IFRC: Senior Officer, Partnerships and Resource Development

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with 190 member National Societies, 160,000 branches and 17 million volunteers. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, reaching 150 million people each year through its 190-membership of National Societies. The Organization acts before, during and after disasters, crises and health emergences in order to meet the needs and build the resilience of vulnerable people.

IFRC Africa Regional Office is a decentralized part of the Secretariat of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Mandated by the Federation’s Constitution, the Secretariat coordinates and supports the efforts of the membership to improve and scale up work aimed at addressing the increasing number of humanitarian and development challenges in the world.

IFRC Africa Country Cluster Support Team in South Africa supports National Societies located within the Southern Africa sub-region (Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia. South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe); while the regional Partnerships and Resource Development (PRD) unit leads on, and coordinate, the implementation of the IFRC partnership and cooperation agendas with public, private and Movement partners in Africa, in coherence with the global PRD approach and priorities, and with a view to maximizing IFRC resource development and influence across the region, in emergency and for longer-term plans.

The Senior PRD Officer is part of both the IFRC Country Cluster Support Team in South Africa and the regional PRD Africa unit. The position holder works in close liaison with PRD global team (Geneva), regional technical teams as well as Country Cluster Support Teams (CCST) and Country Offices (CO) in Africa to enhance partnerships and resource development outcomes across a portfolio of partners (Movement, public, private, multilaterals) in support of IFRC priorities and targets. The position holder will foster proactive partner engagement through relationship and knowledge development as well as effective use of PRD tools and processes. The position holder will also ensure donor care and accountability to partners in coordination with programme managers as well as PMER and finance focal points.

Job duties and responsibilities

Main responsibilities of the Senior PRD Officer position include:

1.Coordinating engagement and relationships strategy with targeted partners across multiple income streams (NS/governments, private sector, multilaterals):

• Work proactively with COs/CCSTs and technical/thematic leads to ensure coordinated partnership engagement based on common targets and longer-term priorities;
• Develop, broaden and strengthen the network of national societies, private sector and multilateral influencers and advocates in support of IFRC’s mission;
• Lead on regular engagement of, discussion with, strategic partners with a view to ensuring donor care on the implementation of IFRC Africa plans and for forward-looking purposes;
• Develop a knowledge base on IFRC Africa private sector and multilateral partners as a shared resource for maintaining and developing partnership engagement across the region;
• Serve as focal point for the assigned portfolio of partners, and provide guidance to COs/CCSTs for partnership engagement and coordination;
• Contribute to the analysis of relevant government policies, decisions and funding trends to help develop funding targets and identify opportunities for partnership to match future IFRC needs;
• Prospect and facilitate engagement of emerging partners across multiple income streams
• In collaboration with IFRC Africa Head of PRD, ensure the overall monitoring and overview of partnership development as part of IFRC Africa strategy map and PRD operational plan;
• Serve as focal point for PRD global leads regarding the portfolio of assigned partners.
• Support the organisation of partnerships and cooperation meetings at all levels

2. Funding and resourcing plans, especially for South Africa Country Cluster Support Team

• Support the development, and monitor the implementation, of funding plans together with relevant IFRC offices, technical leads and Finance focal points;
• Facilitating the development of core regional programmatic products and multi-year proposals;
• Contribute to funding gaps monitoring and analyse and for propose/implement corrective measures.
• Ensure proactive negotiation of pledges together with IFRC budget holder in relation to assigned portfolio of partners
• Ensure quality control and partner stewardship for pledge management, coordination with PRD team members as well as Finance focal points.
• Developing an engagement strategy for IFRC South Africa Country Cluster Support Team’s Acceleration Plans
• Work with budget holders, Finance for timely, efficient and quality reporting, especially for South Africa Country Cluster Support Team
• Ensure that all donor reports (standard and non-standard) are prepared to quality standards, that there is compliance with agreed donor conditions and requirements, and that all reporting deadlines are met.
• Manage the Cluster reporting system to help ensure donor requirements as defined by the various cash pledges are met
• Support the programme coordinators to ensure IFRC reporting standards are upheld
• Serve as promoting agent of IFRC overall accountability high quality standards.

3. PRD business management

• PRD tools and systems are effectively used and applied to enable effective management of partnerships regionally and globally
• Contribute to the monthly and quarterly updates including analysis of regional partnership engagement, income, expenditure trends, funding gaps, quality of pledges, earmarking
• Adhering to PRD’s value proposition and stakeholders’ engagement strategy and implementation

4. National Society Development

• Supporting the development of a National Society Development strategy and action plan, especially for National Societies supported by South Africa Country Cluster Support Team

5. Effective matrix management

• Ensure effective coordination with Regional office’s technical units and PRD focal points to be involved in performing tasks;
• Ensure effective coordination with focal points from Country Offices, Country Support Team Offices and Geneva PRD focal points to be involved in performing tasks.

6. Planning support and coordination for Southern Africa sub-region

• Oversee the development of the plan of action (PoA) and subsequent updates that help operationalize the IFRC Secretariat strategy and contextualize to the current situation in the Southern Africa region.
• Provide technical support to IFRC management and programme coordinators in results-based work-planning to ensure comprehensiveness; this can include but is not limited to technical support in programme and project design, annual and quarterly work planning.
• Lead IFRC Secretariat inputs as needed to Federation-wide strategic planning efforts.
• Support programme coordinators and other staff in the design of project proposals, meeting IFRC and international project design standards.
• Support the NS’ efforts in strategic, programme and operational planning; provide technical assistance and training as warranted.
• Supports other planning processes as needed.

Duties applicable to all staff

• Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals
• Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager
• Be on stand-by in case of any emergencies

Position Requirements:

Education		Required	Preferred
University degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline.		X
Relevant post-graduate degree or MBA			X
Relevant professional training courses			X
Experience		Required		Preferred
Minimum 5 years’ experience and solid track record in partnerships and fundraising		X
Relevant work experience with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, or another organisation working internationally, including in resource mobilisation, partnerships, planning and/or reporting.		X
Experience in project management including multi-stakeholder engagement			X
Working with international funding agencies (e.g. EU or governments)		X
Knowledge and Skills		Required	Preferred
Familiarity with government and multilateral funding systems		X
Ability to work in a diverse cultural context		X
Strong knowledge of information sharing tools, and the ability to implement them		X
Highly organised, with ability to create a team approach		X
Excellent communication skills; influencing skills		X
Excellent relationship building skills; ability to build and strengthen internal and external networks, and establish effective partnerships, with National Societies		X
Demonstrated skill in analytical and strategic thinking.		X
Facilitation and presentation skills		X
Languages		Required		Preferred
Fluently spoken and written English		X
Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)			X
Competencies (to be filled in by HR)

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Send motivational letter and CV to [email protected]