Jobs at International Rescue Committee

KEY ACCOUNTABLITIES AND MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Project management for various Strategy & Performance initiatives, with a focus on partnership efforts

• Develop and lead a workplan, help to coordinate/schedule meetings and communicate with members, and document achievements of the milestones of different coordination bodies (eg. the Partnership Steering Committee), organizational change processes (the Partnership Roadmap), or cross-departmental efforts to revise organizational guidance materials that are under the responsibility of Program Delivery (eg. the Strategy Action Plan (SAP), Project Cycle Meetings (PCM) approach, the Country Program Structure Guidance, the end-to-end system for partnership excellence (PEERS).

Support performance monitoring of Strategy & Performance objectives  

• Regularly check status across all initiatives’ workplans to determine whether on-track or needs course correction.
• Support the performance reporting on performance metrics as part of the CRRD department’s Delivery Letter, which outlines the key commitments and goals for the fiscal year.

Support the management of the non-emergency Global Surge Team (GST)

• Work with the Senior Director, Strategy & Performance in the oversight of, administration, and routine performance data reviews of the members of the roster under Program Delivery responsibility.

Other tasks, as necessary:

• Support analysis processes and products that are needed to mobilize organizational attention and support. This could include tasks such as supporting the analysis of Strategy Action Plans (SAP) priorities across countries or adherence to PCM routines across countries.
• Support socialization and change management communications to promote country adoption of new processes, systems, policies, etc. One example is the adopt of the Ready to Use Food (RUF) SOP in country programs with nutrition programming. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Skills, Experience, and Qualifications:

Essential:

• Degree in relevant field or equivalent professional experience
• At least 3 years’ experience within the humanitarian or development sector; experience working at the country or regional level a plus;
• Demonstrated expertise in best practice project management skills; developing and following workplans, following up with responsible people, facilitating meetings, collecting and using data to drive decisions.
• Demonstrated experience of basic data analysis and data visualization to tell the story of how something is performing.
• Networking and influencing skills – internal networking experience a must; engaging with donors, UN, or other key external stakeholders a plus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively manage a variety of multi-level relationships in a multicultural environment;
• Excellent written communications and ability to develop simple and accessible communications materials;
• The ability to work productively and accurately while under pressure in a fast-paced, demanding environment;
• A flexible work attitude, with the ability to work in a team environment or independently, and the ability to pivot to meet unexpected demands;
• Ability to prioritize effectively;
• Strong attention to detail to ensure own work, and work of others is of a consistent high quality

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KEY ACCOUNTABLITIES AND MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership and influence in adaptive, data-driven project management

• Serve as technical focal point to our multi-year framework agreement donor on aspects of adaptive management.
• Play a leading role in ensuring that adaptive management is integrated into IRC’s definition of good project and program management and essential for quality program design and delivery.
• Engage in discussions with key internal stakeholders (in particular Emergencies and specific leads or TAs) to ensure transitions between emergency response, early recovery and longer-term programs are fluid.
• Engage in discussions with strategic donors to advocate for funding models that support flexibility and adaptation, including transitions from response mechanisms & long-term and recovery programs. 

Lead IRC’s learning agenda related to adaptive programs 

• Lead on the definition of a learning agenda to identify the critical enablers and the ways in which IRC country programs continuously adapt to various types of crises and employ adaptive management skills and tools for high quality delivery of programs.
• Lead learning processes and final evaluation to assess adaptive programs’ impact, using a mix of quantitative and qualitative data and providing insights for continuous improvement.
• Support the uptake of Project Learning Meetings (PLM), as part of wider Project Cycle Meeting (PCM) approach, helping to understand what are the barriers and what are the opportunities to expand good practice for learning. 

Training, capacity sharing, and practical support on adaptive/good project management 

• Develop and lead training with country and regional teams on good/adaptive project management and provide support to the assessment of staffing & structure, skills, use of tools and routines to support program delivery.
• Identify and address gaps in country teams' ability to analyze and use data for learning and adapting, particularly through Project Cycle Management (PCM) routines.
• Provide targeted support to country teams through hands-on advice & support, learning workshops, and direct mentorship, ensuring rapid learning and adaptation to changing contexts.
• Enhance existing training packages and guidance on strategy development, project cycle processes to include an adaptive project management lens, facilitating the incorporation of adaptive practices into existing routines.
• Provide support on overall country program (re)structuring discussions and help to maintain/update IRC’s guidance material on org design for optimal delivery. 

Mentorship and team development

• Provide guidance and mentorship to team member(s), focusing in particular on informed and adaptive decisions and learning, fostering a culture of learning and growth.
• Promote a culture of open collaboration by creating spaces for shared learning on adaptive practices.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Skills, Experience, and Qualifications:

Essential:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field; Master’s Degree a distinct advantage
• Progressively responsible experience within the humanitarian sector (and development sector is a plus), including significant experience working at the country, regional and/or global level;
• Demonstrated expertise in best practice project management skills, applying data-driven adaptive management approaches to improve the performance of programming.
• Demonstrated experience of providing technical capacity building support to frontline implementation teams.
• Experience developing & rolling out technical guidance and building capacity of field teams.
• Demonstrated ability to lead collaborative projects with stakeholders from various departments to develop/deliver a cross-functional process or product.
• Demonstrated experience in leading program design processes that are based on lessons learned from implementation.
• Ability to co-design, roll out, and support change management for tools and resources that are responsive to program delivery teams’ demands.
• Networking and influencing skills and experience of donor liaison.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively manage a variety of multi-level relationships in a multicultural environment;
• Excellent written communications and ability to develop simple and accessible communications materials.
• The ability to work productively and accurately while under pressure in a fast-paced, demanding environment;
• A flexible work attitude, with the ability to work in a team environment or independently, and the ability to pivot to meet unexpected demands;
• Ability to prioritize effectively;
• Strong attention to detail to ensure own work, and work of others is of a consistent high quality
• Ability to travel (up to 25%) to IRC country program locations. 

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Major Responsibilities

Program Design & Proposal Development (Approx. 40% of time)

• Support cultivation of donor relationships in Kenya and the region, tracking upcoming funding opportunities aligned with priority sectors and the country’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP).
• Lead and coordinate proposal development processes involving global technical advisors, partners, finance, operations, HR, and program teams to ensure timely and compliant submissions.
• Utilize needs assessments and contextual analysis to inform project design and monitor donor trends, policies, and funding opportunities.
• Support program growth by collaborating with technical units on design, research, and identification of new funding opportunities.
• Ensure strategic partner identification and engagement during proposal development and maintain proposal tracking using IRC tools (e.g., OTIS).
• Oversee proposal budgets ensuring alignment with technical narratives and donor requirements.
• Write and edit proposal sections to ensure coherence, responsiveness, and compliance.
• Ensure timely submission of high-quality proposals.

Grants Management and Compliance (Approx. 40% of time)

• Review and negotiate donor contracts and agreements, including extensions, amendments, and budget realignments in coordination with DDGA and maintain an updated grants tracker.
• Provide oversight of the grants portfolio and pipeline, ensuring timely submission of deliverables, including narrative, financial, and MEAL reports.
• Facilitate open and accurate information flow within the Grants Unit and relevant departments.
• Provide technical guidance on donor regulations to ensure compliance in operations, program implementation, and reporting.
• Proactively address compliance issues and keep senior management informed of any risks or challenges related to contracts, reports, and budget variances.
• Coordinate closely with finance teams to review project spending plans, manage spending amendments, and oversee grant closeout activities.
• Lead project lessons learned during closeout phases.

Partnership Strategy and Management (Incorporated throughout role)

• Lead the development and implementation of IRC Kenya’s partnership strategy in collaboration with the DDGA and senior management.
• Chair the Partnership Working Group to ensure a coordinated and strategic approach to partnerships in Kenya.
• Oversee partnership management operating procedures, ensuring efficient processes and clear roles consistent with IRC’s PEER System.
• Promote local partnerships aligned with IRC’s SAP, supporting capacity building and strategic engagement of partners, particularly local and women-led organizations.
• Support identification, onboarding, and mapping of strategic partners for program integration.
• Facilitate partner sub-award management, including pre-award assessments, proposal reviews, contracting, and compliance monitoring.
• Coordinate capacity building initiatives and training for partners and key program staff in grants management, compliance, and reporting.
• Monitor partner performance and compliance through scheduled visits and review of reports, providing feedback to partners and relevant departments.
• Maintain comprehensive and up-to-date records for all sub-awards and partnerships in IRC systems.
• Human Resources Management, Capacity Building, and Development (Approx. 20% of time)
• Coach, train, supervise, and mentor direct-report staff across grants and partnerships teams, setting clear expectations and providing regular performance feedback and reviews.
• Foster a cohesive team spirit despite geographic dispersion, holding regular one-on-one meetings and promoting knowledge exchange.
• Develop measurable capacity building plans, including quarterly training, to strengthen team technical skills and support career development.
• Collaborate with HR to promote staff well-being, monitor attendance and leave, model healthy work-life balance, and respond to staff care needs.
• Identify and invest in high-performing national staff for succession planning and nationalization goals, ensuring smooth transition of roles and responsibilities.
• Support recruitment and retention strategies to build a strong and motivated team.

Representation and Advocacy

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with donors, government actors, UN agencies, NGOs, local communities, and other stakeholders.
• Represent IRC in meetings, consultations, and forums to promote partnerships and program objectives.
• Assist in organizing donor visits and ensure smooth coordination of field visits.

Country Program Management

• Actively participate in strategy discussions, including SAP revision processes.
• Stay updated on IRC priorities, policies, and process changes, ensuring grants, partnerships, and MEAL units are informed.

Key Working Relationships

• Position Reports to: DDGA
• Position directly supervises:  Grants Manager
• Indirect reports: Two grants officers, Grants and Reporting fellow

Job Requirements

Education

• Advanced degree in international studies, development, social sciences, or a related field preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree with significant grants and/or partnership management experience and strong writing skills may be considered.

Work Experience

• Minimum 7 years of field-based humanitarian grants management experience, including working with sub-grantee partners to build their capacity.
• At least 5 years of experience in relief and development contexts.
• Proven experience in partnership management, consortium/network management, or subgrant/partner management is highly desirable.
• Experience with donor regulations including USAID, PRM, FCDO, UNHCR, UNICEF, SIDA, EU, ECHO, and private donors.
• Demonstrated skills in proposal writing, program design, M&E, budgeting, and capacity building.