Partnerships Lead, Research & Innovation

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is among the world’s leading nonprofit humanitarian relief and development organizations. Airbel Impact Lab is the Research & Innovation function within IRC. Airbel Impact Lab designs, tests, and scales life-changing, cost-effective solutions for people affected by conflict and disaster. We apply the IRC’s deep technical expertise and field experience with a range of skills from the behavioral sciences, human-centered design, rigorous research, and multi-disciplinary problem-solving in humanitarian contexts. We work to develop breakthrough solutions that combine creativity and rigor, openness and expertise, and a desire to think afresh with the experience of a large-scale implementing organization. 

The Partnerships Lead will help significantly raise the profile and increase revenue for the Research & Innovation (R&I) function at the IRC. The role is a key contributor to continued growth and development of strategic new business opportunities to help meet Airbel’s $20M 2022 fundraising ambition. Reporting to Director of Partnerships for Research & Innovation, the role is a key liaison and point of contact between R&I and institutional and individual high value fundraising teams and support teams. This position will work closely with Airbel technical and project leads, in-country and HQ grants staff and finance, as well as External Relations High Value fundraising teams (International Philanthropy Partnerships – IPP, USA Philanthropy, and Global Partnerships & Philanthropic Services – GPPS) and public fundraising team (Awards Management Unit – AMU) to ensure that funding coverage across Airbel priorities, including core funding.  

Major Responsibilities:

Strategic development

●Support development of proactive fundraising and influence strategies to support the growth of IRC’s Research & Innovation function (with public and private donors)

●Support creation of stewardship plans for donors over $10,000, in collaboration with account managers

●Support program development alongside R&I technical leads, ensuring alignment with donor priorities

Fundraising

●Hone knowledge of Research & Innovation (R&I) priorities and analyze trends to identify new prospects and develop innovative outreach strategies

●In close coordination with IRC’s High Value fundraising teams (IPP, USAPhil, and GPPS) and Awards Management Units (AMU), secure financial contributions to research and innovation projects that advance IRC’s mission

●Work alongside technical leads to develop nuanced and compelling collateral and approaches that strike the right balance between technical depth and clarity of vision for specific funder audiences

●Work in partnership with technical leads and account managers to monitor fundraising progress in line with annual new business goals and KPIs for engagement and dollars raised

Internal coordination

●Help develop and operationalize standard ways of working and process workflows for cross-functional projects to support Research & Innovation and External Relations to grow overall funding

●Ensure a “best in class” level of service to our internal and external stakeholders, including organizing and leading effective cross-functional meetings, and ensuring decisions and follow up are taken in a timely manner

●Cultivate understanding among complex internal and external stakeholder groups

●Complement and amplify the existing capacity of the R&I engagement team (communications, knowledge management, proposal development, and grants management)

●Support Director, Partnerships and Airbel leadership with strategic priorities as necessary

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Director, Partnerships for Research & Innovation

Position directly supervises:  N/A
Other Internal and/or external contacts:

●Chief Research and Innovation Officer

●Airbel Core Team

●IRC External relations and Fundraisers

●Technical Unit Directors and Team Members

●Country Program Staff

Job Requirements:

Experience and skills:

●6- 8 years of related work experience, preferably with a large International Non-Governmental Organization in fundraising and/or advocacy

●Exceptional relationship management, writing, and presentation skills

●Experience working with grants management processes

●Demonstrated ability to liaise with technical experts to structure project-specific and quantifiable revenue plans

●Demonstrated ability to quickly get up to speed on research and technical content and track record of delivering on complex proposals and projects

●Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs, Public Administration, Economics, Business Studies, Accounting, Commerce, or equivalent professional experience

Preferred experience & skills:

●The ideal candidate will have experiences across strategic partnership development, fundraising and communications channels

●Experience with high net worth individual (HNWI) fundraising preferred

●International business experience across diverse contexts; working with global, cross-cultural teams

●Experience developing multi-million dollar research partnerships

●Master’s degree in related field or equivalent experience a bonus

●Fluency in another of the working languages of the IRC (Spanish, French and/or Arabic)

Working Environment:

●Standard office work environment or remote work

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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