Bonsai Leadership Group is excited to support HERA in its search for a Contracts & Grants Associate. Download the full position profile here.

ABOUT HERA

Established in 2023, HERA is a dynamic, global non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to protecting the health, income, and dignity of women on the frontlines of extreme heat. Given the significant gap in the understanding of extreme heat and its disproportional effects on women, HERA was co-founded by four women leaders who care deeply about addressing climate change and its impacts on women and vulnerable communities.

In its first two years, HERA has raised more than $20 million to expand its programs and impact. Today, HERA operates in eight countries, including Sierra Leone, Pakistan, Ghana, Liberia, Thailand, India, Kenya, the United States. With local partners, HERA creates and delivers practical, durable solutions shaped by the experiences and needs of marginalized women toward better health, more income, and sustained dignity.

HERA’s approach is guided by three key pillars that drive its mission forward: 

• Act Now & Innovate
  Design, deliver, and assess the impact of women-centered heat resilience interventions before, during, and after extreme heat events.
• Replicate Success
  Catalyze the expansion of effective women-centered heat interventions across geographies.
• Build the Field
  Build the field of extreme heat, growing capacity, and coherence across many actors and institutions.

With a commitment to equity, HERA is at the forefront of ensuring climate resilience for all, especially those most vulnerable to the dangers of extreme heat. To learn more about HERA’s mission and impact, visit heranow.org.

CORE VALUES

HERA is guided by four core values that inform its approach and commitment to climate resilience.

• Positivity: We build and nurture trusted partnerships with organizations, communities, and individuals who share our vision.
• The Power of Women: We champion women and marginalized genders, and amplify their leadership across our work.
• Informed Urgency:  Recognizing the immediate harms of the climate crisis, HERA is committed to taking swift and meaningful action.
• Partnership:  Collaboration, solidarity, and trust are the foundations of HERA’s approach.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As HERA’s first dedicated Contracts & Grants Associate (the Associate), this role plays a critical part in building and strengthening the systems that ensure contracts and grants move efficiently, accurately, and on time. Reporting to the Director of Contracts & Grants (the Director), the Associate supports and coordinates the full lifecycle of agreements while ensuring strong communication across the organization and compliance with donor requirements. 

The Associate manages a growing portfolio of incoming and outgoing awards and serves as a central point of coordination across internal teams, allowing them to focus on delivering impact in alignment with HERA’s mission.

This role is ideal for someone who is highly organized, detail-oriented, flexible, and energized by the challenge of creating order, anticipating needs, and following through in a dynamic environment without constant direction. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Procurement & Contract Lifecycle Support

• Coordinate the full lifecycle of outgoing contracts and procurements, from intake through closeout, including tracking status, managing internal reviews and approvals, and maintaining complete records
• Maintain and continuously improve a centralized contracts database 
• Proactively identify missing information, inconsistencies, and risks before they impact timelines or execution
• Draft routine contract documents using established templates
• Track contractual deadlines, deliverables, and compliance requirements, escalating risks or delays as needed

Sub-Grant Lifecycle Support

• Coordinate the full lifecycle of outgoing sub-grants and awards, from intake through closeout, including tracking status, managing internal reviews and approvals, and maintaining complete records
• Assist with drafting routine grant documents using established templates and route for review, approval, and signature 
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and proactively identify gaps, inconsistencies, or missing information before they create delays
• Apply organizational standards for compliance, donor terms, and grant obligations

Incoming Awards Compliance & Reporting

• Support the development and maintenance of a comprehensive tracking system for incoming awards, deadlines, deliverables, reporting requirements, and budgets
• Ensure the Program, Communications, and Finance teams provide timely inputs for donor reporting requirements, so that relevant staff and organizational leadership have adequate time to review
• Organize and manage internal meetings, including award kick-off meetings, progress reviews, and award closeout meetings as required 
• Monitor compliance requirements and escalate risks, required modifications, or upcoming deadlines

Systems & Data Management

• Maintain and update standardized processes, checklists, templates, and workflows developed by leadership; flag gaps or needed updates as they arise 
• Partner with the Director to build and implement contract and grant management systems and processes 
• Maintain and strengthen contract and grant tracking systems, ensuring data and documentation are accurate, well-organized, and accessible across teams

Internal Coordination & Team Support

• Serve as the primary internal point of contact across Development, Programs, Communications, Finance, and Operations, ensuring strong coordination and alignment across teams 
• Help onboard new staff, providing overviews of contract and grant templates, workflows, and compliance expectations, among others 
• Document lessons learned and contribute to continuous process improvement
• Contribute to a culture of shared compliance responsibility by being a responsive, reliable resource for colleagues across the organization

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate for this role will possess many of the following attributes and skills described below, but need not possess all of them for consideration:

• 2-5 years of experience in grant management, contract administration, nonprofit operations, or a related field within a compliance-driven global organization
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities while maintaining a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to identify errors, inconsistencies, and missing information, and take initiative to resolve them effectively
• Clear and proactive communication skills, including ability to navigate multiple stakeholders, ask the right questions, and follow up effectively across teams
• Proficiency with contract management and/or grant management platforms, spreadsheets, and collaboration tools, or comfort with learning new systems quickly
• Deep commitment to equity, feminist values, and global inclusivity

TRAVEL
Limited travel (domestic or international) may be required for staff retreats or partner support (less than 10%).  

LOCATION & WORK ENVIRONMENT

This is a remote, U.S.-based position with a preference for the person in this role to be located within the Eastern Time Zone. The role requires regular coordination across global teams, including occasional early morning or evening.