Sarwat Ahsan is a Grants professional with 6 years of consistent achievement in Grants Management, Grants Administration, Sub awards, Monitoring and Evaluation and Research assignments. She posseses sound knowledge of USAID OIG Grants Management and administration guidelines and PMP. Moreover, she is proficient in Microsoft office Excel, Word, Power point and outlook, Customized grants management tools such as PEERS SPMS, ERP modules for Grants Management i.e. OTIS.
Further, she is a team player with a high level of motivation, commitment and believes in working closely with her team members for desired project outcomes.
• Administration & management of core partners sub-awards, financial & program reporting tracker in compliance with donor regulations.
• Assist in drafting of modifications & disposition documents related to core partners sub-awards.
• Draft & compile all internal and external reports, including weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports meeting donor and IRC requirements.
• Provide support in the development of proposals and Request for Applications (RFAs).
• Overseeing Small Grants Program activities are implemented in-line with the approved work plan and closed out properly following USAID rules/regulations and timely submission of narrative and financial reports by grantees.
• Ensuring all grant files are organized and well managed for planning and preparation of donor reports, project monitoring and audit.
• Extensive coordination with field staff and providing guidance on the programmatic matters related to awarded grants.
• Ensuring awarded grants are on track and to report any identified deviations in the awarded grants with supervisor.
• Maintain, update & verifying grants beneficiaries’ data in coordination with field staff & in-line with the PRP’s Monitoring & Evaluation Information System (M&EIS).
• Supporting grants team at central level starting from solicitation to closing of grants and reporting project milestones.
• Development and maintenance of trackers/databases for collecting, compiling, organizing and storing the flow of information and files produced within the project.
• Attending Grants, operation and program coordination meetings, Partners’ meetings and supporting line manager in arranging progress review meetings with relevant departments and governmental Institutions.
• Liaises with local authorities and institutions; key stakeholders including consortium Partners’ focal points and implementing partner organization, in coordination with line manager.
Tasks Performed:
*Drafted grant documents: Agreements, project proposals, deliverable completion forms, project oversight committee certificates, handover documents, and quality assurance certificates.
*Assisted the Grants Manager in any reporting, as required. Such as, activity notes, weekly & quarterly reports, editing of press releases.
*Maintained, modified and updated the Web-based Database (WBDB) with proper tracking to ensure information is readily available for internal and external stakeholders.
*Produced reports and ran queries on the program WBDB as requested by the Program Manager, Grants Manager and Deputy Program manager or other field staff.
*Maintained program records and documentation of all grants in soft, hard and on OTI-A for tracking and donor’s review.
*Monitored budget of each grant to make sure that the estimated and the disbursed amount matches throughout the grant activity cycle.
*Managed and updated FSP/PTI grants tracking matrix.
*Attended “Implementation” and “Completed to close” meetings with relevant units to obtain updates on each grant.Provided support in identifying the missing documents.
*Coordinated with relevant program units to obtain necessary information required for grant closing purposes and regular follow up.
*Assisted M&E unit in grants closing process by periodic verification of selected grants in soft, hard and OTI-A to ensure all required documents are available for donor’s review.
*Received, verified and submitted grant payments, as required.
Grants Tasks:
* Drafted grant documents: Agreements, project proposals, deliverable completion forms, project oversight committee certificates, handover documents, and quality assurance certificates.
* Maintained, modified and updated the Web-based Database (WBDB) with proper tracking to ensure information is readily available for internal and external stakeholders.
* Maintained program records and documentation of all grants in soft, hard and on OTI-A for tracking and donor’s review.
* Monitored budget of each grant to make sure that the estimated and the disbursed amount matches throughout the grant activity cycle.
* Managed and updated FSP/PTI grants tracking matrix.
* Attended “Implementation” and “Completed to close” meetings with relevant units to obtain updates on each grant. Provided support in identifying the missing documents.
* Maintained close coordination with other departments.
* Assisted M&E unit in grants closing process by periodic review of selected grants in soft, hard and OTI-A to ensure all required documents are available for donor’s review.
M&E Tasks:
* Reviewed, developed and implemented evaluation processes that ensure staff, community and other stakeholders’ participation in planning, design, implementing, monitoring and evaluating project activities.
* Assisted in drafting Final Evaluation Reports (FERs) and responses to field, Independent Monitoring Unit and donor queries.
* Conducted thorough and extensive research on information compiled and provided in reports and responses to donor queries.
* Coordinated with relevant program units to obtain necessary information required for grant closing purposes and regular follow up.
* Assisted M&E Manager in the preparation of reports on the findings and lessons learned from grant implementation.
* Assisted in preparing and editing of quarterly progress reports for M&E manager’s review.
* Developed and ensured maintenance of information to tracking database, to
* Developed a sound understanding of program database in order to employ it for reporting requirements and project tracking, for both internal and external audiences.
* Liaised closely with the Database Coordinator in all grant tracking related tasks.
* Provided regular follow-up on grant-related updates from Procurement/Contracts and Admin/Finance Units. This included designing various Excel Spreadsheets to track status.
* Ensured all soft and hard copy records relating to Program grants are properly maintained according to the donor’s guidelines.
* Drafted grant agreements, project agreement and other program reports in accordance with the donor’s approved.
* Undertook review of Infrastructure & non-infrastructure grant files to ensure all required documents are present in the in soft, hard and OTI Anywhere.
•Engaged in the Audit of TNB Liberty Power Limited – Responsible for auditing expenditure and compliance of PwC checklist.
•Engaged in the Grant audit of Save The Children USA – Grant given by The Consortium of British Humanitarian Agencies – Responsible for auditing costs as per the budget agreed with donor agencies.