Regional Programme Innovation and Business Engagement Manager at Danish Refugee Council

Overall purpose of the role:

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is looking for a qualified and experienced innovation manager to lead the Programme Innovation and Business Engagement (PIBE) portfolio across the East Africa and Great Lakes region, working closely with the global PIBE unit. The role drives the development of new programme ideas, thinking and partnerships within displacement settings across the region as well as building out of flagship programmes already developed under the Unit. The portfolio is varied and so the role requires a profile with an understanding of multiple technical areas centered around innovative finance, private sector engagement, and community innovation preferably with a climate and environment angle, all in acute humanitarian settings.

Responsibilities :

The Regional Programme Innovation and Business Engagement Manager for EAGL will

• Develop new programmes and thinking for humanitarian innovation in displacement contexts across the region, leading a team to expand the PIBE portfolio by working with country programmes to identify and develop opportunities and partnerships that support displaced populations and hosting communities within the EAGL region
• Strengthen the existing portfolio and ensure quality delivery of ongoing initiatives and replication of approaches focused on innovative finance and refugee entrepreneurship, SME investment, climate and community-level innovation and anticipatory action
• Technically support implementation of the Refugee Investment Facility across multiple countries, supporting technical staff with pipeline and impact case development, due diligence and technical assistance delivery to businesses
• Develop relationships with private actors, businesses and funders interested in engaging in innovation and alternative finance programmes with DRC
• Work and coordinate with the global PIBE team, developing ideas with team members that are relevant for East Africa
• Conduct scoping visits to countries to explore new ideas and liaise with private actors to develop pilot opportunities for innovation in displacement settings
• Identify and refine sectoral and geographical priorities for engaging in innovation to support displacement-affected populations, aligning with DRCs core sectors through integrated programming
• Build out flagship programmes with countries that DRC can easily replicate
• Identify and develop concept notes and business proposals, with details of programme plans and refined finance models to further conversations with private actors and funders
• Support country programmes to adopt an innovative mindset in their programme development, offering guidance and tools to follow innovation processes
• Provide training and workshops on innovation processes with countries as they develop new ideas
• Support implementation of pilot initiatives across the region
• Explore new business partnerships and funding streams, and identify funding opportunities and potential alternative funding sources
• Participate in relevant coordination meetings and external engagements, presenting DRCs work to raise the profile and of the innovation portfolio
• Work closely with Country Directors, Area Managers, and the Grants unit to develop quality proposals, concept notes and budgets
• If/when the opportunity arises to seek funding, develop and undertake needs assessments to inform program design and strategic direction.
• Support the development of annual strategies to grow the portfolio with the Programme Innovation and Business Engagement team
• Directly line-manage a team of coordinators, specialists and officers across various locations
• Offer technical line management to project managers across various country programmes who are implementing innovation projects
• Provide guidance and feedback to team, monitoring workplans, weekly tasks, planning travel, supporting goal development and ensuring quality delivery of work

About you

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

Experience and Technical comptencies (included year of experience)

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, climate or other relevant degree;
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in one of several of the following areas: humanitarian innovation, innovative finance, market systems development, impact investing, inclusive growth, climate programming, private sector engagement)
• At least 3 years of management experience, managing diverse teams across multiple locations
• Strong understanding of forced displacement and migration in the east Africa region
• Well elaborated know-how and experience in humanitarian financing, and particularly alternative financing / blended financing models
• Ability to model, develop and integrate new financing models and model business cases
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish relationships within DRC and to external stakeholders at highest level
• Strategic thinking ability at a systems level, with capacity to develop innovative policies and tackle challenges at a systems level
• Experience in strategy development in market systems and displacement-affected populations
• Experience in engaging with private sector for purposes of international development, i.e., impact investment, shared-value partnerships
• Demonstrated capacities in communication, coordination and in working in a multicultural staffing context;
• Familiarity with Project Cycle Management
• Demonstrated record in collaborating, networking and negotiating with authorities, UN agencies, donors and other NGOs;
• Documented skills in project planning and design, drafting, calculation and technical writing
• Good analytical and communication skills;
• Ability to work under pressure in a rapidly changing and insecure environment;
• Good level of IT literacy and an understanding of how new technologies can be practically applied to achieve results;