Title: Awards and Partnerships Manager – Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT)

Location: Ramallah, West Bank, OPT

Reports to: Country Director – OPT

Technical/Matrix reporting line: Regional Awards and Partnerships Director

Direct Reports: Awards and Partnership team of OPT country office

About Relief International

RI is active in 15 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen. Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.

• Globally RI employs about 5,000 staff and auxiliary workers
• 97% of staff are local nationals and about 90 international (expat) staff
• 2022 programs budget is about $130M

About our Country Program

Relief International was operational in OPT starting in 2007, and after entering hibernation period in 2017, has recently reactivated its operations at the end of 2023. Relief International is currently building its response to the current and evolving situation in both Gaza and the West Bank through both a direct implementation and partnership approach. Relief International’s programming in OPT follows Relief International’s global strategy with Health as a central focus with components linked to our work in Health through the sectors of WASH, Protection, Education and Livelihoods. The context in OPT is extremely dynamic and requires focus on nexus programming that brings together both humanitarian service delivery combined with systems strengthening and longer-term programming. Navigating complex compliance challenges be a key area of focus for the Awards and Partnerships Manager.

Job Profile

The Awards and Partnerships Manager helps ensure compliance with donor requirements at all stages of the project lifecycle and facilitates effective management of RI OPT’s grants in coordination with other departments (e.g., Programs, Technical Units, Finance, Operations). This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring timely and quality reporting to donors, facilitating grant opening and closeout processes, advising on donor rules and regulations, coordinating proposal development processes, supporting/ leading on vetting and due diligence processes, and capacity building of staff and RI’s partners.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities

Awards Management & Compliance

• Advise program teams, support departments, and implementing partners on donor rules and regulations as well as RI’s internal requirements and actively promotes increased awareness of key compliance issues across the organization.
• Ensure the submission of high-quality narrative reports to donors by reminding the program teams about upcoming deadlines and reviewing and editing reports in accordance with donor requirements and RI writing guidelines.
• Drive vetting and due diligence process requirements of RI and donors.
• Support the field team in ad-hoc requests from the authorities such as collating annual or project end reports and to coordinate on access to implementation sites to ensure compliance with donor requirements and proposals.
• Lead and facilitate Awards opening meetings with the participation of program and support departments to develop a common understanding of the programmatic, operational, and financial aspects of a new grant as well as knowledge of our contractual requirements.
• Drive the In-country Awards close out processes, including holding the pre and post close-out meetings, coordinate completion of close-out & audit-readiness Checklist and ensure that all contractual obligations are met (e.g., final report, asset disposal).
• Participate in monthly BVA review meetings with all relevant departments to discuss progress towards programmatic and financial targets, review of the spend down plans, facilitate collective problem-solving to avoid delays in program implementation, and allow for early identification of modification requests as well as providing compliance advice during the meeting.
• Coordinate the preparation of modification requests for donors, including proposal revision, budget realignment, and other changes, in compliance with donor guidelines.
• Leading in donor communications for strategic grants to ensure that contextual, access and/or emergency updates are shared on time as well as implementation and contractual issues are raised timely to agree on way forward.
• Liaise with the Middle East regional team on all grants management matters such as the monthly submissions of Awards Matrix, reviewing grant agreements, obtaining grant codes, requesting waivers and derogations, etc.
• Maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date filing system on all aspects of grants and awards management.
• Support of the CD or delegate with timely and quality submission of Monthly Management Report and Portfolio Review
• Support the Program team with organization and the successful facilitation of Project Implementation Meetings and MEAL Team with ensuring consistent lessons learnt events.

Proposal Development

• Coordinate proposal development processes in country, including reviewing and improving draft proposals and concept notes, acting as the lead writer for some opportunities, and addressing feedback from the country management and regional team.
• Ensure that the entire proposal package adheres to donor guidelines and meets the selection criteria.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the country fundraising strategy, including conducting donor mapping, researching donor priorities and interests, and identifying new funding opportunities.
• Build the capacity of RI staff on proposal development by sharing insights on how to produce winning proposals and conducting training donor specific guidelines and templates, etc.
• Contribute to strategic planning exercises and other mission program exercises.

Partnership Management

• Oversee and build the capacity and guide the different department/ staff in country on RI partnership framework principles, due-diligence requirements, and best sub-awarding practices.
• Oversee RI OPT’s partnership strategy and related action plan, including working with technical teams to conduct partner mapping exercises for potential and existing projects.
• Ensure partners are trained and follow RI policies and procedures for the project duration, upholding RI’s key policies and principles as a humanitarian organization.

Communication

• Lead on ensuring collecting, collating and compiling communication material on RI OPT to input into RI Middle East Intranet, RI external communication and Donors’ Reports or Communications requirements etc.

Culture and conduct

• Demonstrate and uphold RI’s values, ethics and compliance, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
• Support systems that prevent sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.

Management and leadership

• Create a positive and productive work environment which is free from harassment and bullying.
• Demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of diversity and cultural differences, gender issues and the commitment to equal opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with the Safeguarding Leads to advocate for the inclusion of safeguarding activities and resources within program.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of donor requirements of safeguarding standards and protection from exploitation and abuse.

About you.

This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Key desirable qualifications:

• Master’s level education in a relevant field or bachelor’s degree, with commensurate work experience
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in grants management and proposal development in international relief or development programs, including field experience.
• Excellent writing skills in English at a native-speaker level and demonstrated ability to write and edit reports and proposals under tight deadlines.
• Strong knowledge of the rules and regulations of major institutional donors such as US Government, EU/ECHO, FCDO, GAC, and UN donors.
• Experience conducting capacity building activities and enthusiasm to share knowledge and information with others.
• Working knowledge of budget development and management.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively with colleagues in a multi-cultural setting.
• Ability to work in unstable security environment.
• Ability to work independently, set priorities, and manage time efficiently.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills, including ability to give effective feedback and to guide and mentor direct reports.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.

Key competencies:

• Adaptable and flexible
• Strategic thinking
• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Solution oriented and positive thinking
• Solid organizational and planning skills
• Self-critic, curious and eager to develop further professionally.
• Communicate with impact and respect.

RI Values

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

We value:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability