solve complex and pressing challenges in development. LEAD specialises in developing in-depth granular understanding of socio-economic contexts and harnessing actionable insights that have a wide range of applications in industry, policy, and academia. LEAD is a collaborative hub that brings experts from diverse disciplines and sectors together to develop innovative solutions by harnessing innovation, technology and analytics.

Position Overview

We are seeking a skilled Grant Executive to manage our grant management operations while providing essential financial management support. This role focuses primarily on grant lifecycle management, donor relations, and compliance (75%) with additional responsibilities in financial operations (25%).

Key Responsibilities

Grant Management (75% of role)

Grant Proposals with Budgets and Project Creation

• Support grant proposal and budget finalisation with collaboration team, project leads, and field teams;
• Support agreement preparation & signing of contracts and facilitate smooth project onboarding;
• Prepare and submit PI forms and maintain MMT master’s;
• Process donor compliance forms submission to IFMR and maintain comprehensive records;
• Manage agreement amendments including signing addendums and updating IFMR on revised clauses.

Grant Compliance & Donor Relations

• Ensure strict compliance tracking and adherence to all grant requirements and donor stipulations;
• Maintain reporting schedules and manage due dates for all active grants;
• Provide financial due diligence details to donors as required.

Grant Portfolio Management & Reporting

• Maintain comprehensive grant portfolio including active grants summary (donor details, amounts, duration, terms);
• Update monthly MIS reports and support in conducting monthly discussions with project teams;
• Roll out action recommended during the monthly meetings with project teams.

Financial Reporting (Grant-specific)

• Help in preparing external reports for donors and regulatory bodies as per payment schedules;
• Generate internal management reports highlighting pending issues and project status;
• Ensure timely submission of all grant-related financial documentation.

Budget Creation & Maintenance (Grant-focused)

• Monitor project actuals against approved budgets on monthly basis;
• Prepare 3-month forward projections and variance analysis with actuals.

Financial Management (25% of role) – Co-ordination with the group finance department

Accounts Receivable and Collections

• Track outstanding receivables with aging analysis and systematic follow-ups;
• Oversee invoicing plans and ensure timely raising of invoices.

Accounts Payable Support

• Support vendor payments and maintain outstanding invoices tracking;
• Monitor major payment schedules and recurring expenses;
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies and vendor agreements.

Required Qualifications

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field;
• 2-4 years of experience in grant management, preferably in NGO/research/academic sector;
• Good understanding of donor compliance requirements and grant lifecycle management;
• Experience with financial reporting and budget management.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in financial software and grant management systems;
• Advanced Excel skills for financial analysis and reporting;
• Knowledge of accounting principles and financial compliance;
• Experience with donor reporting formats and requirements.

Soft Skills

• Exceptional attention to detail for compliance and reporting accuracy;
• Strong communication skills for donor relations and internal coordination;
• Project management capabilities for handling multiple grants simultaneously;
• Analytical thinking for financial analysis and problem-solving.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in relevant field;
• Experience with international donors compliance and multilateral funding agencies;
• Certification in grant management or project management.

Key Performance Indicators

• 100% compliance with grant reporting deadlines;
• Timely submission of donor reports and compliance documents;
• Accurate budget variance analysis and forecasting;
• Efficient receivables management with reduced aging.

Work Environment

• Office-based role with occasional travel for donor meetings;
• Deadline-driven environment with multiple concurrent projects;
• Collaborative work with internal and external stakeholders.

Application Instructions:

Deadline: Applications will be open till the position is filled. To apply, please collate your resume, a cover letter and writing sample in a single PDF and apply in the form here. 

Note: Due to the large volume of applications we receive, we are unable to contact each candidate individually regarding the status of their application. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purposes.