Capacity Strengthening Advisor at Trocaire

The role of the Capacity Strengthening Advisor (CSA) will form part of Trócaire’s Global Hub on Partnership & Localisation. This new role will provide strategic and technical supports on capacity strengthening, both internally and externally, working within Trócaire’s partnership and localisation framework. This post will work across all Trócaire country programmes, including development, humanitarian, and advocacy contexts, and will engage with Country Office leadership and colleagues that have partner capacity strengthening as a core part of their duties.

For the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, Trócaire offers a competitive package of salary and benefits.

Reporting to the Global Director – Partnership & Localisation, this is a fixed contract for 2 years and can be based in any Trócaire office. Current and valid permission to work and reside in the location is required.

Safeguarding Programme Participants-Children & Adults:

Trócaire is committed to Safeguarding people within our programmes from Exploitation and Abuse and has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct) which outlines the expected behaviour and responsibility of all staff, consultants and other organisational representatives. Any candidate offered a job with Trócaire will be expected to sign Trócaire’s Safeguarding Policies and Global Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

Closing date to receive applications: 30th September 2021

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Development and Delivery of Capacity Strengthening Resources

• Lead the review and updating of Trócaire’s Partner Capacity Assessment System (PCAS) and Capacity Strengthening approach, ensuring it is fit for purpose, based on partners’ expressed needs, and designed and coordinated in relation to other external assessment tools and global best practice.
• Lead the rollout of the updated capacity strengthening approach and resources across all Trócaire country offices.
• Develop organisational tools, guidance, or resources on partners’ operational, administrative, or institutional capacity strengthening and support their rollout.
• Train Trócaire staff on tools, guidance, or resources on partners’ operational, administrative, or institutional capacity strengthening.
• Develop Trócaire staff capacity strengthening expertise through continuous coaching, mentoring, training, and development opportunities.
• Review, provide critical feedback on, and support the revision of manuals, guidelines, training materials, and other outputs relating to partner capacity strengthening, ensuring quality control.
• Ensure that all resources relating to partner capacity strengthening are stored using Trócaire’s online systems.

Technical Support on Partner Capacity Strengthening

• Provide technical support and guidance to Trócaire staff, particularly Country Programmes, on partner capacity strengthening.
• Liaise across the organisation to leverage capacity strengthening expertise.
• Support country offices in the design and implementation of capacity strengthening initiatives/ projects.
• Maintain global oversight of Trócaire’s capacity strengthening initiatives/ projects across all Country Programmes.
• Support Country Programmes to conduct efficient and effective organisational capacity assessments and re-assessments that are led and owned by local partners and receive necessary follow-up.
• Create opportunities and tools for partners to assess Trócaire’s strengths and areas for improvement of its capacity strengthening approaches and ensure organisational follow-up on recommendations.
• Provide guidance to country teams when designing capacity strengthening outcomes, frameworks, activities, and budgets.

Monitoring, Knowledge Management and Learning

• Track monitoring frameworks to effectively measure and monitor Trócaire’s global progress against capacity strengthening targets.
• In collaboration with Hub colleagues, measure partners’ satisfaction with capacity strengthening support they receive from Trócaire and compile findings globally.
• Produce annual and donor reports that reflect Trócaire’s global progress on partner capacity strengthening.
• Build a knowledge base of learning and evidence around capacity strengthening effectiveness that can be shared (internally and externally) and applied to future programmes and interventions.
• Support the development of high-quality learning pieces on partner capacity strengthening, in collaboration with Country Programmes.
• Develop mechanisms to promote peer to peer learning and support.
• Ensure Trócaire delivers on the KPIs related to partner capacity strengthening.

Networking and Advocacy on Capacity Strengthening

• In close collaboration with the Global Partnership Director, represent Trócaire in networks or platforms focused on partner capacity strengthening.
• Identify opportunities to share learning by partners and Trócaire at relevant forums (e.g. Charter for Change Capacity Strengthening Working Group, webinars, development journals, etc.).
• Collaborate closely with peer agencies, including Caritas agencies.
• Coordinate and collaborate with colleagues engaged with Trócaire’s CHS and accountability initiative.
• Influence policies and practices that promote improved capacity strengthening approaches across the sector, including through stakeholder meetings and advocacy briefs.

Other

• Any other reasonable and relevant area of work, depending on the emerging needs of the Hub.

Requirements

Person Specification – Essential Requirements

Qualification

• Relevant third level degree
• Relevant master’s degree preferred

Experience

• At least five years’ experience of working in a partnership-based model with local NGOs, Church, and Civil Society organisations.
• Proven experience of design, development, and implementation of capacity strengthening initiatives at organisational levels, across development, humanitarian, and advocacy contexts.
• Specialised experience in organisational development and systems strengthening of local NGOs/CSOs.
• Experience providing capacity strengthening support to teams and local partner organisations through training, mentoring, accompaniment, and coaching.
• Experience developing training materials, eLearning modules, and learning programmes.
• Demonstratable experience in monitoring and evaluating partnership capacity strengthening programmes.
• Experience of working in partnership across a diversity of local partners, including small to medium-sized organisations.
• Experience with programme and project cycle management.
• Experience in documenting and socialising learning and research in innovative and impactful ways.

Skills

• Strong understanding of the localisation agenda and its challenges at the international and local levels and familiarity with key institutions and donor agencies active in capacity strengthening of local organisations.
• Highly organised, with excellent planning, prioritisation, independent working, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to analyse information and produce high-quality knowledge products.
• Strong coordination skills, specifically with the ability to effectively coordinate with Country Programmes and partners.
• Ability to transfer skills and knowledge to individuals and organisations through training, mentoring, and accompaniment.
• Demonstrable capacity and commitment to working in collaborative fashion with colleagues and partners.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills and willingness to engage in public speaking.
• Strong networking skills and ability to engage external stakeholders proactively and professionally.
• Competent in Microsoft packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and online systems (Salesforce, Box, Agresso).
• Fluency (written and spoken) in English.

Qualities

• A proven commitment to teamwork.
• An ability to maintain a positive attitude working in an environment where results are difficult to quantify.
• Ability to engage effectively and respectfully with a diverse group of team members and partners from different parts of the world.
• Ability to travel internationally (subject to travel permissions).

Person Specification – Desirable

Skills

• Language skills (Arabic, French, and/or Spanish) are a plus.

Behavioural Competencies in Line with Trócaire’s Competency Framework

• Leading: Reflecting our values of Participation & Accountability, acts to inspire and lead others to achieve their potential, demonstrating Trócaire’s values with integrity in order to achieve our organisation’s objectives.
• Communicating: Reflecting our value of Participation, being one organisation, communicating clearly and transparently across, teams, units, divisions, locations and other external organisations. Getting our message across with impact.
• Collaborating: Reflecting our values of Participation & Solidarity, partnering effectively as One Trócaire organisation and, in solidarity, maintains positive relationships built on trust and respect.
• Stewardship of Resources: Reflecting our value of Accountability and decision-making around the best use of resources. Using our resources transparently, sustainably, ethically, fairly & with integrity; acknowledging Trócaire’s reputation in the use of resources.
• Delivering Results: Reflecting our values of Accountability & Perseverance, getting a quality job done through effective performance, planning and decision making.
• Continual Improvement & Learning: Reflecting our values of Participation & Courage, constantly looking to learn and develop self, employees, and partners to better fulfil Trócaire’s’ mission.
• Flexibility & Change: Reflecting our values of Participation & Courage, adapts positively to change and to different ways of doing things; manages or takes part in change processes in a way that is appropriate to role in the organisation.