Overall purpose of the role: DRC is seeking a dynamic and self-motivated individual to establish and formalize our strategic partnerships framework and systems in country, with the objective of strengthening our current and future partnerships with national NGOs, community-based organizations, civil society, the private sector, research institutes, and others across Sudan. The partnerships specialist will map out and identify new partnership opportunities, assess partner organization capacities, facilitate relevant capacity strengthening support, ensure donor compliance in engaging in national partnerships, and provide ongoing support to the partner organizations throughout and after project implementation.

Responsibilities include:

Strategic Leadership and Coordination

• Develop DRC Sudan’s partnerships and localization strategy in coordination with the HoP and Grants Management Coordinator
• Establish and maintain productive links between national NGO partners and staff, and with DRC Program teams
• Stay up to date on current trends in partnerships and localization practice globally and in the region and share learning with relevant internal stakeholders.

Internal Capacity building and Technical Guidance

• Drawing on DRC’s global policies and tools, develop and implement systematic approaches to identifying and engaging with prospective partners and support partnership selection processes for national NGOs
• Work across programme and support departments to develop and/or adapt systems, policies, and SoPs that are supportive of the Partnership strategy
• Map and support DRC program and support staff in understanding and adhering to donor compliance for national partnerships across DRC’s portfolio
• Support relevant departments in their respective roles and responsibilities and between area and country office for partnership communication, support, engagement, financial management etc.
• Review and contextualize existing partnerships resources and identify additional needs to support capacity assessment, monitoring, compliance, project cycle management, etc.
• Conduct internal training to DRC staff on partnerships principles and to improve understanding of partnerships approaches and enhance their relevant skills and capacities to successfully engage in partnerships programming.
• Develop the capacity and provide ongoing mentorship to key partnerships focal points among DRC’s staff

Partnerships Development and Collaboration

• Establish and maintain a partnership database that maps out partner capacity, influence, and strategic alignment with DRC programming
• Coordinate across teams to carry out partner organizational capacity assessments and analyse assessments to identify specific capacity strengthening and organizational development needs, and provide and/or coordinate training and targeted capacity strengthening support
• Analyse results of on-going partnerships, remote management, and results on the ground to produce lessons learnt and inform strategic decision-making
• Lead initiatives to improve partnership practices by periodically assessing DRC Sudan’s partnership approach, considering both DRC and partners’ perspectives, capture lessons learned and best practices, and make recommendations for improvement

Grants, Accountability, Reporting, and Learning

• Ensure a compliance process with internal and external reporting requirements including procurement, HR, and finance, in close coordination with the relevant support function partnerships focal point
• Provide input for donor reports and proposals as needed in relation to partnerships and localization
• Work with the grants management team to ensure that partnership tools and financial standards meet donor requirements
• Ensure documentation and consolidation of success stories, in coordination with DRC’s grants specialist, which can be communicated externally

Other

• Ensure adherence to DRC’s Age, Gender, and Diversity policy and AGD programmatic minimum standards
• Ensure compliance with zero-tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy, Safeguarding Policy, and Child Safeguarding Policy
• Ensure compliance with DRC guidelines and policies on HR, admin, finance, and supply.

Perform other relevant tasks as requested by and in discussion with the Head of Programme

Experience and technical competencies:

• Minimum 3 years of practical experience in working with national partners on programming and capacity-strengthening is essential.
• Demonstrated experience in capacity-strengthening support to national partners and strong understanding of partnerships principles
• Experience in donor compliance and procedures across the project cycle

Demonstrated commitment to apply an age, gender, and diversity (AGD) and Conflict Sensitive approach to programming.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in political science, international development, economics or other relevant field. Postgraduate degree desirable.

Practical trainings or courses in partnerships principles and capacity-strengthening

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

English and Arabic fluent

Key stakeholders: (internal and external)

• A full array of national actors including national NGOs, community-based organizations, and research institutes

Technical Coordinators, Head of Support Services, Area Managers and Project Managers, partnerships colleagues in the Regional and HQ, among others

Females are highly encouraged to apply

Core Competencies: Striving for excellence, Taking the lead, Communicating, Collaborating and Demonstrating integrity