Partnerships & Grants Management Specialist

Contract

This is a DRC - National contract. More about DRC - National contracts.

Overall purpose of the role: DRC is seeking a dynamic and self-motivated Partnerships and Grants Management Specialist to support the Programme Development and Partnerships team to carry out its mission in Iraq through supporting subgrants, grants, compliance, management, and reporting, with a particular focus on our growing partnerships portfolio. The position holder will be responsible for the administrative coordination of day-to-day matters related to sub-grants, developing effective relations and communications with all partners, and supporting the Partnerships and Localization Specialist in establishing and strengthening partnership systems as per DRC standards and contextually relevant best practice. The position holder will also conduct training on partnerships principles in line with the goals of DRC’s strategy for partnerships. It is envisaged that up to 50 per cent of the role will also include providing grants management support to DRC’s direct implementation portfolio.

Responsibilities:

Strategy:

• In collaboration with partners and localization specialist, articulate DRC Iraq strategic approach to partnerships and advise the Senior Management Team (SMT) on matters related to areas of strategy, staffing and structure as well as compliance with partnerships systems.
• Collaborate with technical coordinators to proactively identify potential partnerships with local and international organizations, both through the annual stakeholder analysis process as well as through external networking, regular research, and engagement with actors in Iraq.
• Support and participate in DRC strategic planning process and provide insight on historical and current events that could impact program and partnership.

Technical Support – Partnerships

• Oversee, facilitate, and coordinate all aspects of partnership life cycle management, from stakeholder analysis and funding, partner identification, due diligence, project development, agreement, start-up, implementation, monitoring through to close-out, coordinating effectively with all programs, operations, and finance components.
• Conduct pre-award due diligence of potential partners through DRC’s pre-award due diligence tools. Document the partners’ assessment reports in the standard format.
• Assist the partnerships and localization specialist in partner selection process by drafting Request for Application documents, performing initial assessment of partner proposals, arranging selection meetings, recording meeting notes, and pre-award due diligence processes.
• Review the partner’s budgets and ensure that the budget costs are justified and aligned with program activities.
• Assist Partnerships Specialist in capacity building plan for partners.
• In collaboration with partnerships specialist, provide training for NGO staff on grants and partnership management, including conducting formal training and on-the-job mentorship.
• Review and feedback on project reporting from partner organizations, in close coordination with the Partnerships and Localization Specialist and all relevant departments.
• Support on the coordination of partner concept notes and proposals, as needed. These will be designed in collaboration with programme staff and technical advisors, ensuring adherence to the country, regional and global strategy.
• Following monitoring and subsequent discussions with the Project Manager and other departments recommend financial, administrative and program training activities for sub-recipients.
• Coordinate with program coordinators to conduct kick off meetings, workshops, and program review meetings for partners.
• Add inputs, recommendations and participate in the implementation of the program and the country strategy.
• Work in coordination with DRC Program Managers to do service mapping for local NGOs in field sites and proposed trainings based on the Program objectives.

Partner Support and Capacity Building

• Facilitate the collaborative development and delivery of the partner project support plan, ensuring that it appropriately addresses issues identified in the due diligence process, and coordinate with relevant departments for the timely, quality implementation of the plan.
• Ensure DRC Iraq team understand partner capacity strengthening priorities and identifies opportunities and plans for DRC to support partner capacity strengthening efforts.
• In collaboration with technical, operational teams, and partnerships and localization specialist, design capacity building strategies based on clear needs identification and understanding of the operating context, and demonstrable experience of working with civil society organizations and with the implementation of those programs, as well as social accountability and governance programming.
• In coordination with the partnerships and localization specialist, provide and/or facilitate partnership management trainings, refresher trainings and ongoing support on partnership management and compliance for key partners and DRC staff.
• Collaborate with technical coordinators to integrate technical capacity sharing approaches, including on how DRC can learn from local partners.

Coordination - Partnerships

• Coordinate with the Finance team to ensure partners' liquidity and advances for the smooth running of partners' financial reporting.
• Maintain effective coordination with the program colleagues to track partner’s program activities.
• Ensure that timely and reliable sub-grants administration support is provided to all units within the office.
• Maintain regular and effective coordination with partner organizations to ensure smooth implementation of project activities and closeout.
• Facilitate partner grant kick-off and close-out meetings to monitor project progress and ensure donor compliance, operation/programme integration, procurement planning, sharing of lessons learned, etc.
• Champion robust partner relationship management characterized by core partnerships principles of responsibility, results-oriented approach, equality, transparency, and complementarity.
• Conduct periodic monitoring visits of partner project sites.

Compliance

• Monitor sub-grant compliance of partner organizations with the DRC & Donors rule & regulations and provide periodic orientation to partner staff on compliance requirements.
• Provide periodic orientation to partner’s staff on compliance requirements.
• Draft sub-grant agreements and amendments of partners in compliance with DRC rules and regulations. Also, ensure proper program description and responsibility determination for partners.
• Support in developing and updating the tracking tools and templates for effective partnership management.
• Maintain sub-grant files, including regularly updating DRC’s Grants Management System (DRC Dynamics).

Reporting and Grants Management

• Coordinate external reporting, ensuring high-quality, well-written and timely reports meeting donor and DRC requirements, with support from the technical program coordinators and programme managers.
• Maintain grant files, including regularly updating DRC’s Grants Management System (DRC Dynamics).
• Maintain the grants and report tracking system to ensure all grant files are organized and well managed for planning and preparation of donor reports and project monitoring.
• Coordinate grants management tasks including contract review and signature process and ensuring adherence to DRC internal compliance tools.
• Support the Programme Development Manager in providing timely, thorough responses to information requests from internal and external sources.

Communications

• Support development of communication pieces, press releases and success stories.
• Facilitate communication between HQ, Regional and Country Team offices on grants-related issues.

Direct Support to Field Teams

• Conduct visits to field locations, to support and oversee the above activities, including proposal development, reporting, grants kick off, closure, and review meetings, and capacity building on various topics.
• Regular field visits to project sites in order to better understand DRC’s programming.

Where feasible, the position duties are flexible to a degree to allow the candidate to develop skills of his/her choice and may include sectoral knowledge, business development, capacity building and specialization in specific donor rules and regulations. This can be arranged in discussions with the line manager. The candidate must also demonstrate commitment to mainstreaming Age, Gender, and Diversity considerations throughout their work. The responsibilities listed in the JD are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

Experience and technical competencies:

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, with master’s degree strongly preferred.
• At least 3 year of INGO experience working on projects in partnerships with local NGOs, preferably in grants and subgrants management and partnerships.
• At least two years of NGO field experience in a similar position that includes working proposal development, reporting, and grants management.
• Ability to travel frequently in Federal Iraq
• Knowledge of key donor (UN, EC, USG, SDC, etc.) regulations, procedures, and requirements.
• Proven ability to develop quality reports for donors.
• Demonstrated experience in capacity-building or training skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, with ability to determine priorities and pay attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a multicultural context as a flexible and respectful team player.
• High-level knowledge and practice with Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Ability/willingness to work with extremely tight deadlines and multiple tasks.
• Willingness to follow security policies and procedures.

Education :

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, with master’s degree a benefit.

Languages:

Fluency in Arabic and English is required

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment

We offer:

• Contract Length: 8 months (extendable upon funding)
• Salary Band: G (Non-management)
• Start Date: May15, 2023

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff.

Diversity & Inclusion: DRC Iraq is committed to promoting an inclusive work environment according to our Age, Gender, and Diversity approach (AGD). We aim to have a more diversified leadership structure creating opportunities for qualified women to take on managerial roles. We also continuously work to make our workplace more accessible for persons with specific needs. We offer benefits related to psychosocial support, health insurance, maternity and paternity leave, child sick leave, and lactation breaks. As part of our commitment to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, we strongly encourage applications from female candidates, persons living with disabilities, as well as representatives of minorities