Senior Partnership Manager (National Position)

Background/IRC Summary

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. The IRC has been operating in Thailand since 1975 and currently provides assistance to displaced persons in Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Mae Hong Son provinces

Job Overview/Summary

Within the Programs and Awards Management Unit, the partnership management team is responsible for the contractual and process elements of partnerships, coordination and key risk control elements of IRC Thailand’s entire partnership processes including capacity building of partners, underpinned by the global Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS) to ensure full compliance with IRC and donor policies, both financially and programmatically. The partnership management team oversees the management, coordination and key risk control elements of all IRC’s partnerships, ensuring that compliance and risk mitigation mechanisms are in place and that high quality partnerships are delivered timely and effectively. The partnership management team oversees and manages processes within the partnership management lifecycle and contributes to the overall program cycle management.

The Senior Partnership Manager assists the Partnership Coordinator in managing the IRC Thailand country program partners and the partnership management process. The Senior Partnership Manager coordinates with technical program staff, operations staff, and other staff members of the Programs and Award Management Unit both in IRC Thailand and Headquarter to ensure efficient and effective partnership management processes from solicitation and proposal development to program implementation, monitoring and closure, in compliance with PEERS, IRC policies and standard operating procedures and donor regulations. The Senior Partnership Manager coordinates regularly with partners to support and monitor their financial and operational management, and work with program staff in the field and in Bangkok to support and monitor partners’ program implementation and incorporation of IRC’s recommendations for improvement. 

Major Responsibilities

PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT:

• Lead the partner due diligence process including partner vetting report preparation and partner project capacity review of new partners and coordinate with other staff member in the Programs and Award Management Unit, operations staff and program staff in the field to evaluate risks and recommend mitigation plans.
• Initiate partners’ project proposal and budget reviews and coordinate with technical program staff and M&E staff to provide recommendations and support to enhance partners’ capacities for effective project implementation.
• Coordinate with program staff in the field, operations staff and other staff members in the Programs and Award Management Unit to ensure the completeness and effective implementation of partners’ projects.
• Assist Partnership Coordinator in sub award agreement and sub award amendment development and coordinate with IRC Headquarters to complete sub award agreement process in OTIS system.
• Initiate partnership opening and closing meetings by working closely with program teams in the field, other staff in the Programs and Award Management Unit and operations staff in compliance with PEERS.
• During post-award, conduct thorough reviews and ensure timely and accurate submission of all partners’ financial and reconciliations in accordance with partnership agreements. Financial reports should be reviewed in conjunction with programmatic reports, and signed off by the senior management team to ensure consistency in programmatic objectives and financial spending.
• Ensure the timely and accurate submission of all partners’ progress reports and coordinate with technical program staffs and M&E team to review the reports and provide feedback to partners.
• Flag any partner compliance issues, major budget fluctuations, significant overspending or underspending with the Partnership Coordinator and senior management team as quickly as possible to ensure timely mitigation.
• Coordinate with program staff in the field operations staff and other staff in the Programs and Award Management including the M&E Coordinator and the M&E Managers to conduct post-award monitoring and prepare compliance monitoring reports and recommendations in a timely manner.
• Work with the other staff in the Programs and Awards Management Unit, the finance staff and program staff in the field to address any identified issues through robust corrective action plans, with regards to both programmatic implementation and financial spending.
• Ensure that all program, financial and compliance monitoring visits and reports are completed in a timely manner and to a high standard, and shared with partners for feedback.
• Maintain a tracking sheet and filing system (soft copy) of all partner proposals, due diligence checks, agreements, modifications, program and financial reports, monitoring reports, and relevant correspondence.
• Serve as the focal point for partners and IRC staff to provide information, raise concerns, and support and communicate their correspondences and feedback.
• Conduct/facilitate trainings/refresher trainings for partners on donor rules and regulations, and other topics as identified from partnership project capacity review reports and regularly communication with program teams – following up on post-training to ensure that capacities and processes are improved.
• Liaise with the IRC Financial Controller and IRC Headquarters in regards to any partner reconciliation or payment request as necessary.
• Assist the Partnership Coordinator in ensuring IRC Thailand county program’s robust partner relationship management characterized by the core partnership principles of equality, complementarity, transparency, results-oriented approaches and responsibility.

PARTNER SUPPORT AND NETWORKING:

• Identify capacity building needs (both new and existing skills) of partners on an ongoing basis, and work with the appropriate IRC teams to address them.
• Conduct operational training to partners as needed.
• Actively engage in and help drive IRC regional partnership initiatives, including participating in working groups and thematic meetings on partnership approaches and practices. Facilitate relevant trainings and workshops as required.
• Actively participate in, and contribute to, IRC Thailand country program meetings and trainings as relevant.
• Provide assistance based on requests from IRC Headquarters as assigned by the Partnership Coordinator.
  Any other duties as assigned by the Partnership Coordinator.

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to:  Partnership Coordinator

Other Internal and/or external contacts:
Internal: Internal: senior management team technical coordinators and field-based technical teams; M&E Team members; Programs and Awards Management Unit team members; Finance Unit; Supply Chain Unit; HR Unit, IRC Regional staffs and headquarter staffs
External:  IRC partners