Senior Partnership Manager

International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The mission of the IRC is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future.

IRC opened the national program in Mali in 2012. Our programs range from humanitarian assistance to early recovery activities, focusing on child protection, education, economic well-being, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, governance. We work both in the north, the center, and the south of Mali. Conflict and drought have caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in Mali and neighboring countries. The security situation in the north remains fragile. Nonetheless, the needs of internally displaced persons and conflict-affected host communities are still pressing, and the issue of humanitarian access is an ongoing process.

Job Overview:

Under the supervision of the Grants Coordinator in Mali, the Senior Manager Partnerships is the focal point for all aspects of partnerships in his/her capacity as the focal point for IRC’s Partnerships for Excellence and Equality Results System (PEERS), including the establishment of strategic partnerships. The Senior Manager Partnerships will identify partnership opportunities with civil society organizations including networks of organizations but also other local actors and institutions such as ministries and their local branches. The Senior Manager Partnerships will also support the development of a long-term strategic partnership vision for IRC Mali as part of IRC Mali’s 2033 strategic action plan. He/she will serve as a key liaison with local and international implementing partners, national technical partners and other stakeholders. This position is line-managed by Grants Coordinator and is based in Bamako with frequent field trips.

Major responsibilities:

Program Strategy and Approach

• In collaboration with the leadership team, co-facilitate and support the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan (SAP IP) partnership priority actions, including robust stakeholder analysis processes and informed decisions to assess whether working in partnership with local civil society, government, and private sector actors or implementing services directly (or both) will produce the best results for our clients.

• Collaborate with technical coordinators to proactively identify potential partnerships with local and national organizations, including those that are women-led and serve women and girls.

• Support reflections to increase IRC’s capacity to engage with strategic partners, modeling effective partnership approaches, particularly with local actors with a focus on mutual accountability, sharing, and learning ;

Promote effective partnerships

• In collaboration with the Grants Coordinator, facilitate the pre-qualification process of partners for potential alliances on funding opportunities.

• Guide the partner mapping and selection processes in line with IRC’s strategy in Mali, focusing on identifying women-led organizations.

• Train key country office and partner staff on partnership processes and promote systematic feedback from partners on IRC’s management of the partnership relationship, including documentation and response to partner feedback.

• Collaborate with the technical coordinators in proactively seeking strategic alliances with international organizations for complementary and pooled responses.

Partner Management

• Work with the Technical Coordinators and DDP and Grants Coordinator to ensure that program design and Go/ No Go decisions are consistent with the partnership strategy.

• Advise program teams on appropriate partnership agreements/modalities with partners based on the scope of work planned, incorporating compliance requirements and special conditions identified through the review and PPCR processes, and submit MOAs on OTIS for review by the RPST and compliance teams

• Proactively engage partners in program development efforts, including supporting partner communications during proposal development processes and ensuring that IRC partnership processes for proposal development are followed.

• Coordinate and co-lead partner identity and background check (Vetting) processes, including writing the report for approval.

• Coordinate and co-lead the Partner Project Capacity Review (PPCR) processes, including contributing to and facilitating collaborative risk analysis and management.

• Determine the appropriate type of partner agreement and draft the agreement, considering the results of due diligence and specific project and donor requirements, liaising with headquarters for review and approval (and obtaining donor and internal approvals as necessary).

• Co-lead opening, review, and closing meetings for partnership projects in collaboration with the Technical Coordinator.

• Liaise with financial services to ensure timely transfer of funds and adequate financial monitoring and support for partners; work with financial services to resolve payment issues and propose unauthorized costs to the GTS.

• Co-lead the review of partner, IRC (including based on partner feedback), and partnership performance, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned, fostering ongoing partnerships beyond the sub-grant project cycle.

• In collaboration with relevant departments, follow the reporting schedule, review financial and narrative reports and supporting documents from partners to ensure compliance with partnership agreements, donor rules, IRC policies and procedures, and provide feedback to partners as appropriate.

Partner Support and Capacity Building

• Increase efforts to strengthen understanding and application of PEERS and partnership principles, skills, and approaches across departments.

• Understand partner capacity-building priorities ensuring that IRC identifies opportunities and plans support. Coordinate partner organizational development support.

• Promote and identify ways for continuous learning between IRC staff and partners.

• Ensure implementation of partner strengthening and monitoring plans by all relevant departments (supply chain, technical areas, finance, monitoring, and evaluation) so that they can build financial and supply chain management systems and capacity that meet donor regulations and IRC procedures

Information Management and Communication

• Ensure that all IRC partner records are maintained and filed in the IRC Box and accordance with the defined filing system.

• Ensure that all subgrants are updated and maintained in the IRC Opportunity Tracking and Implementation System (OTIS).

• Contribute to the collection of partnership lessons learned and disseminate them within IRC to support the organization’s partnership processes, work methods, strategy, and direction.

Job Requirements:

• University degree in sociology, social sciences, development studies or project management, communication, or a similar field.

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in program and/or grant management.

• Demonstrated experience working with national and international partners, including but not limited to non-governmental organizations, government actors, and private sector entities. Experience working in consortia is desirable.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in French and English and ability to adapt language and tone to different audiences and needs.

• Proven interpersonal skills, sound judgment, planning, relationship management, organizational, and facilitation skills.

• Experience with financial management and working with budgets.

• Prior knowledge of donors and a good understanding of implementing and managing various donor compliance requirements in the partnership context.

• Ability to work with competing priorities, meet demanding deadlines and work under pressure.

• Ability to learn, be proactive, and be solution oriented.

• Good understanding and use of Microsoft Office Suite.

• Flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.

• Experience with IRC is an asset.

Working Environment

The Senior Partnership Manager will be based in Bamako (security level 3: orange); with a standard working environment (good internet connection, air conditioning, etc.).

The Senior Partnership Manager will live in a shared house in Bamako. This is a non-accompanied position.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an equal opportunity employer, considering all the candidates based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran or disability.