Organisational profile

Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa) is a feminist and pan-African Rapid Response Fund committed to transforming power relations through resourcing African feminists and womn human rights defenders and their formations as an act of solidarity. Recognizing the need to move resources rapidly on a continent where opportunities and threats arise and decline quickly, UAF-Africa uses a Rapid Response Grantmaking mechanism to support unanticipated, time-sensitive, innovative, and unique initiatives that promote womn’s agency in peace and political participation, social and economic power building as well as natural resources governance and stewardship. The Fund works to support African Womn Human Rights Defenders (AWHRDs), particularly in the feminist and womn’s rights movements, in their actions, which enable them to support and sustain themselves, each other, and their work before, during, and after urgent situations.

UAF-Africa mobilises resources from a broad base of international and increasingly local funders committed to protecting and advancing womn’s rights and feminist agendas in Africa. Our primary purpose is to provide funding to AWHRDs and their groups, organisations and movements to help them prepare for and navigate urgent situations with appropriate actions.

UAF-Africa is registered in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Operating as a virtual organisation, the Fund boasts of strategic physical presence in East Africa: Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda; North Africa: Cairo, Egypt; Central Africa: Bujumbura, Burundi and Yaoundé, Cameroon; Southern Africa: Harare, Zimbabwe, Antananarivo, Madagascar and West Africa: Abuja, Nigeria, Cotonou, Benin and Dakar, Senegal.

Position Overview

UAF-Africa seeks a Transformative Partnerships and Philanthropy Co-ordinator who will translate UAF-Africa’s strategic plans into effective pan-African and feminist social justice movement-building initiatives. Guided by feminist principles and values, the Fund advocates for womn’s equality, not only as a matter of human rights but also as a fundamental prerequisite for social change, global security, and sustainable peace. In addition to her core business of Rapid Response Grantmaking, UAF-Africa also runs alliance-building and advocacy initiatives in collaboration with other social justice organisations.

Responsibilities

Resource Mobilisation and Philanthropies Strengthening

• Working closely with the Director – Transformative Partnerships and Philanthropy portfolio, support the resource mobilisation of the Fund’s strategic compass, focusing on Bilateral Government and Private Foundations.
• Support resource mobilization initiatives to enhance and implement the existing strategy to grow UAF-Africa’s resources in line with the current strategic compass.
• Be the focal person for proposal development in line with the resource mobilisation strategy and conduct donor mapping according to UAF-Africa’s funding priorities.
• Be the technical lead for proposal development and donor reporting while facilitating cross-functional teams to develop strong grant programme designs.
• Provide regular updates to the team on grant pipeline progress, donor compliance and due diligence.
• Provide early identification and escalation of issues in grant performance to ensure risks are managed.
• Manage ongoing activities, including reviewing all programmatic opportunities.
• Researching programmatic and funding opportunities and selecting the most appropriate to be advanced.
• Creating and implementing realistic project plans and timelines; coordinating and managing multiple projects.
• Conduct learning, monitoring, and evaluation of organizational resource mobilization and draw up analyses and lessons learned.

Partnership building and Philanthropy

• Working closely with the Director of the Transformative Partnership & Philanthropy portfolio, update and implement vibrant transformative partnerships and philanthropy strategy to expand the reach and impact of ongoing efforts in advancing UAF-Africa’s focus areas. This will be achieved by utilising social marketing, strategic communications, resource mobilization, donor engagement and compliance among other strategies.
• Conceptualize new strategic initiatives that could be built around or benefit from diverse philanthropic actors.
• Participate in networking activities to identify potential partners; network with local, regional, and international non-profit organizations (women’s rights and mainstream social justice), donor institutions and actors, private sector actors and organisations and state and national agencies, among other potential partners for future partnership building.
• Develop and maintain a database of partners and prospective partners.

Other Responsibilities

• Support the development of periodic strategic reports for internal/external communications to the team and other stakeholders.
• Assist with programmes public outreach, press releases and public presentations of UAF-Africa’s work, especially on collaborative initiatives.
• Develop partnership packages and presentations.
• Any other responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Transformative Partnerships & Philanthropy.

Specific Responsibilities

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social sciences, Women’s Studies, Political Sciences, International Development, Law or related fields.

Skills and Experience

• A minimum of 7-9 year’s experience in partnership development, proposal development and donor reporting for Bilateral Governments and Private Foundations
• Expert in human rights funding and grants management.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of UAF-Africa’s core mandate and vision.
• Passionate about UAF-Africa’s mission, committed to teamwork, and achieving results.
• Activist with an unwavering commitment to feminist individual and organisational principles and values.
• Experience working in a multicultural team.
• Strong activism and feminist conceptualization and analytical skills.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to work quickly and efficiently (under pressure), especially when facing tight deadlines.
• Strong oral and writing skills, in English (French or Arabic linguistic skills an advantage.
• Sound understanding of the politics of providing feminist and women’s rights strategic resourcing support.
• In-depth knowledge of women’s rights issues, particularly within the context of Africa.
• Progressive gender equality/womn’ rights and or social justice experience and knowledge at the international level particularly work experience in developing countries.
• Excellent interpersonal, public speaking, and negotiation skills.
• Balanced and intuitive decision-making.
• Good understanding of electronic communications and standard office computer software.

Work Environment

This is a regional position that involves some national, regional and international travel. UAF-Africa is an equal-opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices. To build the strongest possible workforce, UAF-Africa actively seeks a diverse applicant pool. The Fund is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The position will be based in any Southern African country.