Partnership Manager at Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Partnership Manager will be responsible for:

• Supervising civil society partner selection processes
• Leading the overall capacity assessment process, as well as capacity building plans, ensuring partners have the tools and support to deliver on projects, strategy and services for children in Poland.
• Supporting program managers with the tools and approaches for partnership engagement for effective programming
• Advise all departments to ensure partner compliance/accountability.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

General:

• Participate in planning and developing a civil society partnership-based programme.
• Lead on the development of the partnership capacity strengthening programme.
• Support the Programme Managers in preparing revising and following up on project implementation plans, capacity building plans and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate with SC technical departments to provide training to partners and support them in implementing quality interventions in line with SCI standards and humanitarian principles.
• Support the Programme Managers and the partners in proposal and budget development.
• Maintain a well-structured filing system for all partnership projects, including: project reporting, photos, videos, and other means of verification, as well as detailed beneficiary records. 
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of crisis or emergency.
• Manage the partners’ documents and beneficiaries’ records confidentially and professionally.
• Any other tasks assigned by their line manager.

Partnerships:

• Identify/assess potential new partners as per SCI standards and requirements
• Supervise Save the Children sub-grant allocation processes (negotiated agreements and call for proposals).
• Take the lead in reviewing civil society partner grant applications
• Manage Partner – SC – Donor reporting flow, including verification of Partner accountability documentation
• With the Programme/Field Manager, coordinate with different partners and stakeholders who are responding to guarantee better coordination by attending different working groups meetings.
• Prepare the terms of partnership/MoUs and any sub grant agreements with the verified and approved partners.
• Keep track of technical, operational, HR, financial and grants questions with partners and facilitate support from relevant SCI departments to ensure continuous support throughout the programme cycle.
• Follow up on partners payments and facilitate the process with SCI finance team and partners by providing all the needed documents as per SCI procedure.
• Work with other functional departments to participate in verification visits of partners throughout the project cycle.

Capacity Building:

• In coordination with relevant SCI functions, assess partners’ institutional capacity through a thorough assessment to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Lead on Developing and following up on SCI partners Capacity building plan and outcomes in line with the capacity building assessment results.
• Facilitate and follow up on the provision of technical advice by SCI technical / Support departments or external actors to provide capacity building and monitoring services to SCI partners.
• Support SCI partners in grants management and ensure that the partners meets SCI accountability, reporting and MEAL requirements.
• Review partners’ narrative and financial submitted reports and provide feedback to SCI programme Manager as well as on going coaching and monitoring to partners at all levels.

Strategy:

• Supporting with the development of and review of the partnership approach/strategy to ensure that SCI remains flexible to the needs in Poland.
• Where required support partners and SCI staff develop joint program strategies and approaches in order to be more effective in our work
• Contribute to strategic discussions around how the organization supports and collaborates with partners
• Ensure our commitment to ethical and responsible partnership is adhered to by all staff
• Ensure partnership activities are implemented in accordance with best practice as well as our policies and processes

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND ATTRIBUTES:

Essential

• Post graduate or Master degree in relevant field
• Minimum 5 years work experience in the humanitarian sector/with NGOs, with at least 2 years’ experience in partnership-based programming or community based programming
• Good skills and experience in all aspects of programme cycle management - design and development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation
• Experience in organizational capacity development, training, mentoring and coaching
• Excellent training, facilitation and capacity building skills
• Proven experience in field level representation with key stakeholders and co-ordination with other NGOs/UN is highly desirable
• Proven commitment to participatory approaches
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills and the ability to think and plan strategically
• An excellent team player with good skills in team work and consultative approach to decision making
• Demonstrable experience of M&E and beneficiary accountability
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, including a good track record of report writing
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the values, mission and principles of Save the Children

Desirable

• National level representation with key stakeholders and co-ordination with other NGOs/UN
• Fluency in Polish is highly desirable