About the consultancy

This consultancy position offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with a groundbreaking grantmaking initiative supporting the rights of persons with disabilities. The Grants Consultant will help the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) and its sister organization, the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund (DRAF), build relationships with a target grantee community in Ukraine. The main objectives of the position are to support DRF staff with grantee communications and oversight and to review and evaluate Russian- and Ukrainian-language grant applications. The Fund is looking for a candidate who is able to work in a fast-paced environment, is flexible, takes initiative, and is independent, but team-oriented.

About the Disability Rights Fund

Launched in January of 2008 as a project of the Tides Center, the Disability Rights Fund is now an independent grantmaking collaborative aimed at building community capacity to achieve the rights of all persons with disabilities, in collaboration with its sister organization, the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund. The Funds make modest grants (USD $5000-100,000) to Disabled Persons’ Organizations in the Global South and in Eastern Europe/former Soviet Union for advancing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at country-level.  Please see our website, www.disabilityrightsfund.org , for more information about the fund.

About the DRF/DRAF Grants Process

In 2013, the Funds will launch their fifth year of grantmaking to organizations in Ukraine (as well as in 23 other countries around the world; in Africa, Ghana, Rwanda and Uganda; in Latin America & the Caribbean, Peru and Haiti; in Asia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and India; in the Middle East, Lebanon; and 14 Pacific Island Countries). A request for letters of interest (LoI) has already been publicized (with a deadline of January 14, 2013); a request for full proposals for those invited to apply after the LoI process will be posted February 11, 2013; the deadline for applications is in March 2013. Grant applications will be evaluated in a staged process, with the consultant and DRF staff completing a review in March - May and preparing dockets for a third review by the DRF and DRAF Grantmaking Committee and Boards in their meetings in June 2013.10

Current Ukrainian grantees (who began projects September 1 2012) will be submitting grant mid-term reports in March 2013. The consultant will aid DRF staff in review of these reports and communications with grantees about their project implementation.

Consultant Responsibilities

• Interface with DRF staff and current Ukrainian grantees to ensure that projects are progressing smoothly.
• Support DRF staff in Ukrainian grantee mid-term report review and communications with grantees about reports.  
• Conduct grants information dissemination and grants review, evaluation and tracking process for Ukrainian applicants, in conjunction with DRF staff.
• Serve as liaison between DRF and Russian and Ukrainian-speaking prospective grantees to help translate emails, answer questions, complete application paperwork, and build relationships, including through organizing and participating in Grantee Convenings and site visits.

Skills and qualifications

The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• Grantmaking or grantseeking experience preferred
• Professional written and verbal translation skills Russian and Ukrainian to English and English to Russian and Ukrainian
• Strong administrative and organizational skills; the ability to manage time efficiently
• Computer proficiency (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Demonstrated ability to work well with diverse populations from around the world
• Familiarity with the Ukrainian community of Disabled Persons’ Organizations and the CRPD preferred
• Bachelors degree, or equivalent with minimum 5 years of relevant experience; advanced degree desired

Compensation

Commensurate with experience.

Time Commitment

February-December, 5-40 hours per week.

How to apply

The Disability Rights Fund is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, and people of color, including bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities. People with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please email or mail a cover letter, resume, three references (with contact information and relationship), writing sample (five page maximum) to:

Disability Rights Fund
Diana Samarasan, Director
Third Sector New England’s NonProfit Center
89 South Street, Suite 203
Boston, MA 02111-2670 USA
[email protected]
(please no phone calls)
Fax: (617) 261-1977 

Deadline: Applications must be received by January 20, 2013