Frameworks & Grants Manager

The AMU is a bridge between donors and the field: providing expert technical advice to the field, while maintaining portfolio-level visibility to ensure consistency and compliance, and manage risk. This unit ensures that donor compliance policies and procedures are implemented consistently, and supports all staff working across the grants management cycle for all restricted funding from global government sources.

The unit operates within a matrix management system across teams in Germany, the US and the UK, driving functional integration between all relevant units and staff, in collaboration with the Senior Vice President AMU, Vice President, AMU, and the Senior Vice President for Europe in relation to overarching issues with European donors.

The Purpose of the Role

Based at IRC office in London, as the Frameworks and Grants Manager, will be responsible for the donor oversight and overall management of IRC’s existing Frameworks, with a key focus on the Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) Humanitarian Framework Agreement (HFA). The Frameworks and Grants Manager will ensure coordination across AMU pillars to ensure the successful and effective management of framework contracts; will be responsible for managing the external relationship with the relevant framework donors, and internally, as the key point of contact for the relationship within the IRC.

Key Working Relationships

• Reports to the Head Frameworks
• Supervises a Framework and Grants Advisor
• Works closely with the Programmatic and Learning Advisor;
• Supports other Framework Grants Advisor; as well as other AMU pillars – especially the Senior Advisor, Strategic Partnerships; Scandinavia; Senior Programme Development Advisers (SPDAs) / Programme Development Advisers (PDs), Regional Grants Directors (RGDs), Regional Grant Advisors (RGAs) as well as the Compliance and Policy team - and country & regional offices globally.
• Works closely with Finance UK

Scope of Work

The Frameworks and Grants Manager will have authority and responsibility for the oversight, coordination and management of the framework contracts, with a focus on the Sida Humanitarian Framework Agreement (HFA) in line with Sida and IRC’s requirements. You will be responsible for managing the relationship with the donor, sharing updates, challenges and progress, and delivering on the annual meeting amongst other milestones.

Responsibility for Resources:

• Responsible for keeping track of and reporting on progress against contractual milestones, and notifying the Head of Frameworks of any issues or opportunities which have arisen.
• Write communications, reports and funding applications to the donor.
• This position has a direct budget to manage with supervision and approval by the Head of Frameworks.
• This position has line management responsibility.

Key Accountabilities

Oversight and overall management of IRC’s Framework Agreements:

• In collaboration with the Head of Frameworks, managing the IRC’s strategic relationship with frameworks donors, in particular Sida Humanitarian Unit; building strong working relationships with key individuals within the Unit and embassies if relevant; managing the IRC’s profile and engagement with the donor; and acting as the key internal point of contact on the Sida HFA.
• Ensuring high quality, compliant and timely delivery of contractual requirements; including reports, audits, evaluations and funding applications.
• Providing effective, relevant and timely advice on systems and processes for managing, delivering and reporting on framework agreements.
• Monitoring performance and framework expenditure through field visits; regular check in with the Regional Program & Grant Support Pillar and Finance UK.
• Advising on standard donor compliance rules and regulations as required by IRC’s internal policies and best practice.
• Designing and establishing the content of Framework proposals based on research, donor priorities, IRC needs, and input from IRC senior managers/leaders including the Crisis Response, Recovery and Development, Regional Teams, and Policy and Advocacy.
• Identifying points of common approach with donor’s strategic priorities and the IRC, build connections and leverage IRC’s track record to grow Framework or donor opportunities.
• Providing briefings on donor engagement to date and key messages to country teams receiving visits from the donor; or technical unit/ or leaders meeting with the donor.
• Facilitating and accompany IRC’s meetings with the donor in HQ and in the field if relevant.
• Contributing to internal discussions and development on compliance policies, processes and guidance issued to Country Offices/Technical Units, as well for organisation-wide initiatives in relation to framework donors.
• Ensuring guidance and relevant materials are in line with donor requirements to support the development of high-quality proposals and reports on time.
• Representing the IRC at donor meetings and conferences, presenting the work of the organisation.
• Providing support on the Communities of Practice and ensure the Grants team play an active role in this initiative.
• Promoting and facilitating cross department collaboration, ensuring regular liaison between IRC- UK and International Finance Department and AMU.
• Playing an active role in the global IRC network as required, with a particular emphasis on maintaining effective partnerships between IRC-UK, IRC Inc and all regional offices.
• Other duties as assigned.

Line Management duties

• Day to day personnel administration (sick leave and holiday authorisation etc.).
• Providing support and mentoring to team members as required, working closely with the Head of Frameworks on team resource and workload management.
• Supporting the team to develop and deliver a training plan for country teams/units within their portfolio to feed into wider team planning. 

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications

• Demonstrable understanding of humanitarian aid and development programming
• Ability to work effectively under pressure
• Ability to build good working relationships and work collaboratively and effectively with programme and field staff from a distance
• Organized self-starter and able to handle competing priorities, deadlines and identify strategic and critical issues
• Solid organisational skills, detail oriented, ability to multi task and prioritise tasks, and to learn quickly
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people within and across departments in a multi-cultural environment
• Both a team player and independent performer in a very fast-paced environment
• Good IT skills (Word, Outlook, Excel)

Experience

• Deep understanding and experience of European institutional donors and their requirements (e.g. ECHO, EuropeAid, DFID, GIZ, Irish Aid and Sida)
• Experience in building and cultivating relationships with institutional donors
• Substantial proposal writing and portfolio management experience
• Significant experience in developing, negotiating and managing framework proposals / or multi-region / consortia proposals for development and humanitarian donors
• Experience in quality assuring, writing, reviewing and editing narrative and financial reports with excellent attention to detail.
• Some experience of line management or supervision

Desirable

• Masters or Degree, preferably in a subject related to IRC’s work (International Relations, Refugee or Migration Studies, Development Studies, Public Policy), or equivalent experience
• French and Spanish language skills
• Interest and understanding of advocacy work
• Experience in developing countries, preferably in the context of an NGO or International Organisation (UN or major donor or similar)
• Experience of working in a global organisation, with complex reporting relationship                

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. 

IRC-UK is committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination for all applicants and employees.IRC-UKseekstoensureweachievediversityinourworkforceregardlessof gender,race,religiousbelief,nationality,ethnic/nationalorigin,sexualorientation,age, maritalstatusordisability.IRC-UK welcomes applications from all candidates, including refugees who have the right to work in the UK.

If you have any questions or need assistance with the online recruitment process, please contact the UK HR team at applications@rescue-uk.org 

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