Partnership Coordinator

International Rescue Committee (IRC) is an apolitical, non-profit, and non-religious humanitarian organization that provides assistance to refugees around the world. IRC implements programs to promote durable solutions for displaced persons, refugees and host communities through public health, sanitation, shelter, rehabilitation and education projects. IRC has been serving refugees since 1933 and is present in 40 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia, as well as through a resettlement support program in the United States. IRC is an organization committed to freedom, human dignity and self-reliance. This commitment translates into well-planned resettlement assistance, emergency global relief, rehabilitation and advocacy for refugees.

Since the early 1980s Niger has consistently been ranked at the bottom of the UN’s Human Development Index. Over half the population suffers from chronic food insecurity and one in ten are extremely food insecure. Niger is also a disaster-prone country, regularly hit by food crises and vulnerable to flooding, cholera and locust swarms. Access to health care and education for women and girls are very limited. In addition to the vulnerability of a significant proportion of Nigeriens, Niger also hosts refugees from neighboring Mali and Nigeria.

IRC’s vision for Niger is that individuals, households and communities are resilient, self-reliant and able to thrive in a changing context. IRC Niger is present in the regions of Tillabery, Agadez and Diffa with projects in the following areas: Environmental Health (EH) and Non Food Items (NFI), Emergency Response/Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), Protection (SGBV, Child Protection, Monitoring Protection and Protection Integration), Education, Nutrition, Health and Livelihoods.

Job overview

The Partnership Coordinator, in conjunction with the Deputy Director for Programs (DDP), will provide strategic and operational direction, she/he is responsible for partnership development and management, in line with IRC policies, with international and national NGOs as well as other IRC Niger partners, in order to achieve IRC’s strategic objectives. Reporting to the DDP, he/she will operate as a member of the Extended Senior Leadership and Management Team (E-SLMT), providing direct support to strategic partnership opportunities; along with one Partnership Manager, he/she acts as focal point for partnership development and management including capacity-building efforts.

Major Responsibilities

The Partnership Coordinator will maintain competitive positioning for and pursuit of strategic partnership for IRC Niger

• Develop and strengthen a partnerships strategy for the Country Office and build IRC’s strategic partnerships.

• Support the SMT in building relationships with current and prospective partners.

• Support the SMT in developing strategic alliances and/or coalitions with other organizations and organize/lead sub-award management.

• Collaborate in capture planning and proposal and concept note development by engaging strategic partners and managing their involvement.

• Ensure the coordination between the partners and the other department in IRC Niger

• Develop a learning strategy on partnership for the Country Office.

• Coordinate the PEER system.

• Effectively and supportively line manage the Grants/Partnerships team.

Specific responsibilities:

Prepositioning

• Research, analyze and plan for new strategic partnership.

• Support effective internal communication and information management processes to ensure access and use of Partnership information within the organization, including maintaining an up-to-date partnership matrix.

• Work with the DDP, country Technical Coordinators and regional colleagues to identify international partners and negotiate IRC’s role in proposal consortia, ensuring a competitive position for IRC Niger that adheres to the organization’s partnership principles and strategic direction.

• Support key staff to develop and maintain key relationships with national and international partners, shared value creation, strategic alliance formation, and global brand positioning.

Proposal and Concept Note Development

• Assist partners’ identification in proposal development and ensure the coordination and the engagement of the partner during the proposal development process, in order to achieve a fair and effective partnership and attempt the strategic objectives of IRC.

• Collaborate with the BD team participating in design workshops together with the DDP (also in the field) and identified partner.

• Ensure a starring role to the partners in proposal development highlighting the potential of the partner.

• Ensure the coordination between the partner and the BD team.

Partnership Management & Compliance:

• Ensure quality partnership/sub-award management in compliance with the IRC’s Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS), including partnership start-up, implementation monitoring, management and accountability, and appropriate close-out.

• Track partners’ deliverables and ensure that partners’ contractual reports are reviewed and feedback is provided;

• Process partnership agreement modifications in a timely manner ensuring that relevant IRC units provide their inputs and approve the modification.

• Provide guidance in interpreting and executing applicable regulations and partnership agreement terms and conditions.

• Prepare Capacity Development Plans for IRC’s local partners in collaboration with Program, Finance and Support departments and be responsible for implementing them with quality and in the agreed timeframe.

• Manage the review database (OTIS) for the sub-award.

• Collaborate with Grants team and ensure the partner’s respect of compliance and timelines on ongoing grants.

• Support the DDP and the program team in conducting IRC’s Project Cycle Meetings (PCM) managing the communication and the involvement of partner.

• Establish and maintain electronic and hard copy files for each sub-award contract (on going and under construction) to be used for tracking and reporting purposes.

• Conduct routine compliance reviews of sub-award contracts.

• Supervise the Partnership Manager who will be in charge of Partnerships management.

Job requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field and applicable experience in nonprofit governance, administration, grants management, including Partnership Management.

• 5 years of experience in a grant and partnership management role, preferably with an NGO.

• Prior grants and partnership management experience and familiarity with USG (USAID/BHA, BPRM), European (FCDO, ECHO, SIDA, AFD, EuropeAid), Canadian (GAC), and UN (UNHCR, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP) donor regulations, procedures and requirements.

• Demonstrated experience with developing and managing strategic partnership.

• Ability to efficiently deal with competing priorities and respect deadlines.

• Interest and commitment to working with local partners.

• Excellent oral and written communications skills and demonstrated ability to produce and edit documents under deadline pressure.

• Working knowledge of grants and partnership and management.

• Experience working in a multi-cultural setting and preferably in Africa.

• Competence with Windows, Microsoft Office.

• Ability to work in unstable security environments.

• Fluency in oral and written French and English.

Language Skills: Excellent written and oral French and English skills.

Work environment

The Partnership Coordinator will be based in Niamey with travel throughout the country. The security situation in Niger continues to be volatile. This is a non-accompanied position. He/she will live in shared housing.

**Standards of Professional Conduct:**The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the 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: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer 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.