Desk Officer (Ethiopia & Uganda) - Based in Ireland/UK

Job Purpose

The Desk Officer is responsible for ensuring the coordination of information between Head Office and the country programmes, particularly regarding donor submissions and contracts, programme and organisational information, and provision of overall programme support. Reports to their Regional Director.

This includes facilitating the provision of wider Head Office support to the Country Director and senior in country team for the effective implementation of the country programme.

At Head Office and at international level, the Desk Officer is the first point of contact for all information on assigned country programmes. Specifically, the Desk Officer:

• Provides head office support and coordination during development of submissions to donors, and throughout the grant management process.
• Represents country programmes internally at HQ, including during operations and Project Review Committee meetings.
• Represents GOAL and country programmes externally with donors and in related fora.
• Provides first line of contact between Head Office departments and assigned country programmes.
• Facilitates and supports the Country Directors in the creation, implementation, monitoring and reporting of Country plans and programmes.
• Links country operations with all other Head Office departments, other country programmes and GOAL technical staff in respect of assigned countries.

Main Duties

Submissions, grant management and donor liaison

• Coordinate, support and provide knowledge to country programme staff in developing submissions to donors; including, but not limited to, concept notes, proposals, reports, cost and other contract modifications and donor correspondence.
• Represent the programmes by presenting concepts and proposals at Global Project Review Committee (PRC) meetings and take minutes at Regional PRC, and support programmes in developing submissions for PRC approval.
• Review all field submissions of reports and proposals to donors for accuracy, completeness and timeliness. Evidence of community feedback mechanisms and information sharing being included in project plans should also be sought from Country Programmes.
• During PRC process, check for evidence of and communicating the importance of from a HQ perspective of community participation in the design of programmes.
• Maintain submission and grant information in softcopy (including on the Grant Management System- GMS, and departmental files) and in hard-copy grant files.
• Thoroughly review all contracts and letters of agreement from donor agencies and partners, highlight key conditions for field and relevant staff in HQ.
• Initiate grant opening meetings with Operations, Finance and Logistics departments in Head Office upon commencing a new grant – record and manage permanent filing of minutes.
• Liaise with, and represent GOAL to donors in relation to country and project specific matters, and in relation to new business.
• Monitor donor websites and calls for proposals and report on new opportunities to Country Directors and the Deputy / Operations Manager.

Representation and visibility

• Ensure the relevant Donor visibility requirements are addressed appropriately in all submissions to donors, and country programme staff are appraised of donor requirements during grant implementation.
• Prepare specific briefs for senior management, media department, donors, and country offices as required; maintain a country profile document for up to date country briefings.
• Ensure that GOAL project information for external relations is current and accurate.
• As appropriate represent GOAL in external sectoral networks – facilitate the exchange of technical information and identify opportunities for cooperative work and joint ventures with other agencies.
• Participate in relevant (internal and external) discussion groups as required in order to assess future policy development.
• Ensure maintenance of accurate country, project and programme information on the relevant intranet and internet pages.

Programmes support and information management

• Facilitate and collaborate with CDs in the creation of optimal country plans, and support and monitor the implementation of same.
• Supports each country programme in the development of an annual monitoring and evaluation plan that shows how it contributes to country programme objectives and global objectives for GOAL.
• Make recommendations on Technical Team support to field.
• Review all programme narrative and financial submissions, including but not limited to submissions to donors, and weekly, monthly and quarterly reports, from the field and make recommendations for action.
• Ensure weekly field and desk reports are prepared and submitted on time and to a high standard.
• Review field weekly and monthly reports and feedback to country programmes on same.
• Undertake quarterly review of country risk management tools.
• Work with in-country focal points to ensure the effective roll out of organisational policies and work with other members of the technical team in particular nutrition, WASH, health, livelihoods and HIV to develop integrated programmatic strategies were possible.
• Support sudden onset emergency responses as required.
• Ensure maintenance of accurate hard and soft copy files of all project/programme documentation, including on the grant management system (GMS), inter/intranet; Operations Department folders on the central server and in hard copy files.

Programme knowledge

• Maintain a high level of knowledge on all aspects of GOAL activities and local operating environments for designated countries and keep Senior Management fully appraised on a timely basis on all important issues.
• Maintain a good working knowledge of the other GOAL countries of operation.
• In coordination with the technical team and Operations department; maintain an overview of global country programming and provide advice on appropriate interventions which will facilitate more effective and integrated programming.
• Stay abreast of current best practice in fields relevant to assigned country programmes and engage in discussion, working groups and planning exercises to ensure this informs GOAL’s own organisational development and programming.

Financial accountability

• Review monthly financial reports with Finance department for expenditure levels, discrepancies and gaps; follow up with field informing senior management where there are concerns.
• Review proposal budgets for appropriateness and relevance. Raise queries with Finance department and country team.
• Review and monitor annual country budgets, specifically including GOAL funding requests and commitments.

Human resources

• Stay abreast of programme staffing and forthcoming recruitment needs.
• Review proposed new positions or extensions for relevance and budget and submit to Ops Manager for approval.
• Participate in the recruitment of field staff.
• Provide detailed country programme briefing to new/outgoing GOALies and visitors.
• Debrief recently returned staff in relation to country specific programme management challenges and successes.
• Make recommendations for training and development needs identified in support of country programme staff.

Logistics

• Review high value procurements for relevant, appropriateness and budget.
• Review and monitor grant specific procurement plans.
• Stay abreast of in country logistics capacity and concerns and raise concerns as appropriate.
• Review logistics checklists for new proposals.

Safety and security

• Stay abreast of current security context in fields relevant to assigned country programmes
• Engage in discussion and review of changing security policies and procedures.
• Participate in discussion on local security in review of existing and proposed programmes.
• Participate in discussion on local security in review of existing and proposed staff and staff structures.

Person Specification

Essential

• A Bachelors’ degree and demonstrable, relevant experience and/or a Masters level degree (or higher) in Development or related field.
• Experience in proposal and report writing, ideally within the development context and/or to institutional donors.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of major institutional donors, including familiarity with key donor priorities and grant implementation, monitoring and evaluation guidelines.
• Appreciation of the aims and objectives of GOAL.
• Adept in use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Fluent in spoken and written English with strong analytical skills.

Desirable

• Ideally, a minimum of two years practical field experience in emergency humanitarian and/or development programs, with a particular focus on grant or programme management, preferably within one or more of GOAL’s programme countries.
• Specific knowledge or experience of GOAL’s thematic programme or sectors.
• Fluency in French, Spanish or Arabic.

Please Apply Here