🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ Concern Worldwide – Partnership Manager

Externally with Concern’s partners (national and/or international).

Responsibilities:

• Explore and develop new partnerships focusing on national NGOs (but also where needed with private sector, research institutions, etc.), which ensure a creative and dynamic country programme via making contacts, attending relevant meetings and partnership related fora, visiting programme locations, etc.
• Foster a relationship of accompaniment, close mentoring and mutual respect with partner organizations across programme and support system functions.
• Support project / programme coordinators responsible for the relationship with partners to coordinate closely with the Concern support systems, finance and programme teams to ensure effective cooperative and equitable management of implementation through partners.
• Document learning from the country office’s engagement and collaboration with partners and share with Concern’s global Partnership Advisor and Concern Worldwide globally as appropriate.

Partner Mapping, Selection and Assessments:

• Lead the mapping and gathering of information on potential partners in target areas for future partnerships and programmes.
• Coordinate with other INGOs and Alliance 2015 to map national NGOs already assessed by them.
• Lead the process of due diligence assessments or application of Concern’s Integrated Local Partner Assessment Tool (CILPAT) with existing and potential new partners. Lead in development of partnership agreements, MOUs etc.
• Working with the CD (and other relevant staff in Sierra Leone and head office), coordinate with partners in negotiations and developing agreements or MOUs.

Partnership Mutual Capacity Development:

• Work with national partners and respective Concern staff to identify gaps in policies and procedures and technical capacity gaps.
• In coordination with the partner and project lead, facilitate the development of targeted mutual capacity development plans. Coordinate the timely implementation and monitoring of the plan with relevant Concern staff/departments and partners as appropriate.
• In coordination with respective Concern advisors ensure provision of technical assistance to partners to ensure project implementation is carried out in accordance with international humanitarian standards (e.g. Core Humanitarian Standards, SPHERE) and mainstreaming of cross cutting themes including gender & equality, environment & climate change, DRR and Protection.
• In coordination with the Programme Development & Quality Coordinator, Accountability Supervisor and Safeguarding focal points, support partners to ensure that accountability mechanisms are embedded into their programming, with functioning communication methods and feedback handling mechanisms in place (which are in line with or equivalent to Concern’s Complaints & Response Mechanism (CRM) and safeguarding procedures/policies).
• Support partners in their compliance with donor guidelines, and ensuring that their procedures do not conflict with Concern’s policies on HR, Procurement, Logistics and Financial management.

• Support partners to comply with Concern and donor requirements on timely and quality narrative and financial reporting – coordinating with the Grants & Information Manager and Partnership Accountant.
• With respective Concern staff, monitor the progress and performance of partners following the implementation of capacity building support.

• Identify with partners areas of expertise to share with Concern and/or other consortium partners.
• Organize and facilitate partnership review meetings, to reflect on lessons learned and ensure accountability between Concern and its partners.
• Conduct regular visits to project/programme locations (where they are implemented through national partners) to capture learning on what is working well and/or areas for improvement in the partnership. Support the Project Manager/Programme coordinator and the partners to implement agreed actions arising from such visits.

Programme Development:

• Work with partners to adapt and/or develop new proposals / interventions, including ensuring provision of technical and practical support on project design and budget development.
• Work with PDQ Coordinator and MEAL staff to help ensure that learning from programme implementation by partners and Concern is reflected upon and incorporated into future work.
• Support/lead the planning of project inception meetings, grant review meetings, and grant close out meetings with partners.

Organizational Learning and Representation:

• Work with the CMT and lead the development and implementation of Concern in Sierra Leone’s Partnership strategy.
• Support Concern Sierra Leone teams to deliver on the country strategic plan objectives on building strong partnerships.
• Undertake joint learning sessions between Concern and local partners on the partnership processes and approaches. Work with Advocacy and Communications Manager to capture/document/share learning related to partnership.
• Represent Concern in networks or platforms focused on partnership and localization. Identify opportunities to share learning by partners and at relevant fora (e.g. Capacity Strengthening Working Groups, Partnership Community of Practice, webinars, etc.).
• Establish and maintain relationships with Partnership/Capacity strengthening staff in other NGOs, institutions, and professional groups to remain abreast of trends and good practice around localization, partnership and organizational capacity strengthening.

HR and Capacity Building: 

• Work with the CMT to ensure that all relevant department positions have partnership roles and responsibilities in their job descriptions, have set SMART objectives against them, and are aware of the success criteria relating to these roles.
• Conduct capacity-strengthening sessions for Concern staff, across programmes, systems and finance departments, on partnership principles and ways of working as well as CILPAT process.
• Proactively identify and recommend adaptions to the Concern staff structure from learnings during partnership review and/or the capacity strengthening plans developed with new partners during partner assessment and proposal development.
• Line manage dedicated partnership positions as may become necessary, contributing to their capacity building and career development through technical support, on-the-job training and coaching, including a thorough induction at the start of their contract.

Other:

• Actively participate in collective exercises such as updates of Preparing for Effective Emergency Response (PEER) plan, Country Strategic Plan (CSP), security management plan (SMP) and other Concern initiatives.
• Ensure Concern’s cross cutting themes are incorporated in all aspects of your role including:  Gender & Equality; Protection; DRR; Climate Adaptation; Environment.
• Ensure the highest standards of accountability (as outlined in the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) to which Concern is a signatory) through ensuring good communication and information sharing within and outside the organisation.
• Be aware of, understand and comply with all of Concern’s policies and procedures (Code of Conduct & Associated Policies, finance, logistics, HR, security management etc.).
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the Country Director.

• Bachelor Degree in Development, Organisational Development, Project/Programme Management or another relevant discipline.
• At least three years of relevant experience with an NGO, UN agency or donor (of which at least one year with an NGO, ideally an international NGO).
• Specific experience in partnership approach, working with a range of different partner organisations (national / international NGOs, private sector, research institutions etc.), partner mapping, assessments and capacity development of staff within your organization and external partner organisation staff.
• Excellent written and oral communications and interpersonal skills in English. Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information in an accessible format.
• Strong networking, influencing and leadership skills.
• Experience of organisation representation, advocacy and coordination with NGOs/UN, donors, government institutions.
• Experience working in one or more of the following – accountability, equality and risk management.

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• Post graduate degree in relevant discipline and other evidence of continued learning on Organisational Development, capacity building, etc.
• Experience working within Concern Worldwide or a good understanding of the organisational structure and dynamics of Concern. Alternatively, demonstration of equivalent experience of working in an international organization.
• Trained in quality standards such as Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), SPHERE, Red Cross Code of Conduct, etc.
• Strong human resource management skills including capacity building and mentoring.
• Demonstrated experience of developing and implementing a Partnership strategy.
• Budget and fiscal oversight.

Essential – Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Ability to build strong relationships within the Concern team and with staff members of partner organisations, recognising power imbalances in relationships and how to offset these.
• Capability to work on own initiative and set strategic goals and targets independently with little supervision, while asking for support when appropriate.
• Experience and skills in the design and delivery of training and workshops (both for own organization and partners).
• Demonstrable facilitation skills, including ability to facilitate difficult conversations.
• Demonstrated aptitude and passion for continuous learning, innovation and improvement.
• Ability to analyse and understand organisational/institutional capacity and development processes.
• Ability and personal resilience to work in fast paced, dynamic and pressurised environment.
• Excellent computer skills particularly Microsoft office (high proficiency in Word, PowerPoint required, skills in Excel an added advantage)
• Empathy with Concern’s vision, mission and values.

• Raising awareness and being updated on HIV & AIDS issues.
• Protecting him/herself and colleagues.
• Sharing information with colleagues and avoiding stigma and discrimination.

Therefore, each staff member of Concern is expected to be sensitive to equality issues in their relationships with colleagues and in their work and to participate in implementation of gender mainstreaming plans, both at the workplace and in programmes.

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.