About Us
Agriculture is the key to unlocking a better future for billions of people. But while rural families sustain the world, they struggle to sustain themselves. At the same time, they face increasingly urgent challenges, from volatile crop prices to extreme weather.
Root Capital is a social impact investor that provides financing and business training to agricultural enterprises so that they can transform rural communities. We work with enterprises in the “missing middle” of agricultural finance: those whose credit needs are too big for microfinance and too small or risky for commercial banks.
Since 1999, we have loaned over $1.9B to more than 800 businesses and we have trained more than 1,800 ones—improving the lives of 10 million people. As these agricultural businesses succeed and scale, they become engines of impact for their local communities, raising incomes, creating jobs, uplifting women and young people, preserving vulnerable ecosystems, and building rural prosperity.
Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Root Capital currently works in a dozen countries in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, and has staff in Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, Ghana, and Kenya.
Position Overview
This role will provide direct support to subaward administration and activity monitoring. Subawards play a key role in the implementation of 4 out of 5 objectives, and ensuring their technical and financial compliance with USAID regulations and best practices is of the utmost importance to Root Capital. Monitoring activities include routine desk monitoring and coordination, as well as site visits and will be in direct communication with Root Capital’s impact MEL to ensure internal alignment with our policies and processes.
The Grants Management Associate will systematize learnings from the Partnership to not only support our reporting process but also inform decision making to adjust the course of activities as needed and provide insights to strengthen our strategy on topics like building climate resilience, gender inclusion, and opportunities for youth.
Duties & Responsibilities
Subaward administration and grant activity monitoring (50%)
- Support the administrative and legal process to engage and disburse funds to subawards and grantees in coordination with internal stakeholders ensuring compliance.
- In coordination with the Project Director track monitor activities implemented by sub awardees and project grantees to ensure that:
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- Outputs are aligned with the annual work plans
- Additional data and information is gathered for each grantee
- An assessment on the achievement of the results is carried out
- Impact monitoring questions or updates related to the activity MELP are communicated with Root Capital’s Impact MEL team and aligned with Root Capital’ impact MEL practices.
- All parties involved are in compliance with contractual requirements throughout the duration of the agreements.
Monitoring activities include desk monitoring—comprising the review of periodic narrative and financial reports—as well as site visits. Reporting monitoring, is a subprocess that complements Root Capital’s impact MEL activities.
- Based on monitor results and in coordination with the Project Director recommend if necessary corrective actions to internal Root Capital teams to ensure the correct implementation of activities under the responsibility of subgrantees. Assist in validating that these recommendations align with Root Capital’s Impact MEL practices.
- In coordination with the Director of Grants Management develop clear guidelines and procedures to administer and manage subgrantees.
Partnership learnings for decision making (40%)
- Participate in client visits, training, and other field activities to collect qualitative information of key activities such as building climate resilience, gender inclusion and opportunities for youth.
- Organize and analyze qualitative information related to activities implemented in both Honduras and globally..
- In coordination with the Project Director and other areas of Root Capital support in producing technical and financial briefs and reports for internal and external use, highlighting learnings and opportunities for Root Capital’s current project strategy in Honduras.
- In coordination with the Project Director, share with key stakeholders the learnings and insights of the partnership to inform decision making during implementation of the Honduras Coffee and Community Activity.
- In coordination with the Director of Grants Management, systematize learnings and good practices for Subaward and Grantee Management at Root Capital.
General Administrative Support (10%)
- Provide logistic and administrative support to the Project Director when necessary.
- Facilitate communication among internal and external implementers and liaise with the Project Director.
Required Skills and Experience
- At least 3 years of experience in a non-profit setting working with grants
- At least 2 years of experience supporting project management
- Experience working in bilateral or multilateral partnerships preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, or a related field
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail and contribute to innovative solutions
- Excellence in written, verbal, and visual communication skills for reporting research findings and recommendations
- Ability to work independently on assigned tasks and activities, as well as with other team members
- Ability to use digital tools, not limited to Microsoft products (Word, Excel). Knowledge of Salesforce is a plus.
- Experience with data visualization software (Tableau, PowerBI, or similar) and data collection platforms (doForms, Kobotoolbox, or SurveyCTO etc.) is a plus.
- Fluent Spanish and proficient English language ability.
- Willingness to travel to rural areas in Honduras, independently or accompanied by the Program Director or other Root Capital colleagues.
- Interest in areas such as poverty reduction, agricultural value-chain development; economic growth, job creation, small and medium-size enterprise business development
