Partnerships Manager

Job Description

Program Brief

Founded in 1933, International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading agencies working in post-conflict and development contexts, supporting communities in over 40 fragile, failed and developing states. In this capacity, we work to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted, struggling to endure and wishing to advance on a path of development.

IRC has been present in Bangladesh since 2017 and obtained registration with the NGOAB in March 2018. Since IRC obtained registration in March 2018, it has moved quickly to expand its integrated emergency health and protection response through both direct and partner-based programming focused on primary healthcare, women’s protection and empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence and child protection. Through 2018, the IRC’s response strategy will primarily target Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, while meeting the significant needs in both refugee and host populations, as already existing vulnerabilities are compounded with cyclical monsoon and cyclone seasons that impose additional threats to the lives and protection of those refugees as well as vulnerable host populations. IRC is growing its programming to cover education and livelihoods/DRR, as well as its geographic footprint in the host community and to other parts of the country.

Purpose of the Role

The Partnerships Manager is a key position supporting the Bangladesh Country Program. With the overall objective of achieving high quality and compliant programming, the main goal of this position is to manage a partnership portfolio and support the Partnership Working Group to ensure effective sub-grants management and build strong, sustainable partners. The post holder will coordinate the daily management of the sub-award lifecycle and invest in their sustainable growth and capacity for the Bangladesh portfolio.

The post is required to coordinate with the following parties:

Internal: Technical Coordinators, Partnerships Department Staff, Finance team, Supply Chain team.

External: Partner staff

Highlights of Key Responsibilities

Promote Effective Partnerships:

· Promote and apply the IRC’s Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results system (PEERS); contribute to building a strong understanding of PEERS throughout the Bangladesh Country Program, and to ensuring that IRC’s partnership principles, skills and approaches are applied by staff across programs and projects with partners

· Facilitate systematic partner feedback on IRC’s management of the partnership relationship, including the documentation of, and response to partner feedback

Partnership Management:

· Support the Partnership Working Group with facilitation and coordination of all partnership management processes to ensure well planned, timely, coordinated and coherent partnership management

· Lead in the overall management of all partnerships in your portfolio and all PEERS processes / documentation

· Support the program team in facilitation of Partnership Project Opening, review and Closing Meetings

· Coordinate narrative and finance reporting processes, including reviews and feedback

· Support the Partnership Working Group members to ensure timely and effective partner program, finance, and compliance review and reflection (monitoring)

· Support the Partnership Working Group members to ensure project support plans are implemented in line with agreements

· Maintain complete and organized partnership files for each partner

· Maintain up to date Partnership Project Tracker/ Monitoring Schedule

· Process sub-awards modifications in a timely manner ensuring that the relevant IRC units (in-country and at the HQ) provide their inputs and approve the modification

· Support the Partnership Working Group to ensure the smooth close out of partner projects, as applicable

· Responsible for managing the relevant partnership email inbox

Qualifications

Experience and Competencies: Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

·Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in (I)NGO in humanitarian or development programs

· Experience working with FCDO, ECHO and other European donors preferred

· Demonstrated successful experience in partners and/or grants management

· Experience in tracking agreed plans with multiple sectors

· Experience using various project management tools

· Demonstrable understanding of project planning and project cycle management

· Required to be able to function comfortably in a complex work environment, under pressure whilst prioritizing multiple tasks

· Ability to conduct analysis and come up with plans of actions and recommendations

· Ability to build good working relationships and work effectively with program, field staff and HQ from a distance

· Ability to respond to multiple priorities in a timely manner, producing high-quality outcomes

· Self-motivated and able to handle multiple work demands

· Diplomatic and tactful, able to work with diverse teams

· Strong ability to communicate and maintain positive working relationships with external and internal audiences is highly desirable for this position

· Adhere to the partnership principles and promote the principles within all key department from the IRC and partners’ staff

· Excellent command over MS Word, MS Excel and PowerPoint

· Fluency in English Language is essential

Specific Educational Qualification

· Bachelor’s/ Master’s degree with major in Development Studies/ Economics/ Business Administration or any other relevant field

Professional Degree/ Certification

· N/A

Standard of Professional Conduct

IRC and IRC employees are required to abide by the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct which are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity

We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Are you ready to join the most dynamic team?