Funding Coordinator at WaterAid

Location: West Africa
Job Type: Contract
Category: Funding

Purpose of Role

• As a member of the West Africa Regional team, this role supports the Regional Funding Manager in positioning WaterAid in West Africa to secure significant funding from a diverse portfolio of institutional and private donors.
• The role will involve supporting the Regional Funding Manager in both cultivating donors and other strategic partnerships in West Africa as well as leveraging support and funding from the various WaterAid affiliate member offices.
• The postholder will also be responsible for implementing the required systems and processes to enable CPs to do effective fund management and comply with donor contractual requirements.

Responsibilities
Strategy and Strategic Advice:

• Contribute to implementing and reviewing the regional funding strategy covering both business development and contract management improvement plans for CPs, alongside the Regional Funding Manager
• Communicate and provide timely specialised strategic funding advice, as agreed with the Regional Funding Manager, to country and regional management teams to aid effective decision-making on funding related issues.

Funding Coordination:

• In consultation with the RFM, ensure effective coordination and facilitation of funding with Country Programmes and WaterAid UK global teams/other WaterAid Members. This includes sharing of funding opportunities and identifying and making country needs (for instance for priority funding or support requests) visible.
• Ensure appropriate engagement of the programme management line (CDs, Regional Director, International Programme Department and CEO) in restricted funding authorisation.
• Facilitate support to CP’s in all stages of Restricted Fund with the respective business units such a programmes and finance with primary focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 donors as well as Tier 1 donors as required

Contract Management Oversight:

• Perform quality control of the day to day management of contracts. Identify and review high-risk grant progress and reports.
• Participating in monthly contract review meetings with country programmes to assess and review progress
• Lead on regional RIS compliance oversight and alert Heads of Funding to missing information on and escalate to the RFM when necessary to ensure optimal performance
• Lead on producing key reports on contract management status
• Support on contract management processes ensuring compliance to donor requirements and WA Restricted Fund Management process.

People:

• Provide technical support to Country Programmes (CPs) where necessary, including supporting the induction of new staff and relevant capacity development for programme, finance and funding staff in Country Programmes.

Regional Business Development and Fundraising:

• Constantly search and monitor West Africa regional donor landscape for opportunities
• Support to facilitate effective qualification of donor funding opportunities in West Africa (e.g. Bid / No Bid process)
• Support the development of proposals and bids with Country Programmes, ensuring quality programming and budgeting
• Liaise with fundraising colleagues across WaterAid Federation to attract funding opportunities to the West Africa region
• Lead on producing reporting on pipeline and ongoing opportunities

Person Specification
Essential:

• University degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience
• Bilingual French and English at both written and spoken levels
• Commitment to WaterAid’s values and a working style that reflects these
• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, representation, influencing and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to initiate and co-ordinate fundraising efforts and work effectively with a wide variety of partners and disciplines.
• Diplomatic and multi-cultural skills.
• Proven skills in teamwork, negotiation, liaison, and relationship and conflict management.
• Strong skills in proposal and report writing from experience of working with international donors.
• Strong organisational and analytical skills.
• Adaptable, flexible, able to take initiative and prioritize among competing demands.

Desirable:

• Creative writing skills - introducing innovations.