Job Overview/Summary:
The Partnerships Officer plays a crucial role in supporting the International Rescue Committee's partnership efforts inSyria. Working closely with the Partnership team based in Syria, the partnerships officer will be responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with local partners on the ground, capacity sharing initiatives, and ensuring effective coordination and collaboration with IRCโs partners. The officer will assist and contribute to the overall success of IRC's programs through effective partnership management and support.
Responsibilities:
Follow IRCโs Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS) that sets out efficient and responsive processes, delineates clear roles and responsibilities, and articulates IRCโs strategic approach to partnerships. Assist the partnership team for quality sub-award management, including sub-award start-up, sub-award implementation monitoring, capacity sharing and appropriate sub-award close-out.
Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development
Partnership Facilitation:
Assist to identify, assess, and develop potential partnerships with local national NGOs. Develop and maintain strong working relationships with partners, ensuring regular communication and collaboration on the ground. Monitor partner performance, provide technical support and guidance through partnership team as needed, and address any partnership-related issues or challenges. Support the team to develop stakeholder analysis and update on regular basis. Lead the pre-award due diligence process with respect to all sub-awards, including through appropriate vetting, analysis of risks associated with the award, and the identification and implementation of appropriate measures to manage those risks, working with other departments as appropriate. Draft sub-award agreements and follow IRC internal review process of all sub-award documentation and coordinate to get all necessary approvals. Assist monitoring the project activities, including visits to partner organizations to ensure that project activities are implemented in accordance with the work plan and budget. Develop agenda and materials for grant opening meetings, in coordination with support functions and program staff, to ensure projects start with clear expectations of both parties. Brief sub-award partners on agreements, as well as IRCโs and prime donorsโ rules and regulations, in coordination with the Senior Partnership Finance Manager. Assist partnership team to draft and follow up on partners agreement with coordination with all internal relevant units and completing the OTIS flow. Record the IRCโs internal Partnership Working Group meeting minutes, follow up the action points with relevant assigned team members.Partner Support and Capacity Sharing
Lead in organizing and conducting PCM meetings with partners, ensuring inputs from program, finance and compliance staff are received and included, meeting minutes taken, filed, and disseminated to Program Coordinators and partners. Follow up on the implementation of action points agreed upon during these meetings. Prepare close-out letters and ensure that all requirements of the sub-award agreement have been met and that sub-award funds have been properly settled. Conduct monitoring visits and coordinate support for partners to address any concerns or issues that may arise. Ensure response and support plans are implemented. Conduct capacity assessments of partners and develop capacity sharing plans in collaboration with partnership team and Capacity Sharing focal point. Assist in organizing training sessions, workshops, and mentorship programs to enhance partners' organizational and programmatic capabilities. Provide assistance for technical support and guidance to partners, sharing best practices and ensuring adherence to IRC and donor requirements.Documentation and Reporting:
Maintain partner files, including filing all appropriate communication and maintaining the Sub-Award Tracker, capturing all requirements throughout the sub-award life cycle (such as scheduled payments, partner deliverables, and special requirements).
Record the meetings with current and potential partners, share with relevant colleagues and store in IRC system for future use.
Create monthly progress report, share with partnership team, record the agreed action points and follow up with assigned team members.
Assist the partnership team on working with partnered project responsible and other partnership staff to review monthly/quarterly internal reports and support the drafting and compilation of partner reports into overall donor reports.
Required Experience/qualification/Skills:
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
Language/Travel:
Fluency in English and Arabic is required. Travel: 40% to field sitesKey Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Partnership Manager
Position directly supervises: N/A
Indirect Reporting (If applicable): Partnership Coordinator
Key Internal Contacts: IRC Programs
Key External Contacts: Partners
Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way โ Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.
Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.
Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC MENA, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.
IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.