Welbodi Partnership
BACKGROUND
Welbodi Partnership is a UK-registered charity working to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity in Sierra Leone. Since 2008, Welbodi Partnership has worked in partnership with hospital management, health facility staff, and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to improve maternal and child health outcomes in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. We do this through a range of health system strengthening activities, staff training, hospital improvement projects, and community engagement.
Our vision is that all women and children in Sierra Leone will have access to effective essential healthcare services characterised by respect and dignity for all. Our mission is to build the capacity and effectiveness of the health system in Sierra Leone using evidence-based practice to reduce the number of women and children who are sick, suffer, or die unnecessarily.
Our programmes include support to Ola During Children’s Hospital, the only national tertiary referral hospital for paediatrics, supporting maternal health and research capacity building across Sierra Leone through implementation of the CRIBS Research Programme.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1. Deliver Lasting Results
2. Working in Partnership
3. Health Systems Approach
4. Valuing People
5. Evidence based approach
For further information, please see: www.welbodipartnership.org
CONTEXT
One in ten children in Sierra Leone die before their fifth birthday, mainly from preventable and treatable diseases. A lot of work remains to be done if Sierra Leone is to reach Sustainable Development Goal 3; ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. Whilst there are interventions which address child health, there are few providing the high-level technical support needed, meaning care remains rudimentary. There is an urgent need for quality tertiary healthcare for children, requiring trained staff and well-equipped facilities to enable clinicians to make appropriate decisions about care.
The maternal mortality rate (MMR) in Sierra Leone is the highest in the world, 1 in 17 women are will die during pregnancy or childbirth. Maternal deaths account for 36% of all deaths in women aged between 15-49 years. Although not all deaths in the community may be accounted for due to low levels of reporting, maternal death review and surveillance reports indicate that the majority of these women will die in a health facility (81.8%).
The recent Ebola outbreak highlighted severe challenges to Sierra Leone’s health system: a limited health workforce in numbers and quality, ineffective supply chains and challenged management systems. Sierra Leone has one of the weakest health infrastructures in the world and continues to be liable to outbreaks and other considerable public health issues.
ODCH is a national teaching hospital with over 300 clinical staff; around 75% are nurses, as well as a continuous stream of nursing and medical students who rotate through the facility as a part of their undergraduate training. Since students and junior doctors, who may later take up jobs at district hospitals, have mandatory rotations through the paediatric hospital, our capacity building work has the potential to impact the quality of clinical care across the country.
MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
The Grants Manager will work with the Programmes Managers, Finance Manager and Country Director to ensure quality programming through effective grant management. The role will include programme development, proposal writing, managing contracts with donors and subcontractors, leading on due diligence processes and ensuring compliance with internal and donor requirements. The Grants Manager will lead on reporting to donors, working closely with the Programmes Managers, Finance Manager and Country Director to ensure timely reporting to meet donor deadlines and developing new proposals for future programmes.
Reporting to, and supported by, the Country Director, the Grants Manager will be responsible for the specific responsibilities listed below, but the role will also include other duties necessary for the success of the organisation’s programmes and of Welbodi Partnership.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILTIES
GRANTS MANAGEMENT
- Oversee Welbodi Partnership’s grants portfolio, updating relevant team members on donor policies and contractual requirements.
- Responsible for ensuring timely reporting to donors for all grants, both narrative and financial, working closely with the programmes, monitoring & evaluation and finance teams.
- Working with the Programmes Managers to set-up timely grant kick off and closeout meetings.
- Manage programme budgets ensuring spending is kept within budget lines, working closely with the Programmes and Finance Managers, ensuring strict compliance with reporting and contractual requirements and internal financial policies, setting up training as required.
- Keep abreast of alterations in donor requirements and cascade the information to teams as required.
- Participate in project review meetings to ensure deliverables are being met in line with contracts.
- Lead fundraising efforts to secure additional programmes and unrestricted funding for Welbodi Partnership
- Responsible for ensuring programmes adhere to contractual donor requirements.
- Responsible for conducting due diligence on subcontracted partners and coordinate drafting of partner subcontracts.
- Contribute to quarterly Board meetings, updating the Board on grant and proposal development progress.
PARTNERSHIPS
- Responsible for ensuring good working relationships with the Country Director, Programmes Managers, Finance Manager and M&E Manager to ensure timely reporting.
- Establishes and maintains close working relationships with donors.
- Establishes and maintains close working relationships with partners to ensure alignment with priority areas, needs and parallel programmes.
PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT & FUNDRAISING
- Develops proposals for new grants with the support of the Country Director, ensuring alignment of proposed projects with Ministry of Health and Sanitation priorities and ensuring sustainability is factored from the design phase.
- Keep abreast of funding opportunities and regularly update the organisational fundraising matrix.
- Work with the Country Director and the Welbodi Partnership Board to update the Funding Strategy of the organisation.
- Works with the Programmes and Finance Teams to develop quality concept notes, proposals and budgets, meeting internal and external deadlines.
- Supports Ola During Children’s Hospital with developing a ‘Friends of ODCH’ fundraising network.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT
- Ensures that all grant-related documents, including contracts, budgets, reporting templates and submitted reports are uploaded to the shared Drive.
- Working with the Programmes Managers and Country Director, ensures that case studies, photos and field reports are shared with donors as partners as required.
- Leads on social media management for the organisation, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
- Tracks spending against grant budgets with the finance and programmes teams.
- Participates in monthly budget review meetings to assess spending against grant budgets.
SECURITY AND SAFEGUARDING
- Assesses risks to grants and mitigation plans in collaboration with the Country Director and Programmes Managers.
- Ensures that grant-related documentation, data and information is secured, and ensure staff has access to necessary files.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
ESSENTIAL
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in related field from a recognised University.
Experience
- Demonstrable grant management experience.
- Results-oriented: experience of accurate and timely reporting.
- Experience with a variety of donors and other partners and their specific reporting and compliance requirements.
- Experience managing multiple tasks and/or projects concurrently.
- At least three years INGO experience.
- Experience in proposal and report writing with a proven ability to secure donor funding.
Knowledge
- Demonstrated ability to assess needs, design programmes.
- A keen grasp of the role played by an organisation like Welbodi Partnership in the context of global health and development.
Skills
- Demonstrated management and organisational skills, with meticulous attention to detail.
- Strategic and innovative thinker with proven ability to communicate a vision.
- Excellent IT, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated financial skills: budget monitoring and financial reporting.
- Ability to communicate complex ideas with others.
- Ability to learn and apply new skills and techniques on the job.
- Ability to work effectively with others in a cross-cultural environment, as a leader and influencer.
Personal Attributes
- Motivated and hardworking.
- Strong ability to manage time well and work to multiple and strict deadlines under pressure.
- Reliable and conscientious approach to duties.
- Passionate about improving maternal and child healthcare in Sierra Leone and a keen interest in Health System Strengthening.
- Absolute commitment to teaching and learning and skills improvement of others.
- Commitment to developing equitable partnerships.
Other
- Fluent written and spoken English.
- Willingness to accept basic living and working conditions.
- Commitment to the goals and principles of Welbodi Partnership.
DESIRABLE
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in related field from a recognised University.
Experience
- At least four years’ senior grant management experience is preferred. International development and/or global health experience preferred.
- Management experience to include fundraising and budget management.
- Experience in the charity sector and/or in impoverished, post-conflict, or other challenging environments.
- We are open to considering exceptional and committed candidates with less experience if they possess the energy and skill set to drive our organisation forward.
Knowledge
- Knowledge of relevant evidence-based approaches to improving maternal, neonatal, and child health, and of national and international strategies and frameworks in these areas.
Skills
- Experience in building relationships with governmental ministries and agencies.
Other
- Fluency in Krio and/or other local languages desirable.
GENERAL POLICIES PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES
In addition to the key job responsibilities detailed in this job description all employees and volunteers at Welbodi Partnership are expected to comply with the general duties outlined below and detailed in full in our policies.
SAFEGUARDING
Welbodi Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected to behave in such a way thatsupports this commitment. Applicants for this position should be aware that if successful, they will be requested to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, or equivalent in countries other than the UK. The Welbodi Partnership complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice.
DATA PROTECTION
Welbodi Partnership complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Welbodi Partnership is committed to a comprehensive policy of Equal Opportunities in volunteering and employment in which individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities and are given equal opportunities within the organisation. It is the Welbodi Partnership’s policy as an employer to treat all people equally irrespective of race, ethnic origin, nationality, sex, marital or parental status, gender, sexual orientation, creed, disability, age or political belief.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Welbodi Partnership operates in tertiary and primary healthcare facilities in one of the world’s poorest countries. Consequently, working conditions can be challenging, including many things we take for granted in other working environments, such as running water, power, communications, staff competency and regular supplies of essential medicines and equipment – many of these things are not a given in the environments where we work. Whilst every reasonable effort is made to ensure a safe working environment, this is a challenging context, much of which is out of our control. Welbodi Partnership places a strong emphasis on staff health and well-being and strives to ensure staff comfort at all times.
JOB REVISION
This job description should be viewed as a guide to the duties required and is not definitive or restrictive in any way. The duties of the post may be varied from time to time in response to changing circumstances.
SALARY/BENEFITS
Based on job competency alignment to internal pay scales. The full remuneration package will be discussed with shortlisted candidates.
How to apply
The closing date for applications is the 9th of June – we encourage potential applicants to submit as soon as possible.
To apply for this position please send your cover letter, CV and contact details of 3 referees in one email to [email protected] using the following subject title: Application – Grants Manager.
Please include the following in your cover letter (2 pages maximum):
- Reasons for applying to this position
- Overview of key experience related to this post
- Your country of residence and nationality
- Date you are able to commence and duration of availability
Please note: CVs should be no more than 4 pages long. Please do not send any additional documentation at this stage.
For any queries relating to the position, please email [email protected].