Partnership Officer (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 Partnership Officer will work closely with the Partnership Coordinator and Senior Partnership Managers. S/he will assist in conducting partner due diligence, execute partnership agreement, organizing project cycle meetings for partners. S/he will support the partnership team to review partners’ reporting documents and assist the Partnership Coordinator and Senior Partnership Managers to mentor CBO/NGO staff to improve CBO/NGO internal control systems and documentation process. The Partnership Officer will be responsible for liaising with partners to ensure their program and financial reports are complete and accurate. The position will also coordinate with IRC program and operations teams in the field and in Bangkok as necessary.

Major Responsibilities
PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT
1. Assist the Partnership Coordinator and Senior Partnership Managers in the creation and management of different types of partnership agreements including a memorandum of understanding (MOUs) and contracts.
2. Assist the partnership team in conducting partner due diligence process and partner pre-award assessment.
3. Assist the Partnership Coordinator and Senior Partnership Managers to manage and foster relationships with partners in consistent with the IRC’s partnership approach. This will include but not limited to regular communication with partners via phone and email as well as reporting and monitoring of partnership activities to the Partnership Coordinator and Senior Partnership Managers.
4. Liaise with partners to ensure their reports are complete and accurate according to their reporting schedules.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCE
1. Maintain a filing system (soft copy) of all partner proposals, due diligence checks, agreements, modifications, program and financial reports, monitoring reports, and relevant correspondence.
2. Coordinate with the Partnership Coordinator and Senior Partnership Managers to prepare and update partner tracking sheet and support plan.
3. Provide administrative support to the Partnership team, including scheduling and organize meetings, preparing a meeting agenda, and taking meeting minutes.
4. Assist the partnership finance team in checking partner’s financial reports and payment process.
5. Review partners’ financial supporting documents and ensure they are adequate, appropriate and in compliance with PEERS, financial accounting standards and donor regulations.
6. Keep the Partnership Coordinator and Senior Partnership Managers informed of any partner compliance issues, major budget fluctuations, significant overspending or underspending as quickly as possible to ensure timely mitigation.

PARTNER SUPPORT AND NETWORKING:
1. Participate in, and contribute to, partner project review meetings, partner monitoring and trainings as relevant.
2. Any other duties as assigned by the Partnership Coordinator and Senior Partnership Managers.


Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Senior Partnership Manager
Indirect Reporting: Partnership Coordinator

Other Internal and/or external contacts:
Internal: senior management team technical coordinators and field-based technical teams; Programs and Awards Management Unit team members; Finance Unit
External:  IRC partners