Senior Partnerships and Resource Development Officer 158 views0 applications

Organization Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Head of Partnerships and Resource Development Unit the PRD Senior Officer will work to enable a close and cooperative working relationship between PRD team and various functions within Africa Regional Office (ARO) as well as with the respective technical departments in Geneva. The job holder will support the implementation of the ARO PRD Strategic Plan thus contributing to the implementation of the Global IFRC Partnerships and resource development strategic plan.

The PRD Senior Officer will negotiate with donors and partners and develop proposals to ensure good coverage of IFRC and National Society plans and appeals, providing relevant tracking and analysis to inform robust income generation strategies. They will support research and development efforts in building new partnerships and will contribute to the effective maintenance of strong and growing relations with existing donors, including through efficient reporting, pledge management, and relevant and timely information sharing.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Fundraising and business development

• Take an active role in researching, analysing and advising on potential new funding opportunities
• Undertake effective negotiation with National Societies, multilaterals, private sector organizations and other donors in order to secure pledges and grants
• Take the lead in coordination of specific funding proposals, including acting as close liaison with National Societies, ARO technical teams, Cluster and Country offices to ensure consistency of agreed approach and priorities as well as to ensure timely submission of good quality proposals to donors
• Provide focused support and analysis, especially in terms of financial and administrative requirements in the process of developing of funding proposals
• Review and ensure quality of concept notes, grant applications and funding proposals
• Follow up on donor/partners feedback on proposals/concept notes submitted and systematically share the information with the team as part of lesson learning
• Organize and facilitate partner conference calls and take an active role in preparation and delivery of partnership meetings
• Organise or support donor visits to the field if required

Partnership and Resource Development for Emergencies

• Lead and coordinate resource development for emergency appeals, including generating and sharing relevant information with which to communicate to key partners for IFRC Africa emergencies
• Coordinate with Communications team to ensure adequate marketing materials are produced
• Track and analyse emergency appeal coverage, lead and coordinate actions to be taken to increase coverage, and provide regular updates, analysis and recommendations to management
• In collaboration with the Disaster, Crisis, Preparedness Response and Recovery (DCPRR) department, input to revisions of emergency appeal procedures, explore new mechanisms and instruments for increasing emergency income
• If needed, provide emergency surge PRD capacity on the ground within Africa region including travelling to the affected country
• Gather income data relating to emergency appeals, analyse trends and variances in Africa region emergency appeals and the external humanitarian funding landscape

Planning and Budgeting for IFRC Africa Region Annual Operational Plans

• In close cooperation with Head of PRD, work with the various units, country offices and country cluster offices in the ARO, to develop the Africa region’s budgets and funding plans for both emergency appeals and long-term plans,
• Provide advice to all budget holders during the planning process on realistic funding plans, and support them in annual revisions
• Provide technical review of the funding plans to ensure that they tally with the operational plans and budgets
• Maintain an overview of the funding situation of all current annual plans and emergency appeals in Africa region, continuously identifying gaps in funding and funding priorities
• Establish and utilise tracking tools to monitor hard and soft pledges for all incoming funding
• Input to the global PRD planning process and donor engagement plans

Pledge and Grants Management

• Process all pledges properly and in a timely manner
• Ensure that relevant updates in the registration system are included, and that pledges reflecting agreed criteria are shared with donors and understood by relevant budget holders
• Ensure that budget holders and finance team are aware and receive information on grant agreements and donor requirements
• In close cooperation with budget holders ensure that renegotiation of pledge requirements and timeframe extensions take place on time
• Ensure timely follow up on pledge payment arrangements
• Ensure that all prospect funding and hard pledges are duly logged and registered in IFRC systems
• Ensure regular follow up between PRD, finance team and budget holders of pledge implementation rates and donor requirements to meet quality standards and conditions of specific grants
• Work with Communications teams to ensure donor visibility requirements are met
• Review and ensure quality and compliance of grant applications, funding proposals and reports
• Ensure consistency and compliance to grant management procedures in view of achieving quality reporting and accountability
• Undertake occasional monitoring visits to implementation areas of grants

National Society Fundraising Capacity Building

• Support the Domestic Fundraising Development delegate in the planning and implementation of a programme to build National Societies’ domestic resource mobilisation capacities
• Support the organisation of fundraising skillshares, webinars, and training sessions, facilitating training sessions in the post-holder’s areas of expertise
• Provide technical advice and guidance to National Societies on funding opportunities and proposal development
• Engage with Virtual Fundraising Hub initiatives including Peer Review, International Fundraising Skillshare, investment mechanisms and digital tools implementation
• Support the Head of PRD with the revision of the Federation-wide Resource Mobilisation Strategy

Education

• University degree in relevant discipline (ex. g. International Relations, Marketing, Humanitarian Affairs, Business Administration, Economics, Finance).- Required
• Masters’ degree in relevant discipline (ex. g. International Relations, Marketing, Humanitarian Affairs, Business Administration, Economics, Finance). – Preferred
• Relevant professional training courses (Red Cross/Red Crescent related, humanitarian and development sector, management). Preferred

Experience

• At least 7 years working experience out if which 5 years relevant experience in managing relations with donors and partners. –Required
• Red Cross Red Crescent work experience-Preferred
• Experience in managing relations with donors and partners.- Required
• Work experience with other international organizations, large NGOs and/or governmental development agencies.- Preferred
• Experience of developing winning funding proposals and grant applications.- Required
• Experience of developing and implementing funding plans.- Required

Knowledge and Skills

• Knowledge of fundraising and marketing tools and techniques. – Required
• Knowledge of IFRC systems and processes in pledge management, planning, reporting systems and financial management. –Preferred
• Knowledge of EU and other key institutional donor requirements and ways of working. – Required
• Knowledge of and skills in tracking open calls for proposals from key donor institutions. – Required
• Excellent knowledge of Excel, development and interpretation of graphs and charts for analysis and monitoring. – Required
• Strong knowledge of information sharing tools. – Required
• Strong knowledge of reporting systems and guidelines. – Required
• Highly organised, with ability to work a strong team player. – Required
• Ability to coordinate with teams based in different geographic location. – Required
• Ability to work in a multicultural, multilingual, multi-disciplinary environment. – Required
• Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills. – Required
• Excellent networking and relationship building skills. – Required
• Strong budgeting and finance management skills. – Required
• Demonstrated skills in analytical and strategic thinking. – Required
• Track record in producing high quality work under short deadlines and ability to manage competing priorities under pressure. – Required
• Excellent writing and editing skills in English. – Required

Language

• Fluently spoken and written English. Required
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic). PreferredCompetencies**
• Professionalism
• Communications
• Teamwork
• National Society relations
• Building alliances
• Accountability
• Innovation