Jobs at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Job Overview/Summary:

Working under the direct supervision of IRC NW Team Lead and Partnerships Coordinator, the Partnership Manager (NW) plays a pivotal role in overseeing and executing Partnership Management in Northwest Nigeria. With a primary focus on achieving high-quality and compliant programming, the position is dedicated to enhancing partnership management, nurturing sustainable collaborations. Responsibilities encompass strengthening IRC's ability to engage with partners, exemplifying effective partnership approaches, particularly with local actors, and facilitating collaborative partnership management. The role also entails engaging in capacity sharing, training, contribute to business development, and providing support to partner organizations in project implementation. Based at the IRC Sokoto Office, the manager collaborates with diverse teams across IRC operational areas and maintains connections with regional and HQ teams as required. Occasional travel to partners' offices is anticipated for partnerships mapping, organizational capacity assessments, and knowledge sharing.

Major Responsibilities:

Strategy Implementation:

•  Champion robust partner relationship management characterized by the core partnership principles of equality, clarity, results-oriented approach, responsibility, and complementarity.
• Support development and implementation of IRC Nigeria strategic approach to partnerships, including supporting the SAP Implementation Plan.
• Promote a coherent, strategic, and coordinated approach to local partnerships in IRC Nigeria and facilitate regular inter-departmental meetings to ensure effective collaboration across the country program for partnerships.
• Maintain effective and efficient procedures for IRC Nigeria that responsibly handle PEERS processes.

Partnership Management:

•  Assist Sr. Partnerships Manager and country team in the development of principled partnerships (Strategic Partnerships).
• Oversee, facilitate and coordinate all aspects of partnership life cycle management, from stakeholder analysis, partner identification, due diligence, project development, agreement, start-up, implementation, supervising through to close-out, coordinating effectively with all programs, operations and finance components.
• Working with the program and grants teams, facilitate new funding opportunities for local and national civil society organizations, government, the private sector, and other entities.
• Responsible for the pre-award due diligence process with respect to all new partnerships, including through appropriate vetting, coordinating the PCA with other departments, analysis of risks associated with the award, chairing the PCA Panel, and the identification and implementation of appropriate measures to handle those risks, working with other departments as appropriate.
• Ensure that the appropriate funding mechanism is identified for each sub-award, and that appropriate special conditions are incorporated in each award. Review sub-award agreements and related documentation for quality prior to signatures.
• Ensure the engagement of partners in project designing and development and promote a culture of collaborative project designing.
• Review PEERS requirements post sub-award agreement signature (implementation, review and reflection and closure processes).
• Ensure appropriate proactive and reactive communications and engagement with IRC partners through regularly scheduled partnership management meetings/reviews and outside of formal partnership relationships.
• Aid the Program Team in upholding precise and secure partner mapping databases while contributing to partner selection processes.
• Ensure implementation of partnership health checks, equity assessments, and solicit feedback to inform partnership-related decision-making processes and shape the overall partnership strategy.Offer comprehensive insights to the team and assist in conducting routine stakeholder mapping exercises.
• Coordinate effective partnership close out processes, incorporating reflection, lessons learned and future planning.
• Facilitate systematic partner feedback on IRC’s management of the partnership relationship, as well as appropriate action in response to the feedback, engaging SMT as needed.
• Maintain up-to-date and accurate presentations for Partnership Department for internal and external meetings and presentations.
• Support on preparing management response and plan of actions of Internal and/or External audit and follow up on all sub-award compliance issues and audits and document resolutions.
• Facilitate Partnership Working Group meetings for a strategic and coordinated approach.
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of Partnership Management, highlighting challenges and providing necessary updates for prompt support.
• Work closely with regional and headquarters partnership specialists to arrange training sessions for country team on PEERS.

Team Management and Collaborations:

•  Work closely with Partnerships Capacity Sharing Manager, and Program and Support functions to develop and execute plans of partners capacity sharing that are contextually appropriate.
• Coach, train, mentor and supervise direct-report staff, including presenting clear expectations, setting quarterly performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews. Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• In absence of a team member, take over the responsibility of colleague and ensure the timely and quality delivery of results.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Partnerships Coordinator and NW Team Lead/MIP

Position directly supervises:  None

Indirect Reporting: NW Team Lead

Other Internal and/or external contacts: NW Team Lead, Partnership Team, Partnerships Capacity Sharing Manager, Grants Team, Programs TCs, Support Department Leads, Regional and AMU Advisors. 

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Finance/Business Management, International Development, or a related field.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience managing Finance/Operations/Grants/Partnerships in development or humanitarian contexts is required.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Proven ability to work effectively with national and local civil society organizations is required; experience in designing and delivering training is highly desirable.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

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Job Overview/Summary:

Partnerships Capacity Sharing Manager is a key position supporting the Program and Support to strengthen IRC approach to capacity sharing with partners. The role sits in the Partnerships Department in Maiduguri (Nigeria) with a dual reporting/working relationship with Partnerships and Finance Departments, supporting partnerships across Nigeria. The main goal of this position is to design and deliver a strong partnership capacity sharing approach, jointly in collaboration with IRC units and partners in accordance with IRC Strategy 100 (S100) and IRC Nigeria’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP) across all Nigeria partnerships’ portfolio. The Manager will, in close collaboration with partner organizations’ staff and leaders, identify partner development needs, as well as find opportunities for IRC to contribute to as well as learn from partners.

Major Responsibilities:

Capacity Sharing and Development:

• Support the implementation of partner capacity analyses (PCAs) and or Organizational Capacity Assessments (OCAs) for existing and new partners in collaboration with Partnerships Managers
• Work closely with existing and potential partners, Partnerships Managers, Program and Support Functions to prepare partners support plans by identifying gaps in policies and procedures, technical and organizational capacity, ensuring that it appropriately addresses issues identified in the PCA.
• Support the resourcing of organizational development support where appropriate for partners; coordinate organizational development support to partners.
• Manage implementation of capacity sharing activities for partner organizations on need basis in diverse areas of organizational development.
• Collaborate with technical coordinators to integrate technical capacity sharing approaches in program design and implementation.
• Facilitate the identification and engagement of expertise from within the organization or outsourcing services for partnership capacity sharing activities.
• Working hand in hand with the Nigeria Partnerships Team, conduct PEERS session to improve knowledge and skills of the IRC staff and acquaint the partners on IRC Partnerships Policy.
• Support in the identification and implementation of strategic partnerships with a focus on capacity sharing as a core feature of strategic partnerships.
• Find opportunities and resources, including HR resources for mentoring and/or coaching follow up activities at the partner organizational and individual levels.
• Find opportunities and coordinate events, platforms, and mechanisms for IRC to learn from partners and to promote learning among and between local actors on a regular basis.
• Facilitate the Partners’ Health Check and Power Equity sessions with selected partners in order to reflect on the IRC relationship with partners.
• Broker learning and capacity sharing opportunities and platforms for IRC and partners from within the country, region, and globally.
• Monitor, engage with, and contribute to the evolution of the localization agenda for the benefit of IRC and partners.
• Contribute to quality improvement of existing capacity sharing guidance, tools, and curriculum to adapt to the local context and staff/partner capacity.

Learning and Knowledge Management

• Lead in monitoring, evaluating, learning and periodic reporting, of capacity sharing initiatives including documenting successful capacity sharing methods that can be scaled.
• Closely monitor the partnership capacity sharing journey for IRC Nigeria country office, establish lessons, documents scenarios, including best practices and develop case studies for partnerships through collaboration the Communications/MEAL/programs team to enhance quality of success stories.
• Ensure capacity sharing learnings and lessons are well documented from our engagement and collaboration with partners to advance learning on partnerships and contribute to recommendations to SMT/management for strategic decision-making.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to:  Partnerships Coordinator
• Position directly supervises:  None
• Indirect Reporting: Finance Controller
• Other Internal and/or external contacts: Partnerships Managers, Grants Team, Programs TCs, Support Department Leads, Regional and AMU Advisors. 

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Finance/Business Management, International Development, or a related field.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience managing Finance/Operations/Grants/Partnerships in development or humanitarian contexts is required.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Proven ability to work effectively with national and local civil society organizations is required; experience in designing and delivering training is highly desirable.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

Language Skills:  Professional fluency in written and spoken English required.