Grant Operations Director

About the Role and Organization

The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity is seeking an accomplished Grant Operations Director to architect and oversee its grant management system. This pioneering role within Operations is accountable for ensuring that each grant is meticulously tracked, compliant with regulations, auditable, and efficiently managed throughout the entire lifecycle, from initial intake to close-out. The director will collaborate closely with Programs, MEL, Legal Affairs, and Audit & Risk Management departments to create scalable, robust, and technology-driven grant processes that deliver measurable impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the Foundation’s grant-making strategy, aligning funding instruments and portfolio decisions with overarching mission and priorities.
• Translate leadership’s strategic directives into coherent grant approaches, including eligibility, funding mechanisms, and portfolio allocation.
• Advise senior management on grant design features such as disbursement structures and risk assessment to reinforce organizational goals.
• Represent and explain grant strategies to governance committees and external partners to ensure transparency and consistency.
• Design, implement, and maintain comprehensive policies, SOPs, templates, and workflows governing all stages of the grant lifecycle.
• Create a controlled yet pragmatic grant operating model suitable for a rapidly scaling philanthropic entity.
• Manage intake processes, eligibility screenings, application assessments, and funding recommendations to ensure alignment and thorough documentation.
• Maintain rigorous grant approval procedures including delegation of authority, conflict of interest protocols, and decision documentation.
• Ensure complete audit-readiness and compliance via strong documentation, risk-based due diligence frameworks, and coordination with audit teams.
• Oversee configuration and maintenance of grant management software and IT-enabled systems that support workflow, data integrity, and scalability.
• Develop portfolio-wide reporting and dashboards to monitor pipeline, commitments, disbursements, performance, risk, and close-out status.
• Manage grant agreements, disbursement workflows, amendments, and close-out activities, including escalation protocols for issues such as non-compliance or financial irregularities.
• Supervise financial governance related to grants, including budget validity, value for money, cash flow management, and reconciliation, collaborating closely with corporate finance.
• Support partner onboarding, capacity-building initiatives, user guidance, and training materials to facilitate smooth adoption of grants processes.
• Lead, build, and nurture the Grant Operations team, setting clear roles, expectations, and bolstering capabilities aligned with foundation growth.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in finance, business administration, public administration, international development, or a related discipline.
• Preferably holds professional certifications related to grants management, financial or program management, such as CPA, ACCA, CIA, or PMP.
• At least 12 years of experience in grants management or program compliance within foundations or development agencies.
• Proficient understanding of grant processes, systems, documentation standards, and digital workflow design.
• Well-versed in compliance, due diligence, auditing procedures, and donor requirements.
• Experienced in collaborating cross-functionally with senior stakeholders across Programs, MEL, Legal, and Audit & Risk functions.
• Strong track record in implementing IT-enabled grant management or case management platforms.
• Skilled in designing grant governance frameworks, risk management, and presenting critical insights to executives and boards.
• Fluency in English is mandatory.

Additional Information and Terms

• This position is a two-year renewable contract based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
• Occasional travel may be required.
• Applicants must submit their CV in English, Microsoft Word format, and within 10MB limit.
• Applications in other languages or formats will not be accepted.