Programme and Funding Advisor – Sahel Region 257 views0 applications

ActionAid (www.actionaid.org) is an international organisation, working with over 25 million people in more than 40 countries for a world free from poverty and injustice. Alianza Por la Solidaridad has recently become a member of the ActionAid International Federation, so representing the network in Spain. Under the leadership of two of the Mediterranean countries (Spain and Italy) and Senegal, The Gambia and Nigeria, , the Federation has vocally decided to focus on this crisis and challenge Governments to take on their own responsibilities.
ActionAid has set up a Sahel Delegation to react to part of the challenges in the Sahel Region with the following objectives:
• Develop and implement an institutional funding strategy on Migration and development in the Mediterranean and the Sahel that builds the portfolio of current Action Aid members in Europe, MENA, Sahel and West Africa regions. The implementation of such strategy encompasses managing specific partnerships that would arise from such efforts in countries where AAI does not have a presence.
• Develop and implement specific migration policy, communications and campaign activities, alongside with other initiatives in the Federation and coordinated as mentioned.
The program and policy work on migration and development in Sahel region is fully aligned with the broader AAI strategy, its objectives and theory of Change. The Delegation has developed a specific theory of change on migration and has started to be operational at the beginning of 2019

Purpose of this position:

ActionAid is currently seeking for a Programme and Funding Advisor for the Sahel region to support the development of a funding strategy, secure new funding opportunities, strengthen our co-ordinated
programmatic presence in the area and, ultimately, recommending an operational structure for consolidating the work in the region.
The Programme and Funding Advisor will support the Federation in developing successful project proposals in the field of migration and development, monitoring and evaluating current projects in coordination with the national teams, screening the international donors, identifying and recommending the grant opportunities and defining 2021 funding strategy for the region (Senegal, The Gambia, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, extended to Morocco and Tunisia). The PFA will pay specific attention to the startup of an Italian-funded project on migration and development in Mali, representing the kickoff of the Delegation presence in the country.

Main tasks:

The Programme & Funding Advisor for Sahel Region will:

• Contribute to the strategic vision and direction of the Sahel Delegation – Represent the Sahel Delegation at Regional level building relationships with donors, networks and alliances, NGOs and any other appropriate national forums or strategic partnerships.
• Collaborate with and facilitate ActionAid members in Spain, Italy, Senegal, Nigeria and The Gambia, as well as Mali and Mauritania to identify key donors and opportunities aligned with the AA Migration and development approach and programming and Sahel Delegation Theory of Change.
• Work with relevant ActionAid members, donor owners and the Programme Funding Advisors at the Global Secretariat to develop and submit proposals in line with the Sahel Delegation Theory of Change;
• Monitor and Evaluate current proposals in coordination with national teams.
• Ensure compliance to relevant internal policies such as the EU legal entity framework, corporate engagement framework, cross border policy, EU programmatic matrix etc, and assess opportunities by risk and alignment with AAI strategy and priorities;
• Follow up the startup and correct implementation of the approved projects, in collaboration with the country teams assigned to the actions;
• Carry out the evaluation of the projects approved in the migration and development sector, ensuring a sound exercise of capitalization of the lessons learnt;
• Other duties as assigned

More in detail, the postholder is expected to fulfil the following objectives and activities,

• Lead the midterm review and final 2020 review Sahel Delegation Funding and Action Plan 2020.
• Develops a structured 2021 Funding Strategy and Action Plan for the region taking into account the programmatic work of all the ActionAid country presences in the area, the donors’ priorities and all the concerned stakeholders, in co-ordination with all the relevant AA country teams.
• Identification, preparation and writing of project proposals (2020-2021) for international donors related to migration and development in the Sahel Region (with a special focus on Senegal, The Gambia, Mauritania, , Nigeria, Mali plus Tunisia and Morocco) and focusing on Sahel Delegation Theory of Change. – Support the different Program Teams in the implementation of current project operations and monitor to measure progress on project indicators and outcomes, ensuring compliance with donor s requirements and sector standards.
• Oversee the proper implementation of a project proposal funded by the Italian Ministry of Interior in Mali, and implemented by ActionAid in partnership with Plan, by steering and supporting the team based in Bamako (AA and local partner staff) and by accompanying the kickof of the organization presence in the country;
• Actively identify, qualify and track funding opportunities in the area in a systematic manner based on ActionAid programmatic priorities.
• Develop and update the donor mapping tool and Sahel Delegation pipeline as well as establishing a calendar of proposal submissions based on the donors in the area and of course prioritizes imminent
• calls for proposals, ensures that opportunities are correctly and timely sized, helps finalizing sound project proposals, liaises with the donor locally.
• Conduct through monthly report to the Sahel Delegation the context and situational analysis on development and humanitarian issues affecting the potential migrant population and the returnees and ensures regular updates on the situation in the area, participates into ActionAid’s internal Taskforce on Migration Crisis in the Mediterranean.
• Assess the need and feasibility of the set-up of a programmatic presence in new countries that are particularly strategic in the Sahel Region. area,
• Participate in Regional Cluster System (IASC; Working Groups… Etc.)
• Actively engage at regional level with ActionAid presences in the area and with international/regional/local stakeholders in the region with a specific focus on the Migrants Crisis or migration-related issues.
• Identify options for a co-ordinated AA presence in the area, from a lighter co-ordination among countries until a more complex operational structure in view of pursuing the Funding Strategy goals and effectively address the migration issues in the area.
• Conduct a final Evaluation on 2021 progress and future presence in the area.
• The person will report to: AAItaly IFP team and Alianza, and will be accountable to the Delegation steering committe

Required Skills and Experience:

• An advanced degree in Development, Humanitarian Action, Gender Studies, Human Rights or other related field. Studies in Migration will be an asset.
• At least 7 years of experience in Development and Humanitarian contexts in international NGOs.
• Demonstrated experience in project identification and design and donor engagement, especially UN donors, EU, ECHO and other.
• Proven knowledge of the Sahel, North and West Africa regions.
• Deep understanding of the Migrants Crisis along the Sahel-Mediterranean route and experience of migration-related issues, especially women’s empowerment, GBV, livelihoods and rural development, youth employment and poverty reduction, human rights and advocacy.
• Previous experience in crisis-security risks contexts is an asset.
• Availability to travel, frequent travels along Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, The Gambia, Spain and Italy are required.
• Process facilitation skills, negotiation, influencing skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in teams.
• Ability to work independently.

Languages

• Both English and French are required for the post. Knowledge of Italian and Spanish is an asset.