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Partnerships Officer

New York City

  • Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
  • Location: New York City
  • Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
  • Occupational Groups:
    • External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
  • Closing Date: Closed

BACKGROUND

Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. 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.

The International Rescue Committee UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its offices in New York, London, Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Stockholm, Geneva, Nairobi, Bangkok and Amman. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. Through over 20 regional offices in cities across the United States, the IRC also helps refugees resettle in the US and become self-sufficient.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

IRC-UK

IRC-UK were established in London in 1997 to support the organisation’s global activities and particularly to diversify its donor base and be able to better advocate with European policy makers on behalf of the people we serve. Since its establishment IRC-UK has grown rapidly and is now acknowledged for its high-quality project management, technical expertise in governance and rights and economic recovery, and innovative thinking on early recovery and gender-based violence. IRC-UK comprises approximately 120 staff.

Technical Excellence and Grant Operations & Analytics Team

At the IRC, we define and measure our success as positive changes in people’s lives in relation to five outcome areas: health, education, economic well-being, safety and power, while helping to narrow the gender gap. To achieve these outcomes – to drive our impact – our programs must be based on the best available evidence and aligned with our theories of change; adapted to context; responsive to client needs and preferences; and continuously improved by generating evidence, measuring what we do, and acting on what we learn. The Technical Excellence team supports the delivery of this.

Established in April 2021, the Grant Operations & Analytics Team (GOAT) brought together grants, business development, finance, and analytics functions and staff from each Technical Excellence Unit to one centralized team to increase efficiency, effectiveness and quality control across Technical Excellence grants and business operations. The primary purpose of this new team is to harmonize capacity and capabilities and drive efficiencies by establishing consistent, high quality standards and best practices to the service of improved budgeting, grants & contracts management, business development, and data collection and analytics. The Grant Operations & Analytics Team strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, create a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible service to our clients.

The Purpose of the Role

As Partnerships Officer you will be responsible for the daily communication and compliance of a portfolio of subcontracts, including negotiating terms and conditions for subcontracts and other agreements, providing post award management of subcontracts ensuring subcontractors’ compliance with contract terms, reviewing work specifications/requests from the subcontractors for clarity and accuracy, developing solutions to complex compliance issues, monitoring subcontractors' compliance performance with the aim of maintaining performance quality and improving profitability.

Scope and Authority

The post-holder will demonstrate initiative, make decisions, and provide support and advice autonomously but in line with parameters laid out by the Grants, Operations and Analytics Director and in accordance with IRC and GOAT systems and policies.

Key Working Relationships

·Reports to the Senior Grants & Finance Coordinator

·Works as part of the wider GOAT team with close coordination with:

oTechnical Excellence Units

oAMU Program and Grant Support team

oProgramme Development Advisors covering same portfolio

oCompliance & Policy team

oFinance department on matters of financial management

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Partnership Agreement Management

·Develop, co-facilitate and guide competitive partner selection processes to identify partners for this project, by drafting and launching the Request for Applications (RFA) and scoring criteria.

·Review Partners’ submitted proposals and budgets and support key technical staff in this task before Project Lead sign off.

·Conduct & coordinate Partner Identity and Background Review (Vetting) processes, including completion of the report and/or review of submitted reports by Senior officers.

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

·Coordinate with project lead and senior officer to agree/review appropriate partnership agreement type and draft agreement, taking into account the due diligence outcomes and specific project and donor requirements.

·Liaising with HQ and donors for approvals and/or review of documents and agreements.

·Support senior officers and co-lead Partnership Project Opening, Review and Closing Meetings, together with the relevant team members.

·Coordinate and participate in timely and effective partner program, finance, and compliance review and reflection (monitoring), and work with the Partnerships Senior Officers, Technical Coordinators, M&E and finance staff to address any project performance issues.

·Coordinate narrative reporting processes and liaise with Partnership Finance Manager on finance reporting processes, including review and feedback.

·Coordinate with Partnership Finance team to ensure timely transfer of payments to partners.

·Maintain complete and organized partnership files for each partner.

·Support senior officers and co-lead the review of the performance of the partners, of the IRC (including on the basis of partner feedback), and of the partnership, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, fostering ongoing partnerships beyond the sub-award project cycle.

·Support senior officers and Program Leads in communications of partners’ results to relevant stakeholders

Strategy and Program Approach

·Collaborate with project lead and technical coordinators to ensure a culture of mutual capacity sharing approaches and learning, so that IRC can learn from unique partners practices and innovations,

·Identify opportunities for mentoring and/or coaching follow up activities at the partner organizational and individual levels.

·Lead in capacity sharing monitoring, evaluating, learning and periodic reporting, including documenting successful capacity sharing methods that can be scaled.

·Promote a culture of mutual learning and good partnership among all partners and IRC.

·Coach, train, and mentor Partnership Team to strengthen their abilities to effectively support partners.

Other duties

·Travel to IRC locations around the world to undertake capacity building, training and assessment (subject to Covid-19)

·Participation in organisation’s contract management initiatives, including revision and refinement of guidelines for partnerships

·Update internal systems for data management; including OTIS, awards trackers, and financial management systems

·Contribute to GOAT/Unit work plan and delivery of specific projects, as assigned

·Liaise with other IRC departments and teams

·Participate in/deliver information/training sessions for regional and Technical Excellence workshops

·Proactively disseminate the services provided by GOAT

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

·Understanding and practical experience of project management principles throughout the full project lifecycle (positioning to closeout), including budgeting and financial reporting

·Excellent communication, influencing and interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively manage a variety of relationships in a multicultural environment

·Strong diplomatic skills, including the ability to tailor language to different audiences and needs

·Demonstrated ability to collaborate equally effectively with colleagues in ‘remote’ and diverse teams

·Strong attention to detail to ensure own work, and work of others is of a consistent high quality in a fast-paced, demanding environment

  • Solid organisational skills; detail-oriented; ability to multi-task and prioritise tasks, and to learn quickly

·Ability to work autonomously and under remote management

·Good IT skills (Word, Excel, Outlook)

·Ability to travel internationally

·Fluency in English required

Experience:

·At least 3-6 years’ experience in leading partnership relationships of large and/or complex donor funded (USAID, FCDO, etc.) programs. Demonstrated experience and expertise in interpreting and applying statutory and regulatory language from USAID awards and contracts to develop partner facing Subawards and Subcontracts. 

·Demonstrable solid experience of DFID/FCDO funding, regulations and procedures, particularly with regards to commercial contracts and sub-contracting

·Demonstrated expertise and experience in Subaward Systems development and maintenance.

·Developed understanding of business and partnering standards required to create a high performing and accountable environment.

·Previous experience in developing donor compliant partnering tools, templates and trainings in multicultural setting

·Demonstrable understanding of project planning and management cycles, and strong program design skills.

·Demonstrated experience in working in capacity building roles

·Experience of working with other European institutional donors and knowledge of their requirements, such as ECHO, Sida, KfW, GIZ, Irish Aid, etc.

·Contractual and financial management experience with various contract and subcontract types, including, but not limited to, cost reimbursement, time-and-materials, fixed price, framework/umbrella, and performance-based.

·Experience of working with and supporting technical experts in complex project set ups

·Experience of managing complex consortia including NGOs, for profit organisations, and academic institutions – both South & North.

·Experience of supporting start-up/inception phases of larger contracts and negotiations with donors.

·Experience in building and maintaining relationships with senior staff across different teams and functions, including those based in other countries

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

IRC-UK strives to be an equal opportunities employer. IRC-UK is committed to equality of opportunity and to non-discrimination for all job applicants and employees, and we seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. IRC-UK welcomes applications from all candidates, including refugees who have the right to work in the UK.

IRC UK will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application and/or interview process, and for essential job functions if appointed to a role. Please contact us if you may need such adjustments. 

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 operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, Egalite, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles. 

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