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Director of Contracts, Grants & Procurement

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*This position may work remotely from any of the following US states: AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NY, NC, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA. Additionally, the position may work remotely from any of the following countries outside of the US: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya/Alliance locations, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, and Zambia.

The Director of Contracts, Grants & Procurement is a key member of the global Ipas leadership team, bringing advanced legal and contract expertise to drive the highest level of award management, compliance, and procurement strategies. This role will leverage extensive legal knowledge and complex grant management experience to ensure Ipas adheres to the most rigorous compliance standards, mitigating risks and enhancing Ipas’s mission and strategic goals. The Director will demonstrate a deep commitment to the communities we serve, embody Ipas’s values, and provide strategic counsel and leadership to both global and regional teams.

This position manages a high-performing team that leads the creation of processes, tools and training aimed at mitigating risks associated with donor requirements, Ipas policies, and local laws. The Director is accountable for strengthening Ipas’s programmatic and operational capacity to navigate complex legal frameworks, ensuring compliance with donor stipulations, and fostering adherence to best practices in organizational compliance, contracts and grants management, and procurement.

The Director will ensure a comprehensive understanding and application of compliance procedures, fostering a culture of legal and contractual excellence throughout Ipas. This role will actively collaborate with global teams, supporting capacity-building initiatives, delivering advanced technical assistance, and driving consistent implementation of policies, procedures, and lessons learned.

As Ipas continues its transition to a networked organization, the Director will play a vital role in dismantling hierarchical structures, supporting local decision-making, and fostering cross-functional collaboration, with a particular focus on advancing both operational efficiency and legal accountability.

Hiring range for a US-based candidate is $145,000 to $170,000.00. Compensation for this position will be determined by the prevailing market rate in the employee's country and the applicable statutory laws, in addition to Ipas's own pay philosophy and other factors, such as the employee's experience level and expertise.

Primary Responsibilities:

Provide strategic oversight and guidance to Ipas’s global contracts and grants function, ensuring the highest levels of compliance with legal, donor, and organizational award requirements.
Leverage advanced legal expertise to represent Ipas in complex negotiations with donors, partners, and other stakeholders, ensuring that terms and conditions align with Ipas’s strategic interests while remaining legally sound.
Develop tailored solutions for global teams to navigate complex compliance issues, balancing donor stipulations with operational flexibility in alignment with Ipas’s core mission and values.
Cultivate a culture of legal and compliance excellence, encouraging a balance of operational flexibility with a firm adherence to legal frameworks, donor regulations, and Ipas policies.
Support the review and approval process of Ipas award terms and the seamless, well-informed transition from funded proposal to award implementation and close out.
Lead cross-functional collaboration with the Director of Finance and other senior leaders to ensure legal robustness of proposal budgets, donor negotiations, financial reporting, and downstream partner agreements.
Oversee the global procurement function, developing legal and risk mitigation strategies in procurement processes, including establishing legally compliant vendor agreements and identifying risks unique to country- specific programs.
Guide the development of internal policies to minimize financial, contractual, and legal risks, ensuring that all processes and tools align with industry best practices and legal requirements.
Provide legal and compliance subject matter expertise to shape Ipas’s organizational objectives, strategies, and budgets, ensuring a proactive approach to risk management and legal adherence
Lead the hiring and professional development of the CG&P team, ensuring staff are equipped with advanced legal knowledge and skills to support the organization’s compliance framework.
Partners with Network Risk Director regarding Ipas’s Whistleblower/Ethics hotline program, as applicable.
Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

A Master’s degree in law, business, international affairs, or a relevant field or Bachelor’s degree with extensive experience in legal, compliance, or award management. Proven ability to interpret and apply complex legal documents to ensure compliance, mitigate risk, and provide legal counsel in the context of non-profit work.
Eight years’ professional experience in the international nonprofit sector, with proven expertise in award management, compliance, procurement and legal frameworks.
3-5 Years Management experience with demonstrated ability to build teams and promote collaboration to share learning, experience and create a culture of continuous improvement to support compliance.
Demonstrated legal or compliance expertise in contracts, grants, subawards and procurement, with a focus on mitigating risks and maintaining adherence to complex regulatory requirements.
Two years’ professional experience supporting global programs in Asia, Africa, and/or Latin America
Fluency in English, with excellent written and oral communication skills
Ability to travel internationally up to 10%

Preferred:

Legal or compliance credentials, such as JD, LLM, or certifications in international contracts or compliance.
Direct experience managing multi-region grants and navigating complex legal and compliance landscapes.
Fluency in a second language utilized at Ipas preferred for international legal collaboration

Competencies:

Decisive Risk Management and Problem Solving
Anticipates challenges and proactively identifies solutions. Gathers necessary inputs, analyzes available data, assesses potential risks, and makes informed decisions, even in the absence of complete information. Documents the analysis, objectives, and desired outcomes of key decisions. Reviews the impact and consequences of decisions and learns openly from mistakes.

Communication and Collaboration
Actively listens, fosters trust, and communicates effectively with team members. Works collaboratively across organizational teams, ensuring clear and concise sharing of information and ideas.

Critical Guidance and Conflict Management
Skilled in addressing conflict and providing constructive guidance with empathy and factual clarity. Delivers difficult feedback thoughtfully and encourages team members to express their concerns. Facilitates the development of skills for turning difficult conversations into productive, valued exchanges. Understands the benefits of conflict and supports colleagues in embracing diverse perspectives, learning from one another, and co-creating innovative solutions.

Take the Work Seriously, but Not Yourself
Strives for excellence while acknowledging that perfection is unattainable. Embraces mistakes with humility and humor, understanding that the pursuit of perfection should never hinder the mission to support and serve women and girls effectively.

Ipas is strongly committed to providing a work environment that is free from all forms of harassment, discrimination, and inequity. We recruit, employ, train, promote, and compensate our personnel without regard to race, age, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, ancestry, citizenship, caste, ethnicity, regional identity, tribal identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic protected by law or outlined by Ipas policy. Ipas acknowledges that these personal characteristics may differ in different contexts.

Average salary estimate

$157500 / YEARLY (est.)

min

max

$145000K

$170000K

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What You Should Know About Director of Contracts, Grants & Procurement, Ipas

Join Ipas as the Director of Contracts, Grants & Procurement in beautiful Chapel Hill, NC, or from the comfort of your home in several states or countries worldwide! In this pivotal role, you will become a crucial member of Ipas’s global leadership team, bringing your advanced legal and contract expertise to the forefront. Your mission? Drive award management, uphold compliance, and optimize procurement strategies that genuinely impact the communities we serve. As the Director, you'll manage a high-performing team and spearhead initiatives that ensure our processes align with the most stringent compliance standards. You'll flex your extensive legal knowledge to mitigate risks, enhance Ipas’s mission, and forge strong relationships with donors and partners. Your strategic counsel will shape policies that guide teams through complex legal frameworks, fostering adherence to best practices at every step. Collaboration is key, and you’ll work closely with various teams to champion capacity-building efforts and ensure a seamless transition from funding proposals to award implementation. Additionally, your leadership will aim to dismantle hierarchical structures, empowering local decision-making, and enhancing operational efficiency across the organization. If you're passionate about creating a culture of legal excellence and driving impactful change, Ipas could be the perfect fit for you!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Director of Contracts, Grants & Procurement Role at Ipas

What are the primary responsibilities of the Director of Contracts, Grants & Procurement at Ipas?

As the Director of Contracts, Grants & Procurement at Ipas, your primary responsibilities include overseeing global contracts and grants functions, ensuring compliance with legal and donor requirements, and leveraging your legal expertise in negotiations. You will also guide teams in developing tailored solutions for compliance challenges while fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration across the organization.