Senior Grants Officer – Palestine

Handicap International/Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an independent and impartial international solidarity organization, which intervenes in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflicts and disasters. Working alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, it acts and speaks out to meet their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights. More info: www.hi.org

At Handicap International-Humanity & Inclusion, we truly believe in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organisation. This is why we are engaged to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities.

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JOB CONTEXT:

The new conflict between Hamas and Israel in October 2023 has created a major humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and growing needs and access constraints in the West Bank Some activities of the regular projects have been temporarily suspended and other activities are continuing in adapted modalities. HI has launched some emergency activities in both areas and is planning to scale up further its response in the coming months, both for the emergency phase during the conflict and for the recovery phase after a ceasefire.

Part of the Mashriq regional programme, which covers Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine, the Palestine mission has been implementing a mix of humanitarian and development projects in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in the following sectors of activity: inclusive education, physical rehabilitation, MHPSS, risk education, early childhood development, emergency preparedness, economic recovery, disability mainstreaming/inclusion in humanitarian action, advocacy.

With between 40 to 50 staff members, funding levels have been rising gradually since early 2023 and several key grants are already secured for 2024 and 2025. The total budget for 2024 is expected to exceed 5M-7M EUR and might increase.

Some challenges persist, mainly a total lack of security and humanitarian access in Gaza, as well as security risks, access constraints, and potential further escalation in West Bank and East Jerusalem.

YOUR MISSION:

Under the line management of the Regional Program Development Manager (RPDM), the Senior Grants Officer will be responsible for:

· Ensuring the high quality and time-effective development of project proposals – of the funding opportunities identified in collaboration with key in-country and regional contributors;

· Supporting the mission in implementing its fundraising strategy;

· Ensuring timely and high quality and time-effective reporting to donors in collaboration with responsible of drafting the report;

· Ensuring and monitoring compliance and adherence to contractual obligations with donors

Responsibility 1: Ensure high quality and time-effective proposals development

• Coordinate with the RPDM and HQ for NOFO guidance and donor pre-requisites.
• Plan and coordinate the proposal development process: manage the retro-planning for submission including ARCI and coordination with external stakeholders (HQ and National Associations – NAs), clarify and support compliance to donors’ requirements, facilitate kick-off meetings, ensure time-effectiveness and respect of submission deadline.
• Ensure coherence between operational aspects, MEAL, technical approaches, and budgeting.
• Provide guidance/support to the writing of projects’ proposal narratives, ensuring compliance to donors’ instructions, priorities, and specificities.
• Guarantee the final quality of the projects’ proposal narratives, both in terms of content and formalization.
• Guarantee the completeness and final compliance of the proposal package submissions to the call for proposals’ guidelines and donors’ requirements.
• Coordinate and submit requests for projects’ amendments or modifications when required.
• Support the Country Manager in identifying appropriate/competitive teaming arrangements (consortiums, multi-country projects) and conducting/undertaking due diligence processes.
• For consortiums, support the Country Manager in managing coordination, communication, and inputs from subs during project development.
• Update the funding, proposals and opportunities tracking database.
• Ensure systematic, timely and effective archiving of the proposals.

Responsibility 2: Support the mission’s fundraising strategy and activities.

• Support the Country Manager in the plan and meetings for fundraising.
• Participate in the Operational Monthly Follow-up meetings and provide updates on grants, proposals and fundraising.
• Maintain HI’ accounts on institutional portals (HRP, OCHA, UNICEF, etc) up to date.
• Produce external material (factsheets, leaflet, capacity statement, etc).
  • Prepare and update in due time an internal reporting retro –planning for the reporting deadlines and follow up with project teams.

Responsibility 3: Ensure timely, high-quality reporting to donors in collaboration with responsible of drafting the report

• Verify donor templates and requirements and share them with the team members in charge of writing the reports.
• Liaise with country missions HI head office and national associations for any inquiries related to donor reports (templates, requirements…)
• Review narrative donor reports and annexes (comparison with proposal and past reports and matching with the financial report), prior to submission. Mobilize internal resources, such as technical specialists, for the review of the reports when required.
• Ensure reports are submitted in due time and via the designated modality (including submitting online when required).
• Design and conduct training sessions on reporting and compliance, to the relevant team members (project managers, area managers…)
• Ensure systematic, timely and effective archiving of the reports.

Responsibility 4: Ensure and monitor compliance and adherence to contractual obligations with donors.

• Lead the review of grants agreements, mobilize internal resources for the review/check and prepare the ‘’good to sign’’ documents.
• Lead the review of partnership agreements and prepare the ‘’good to sign’’ documents.
• Systematically update the partnership and due diligence database, with new partnerships
• Prepare contract summary sheets for new grants and monitor the respect of donor regulations and requirements.
• Attend new projects’ kick-off meeting and present donor compliance requirements and regulations.
• Actively participate in Project Quarterly Review meetings (PQRs) to remain updated about the progress with the implementation of compliance requirements.

Responsibility 5: Provide support to the Regional Development Department as required according to specific needs, such as but not limited to:

• Proposal writing and grant’s management.
• Capacity building.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POSITION:

Based in Jerusalem, the Senior Grants Officer will have to conduct regular visits to West Banks and the Gaza Strip.

– Jerusalem: In normal times, the security is relatively stable most of the year, with some days of mass demonstrations and isolated acts of violence, in particular during key religious holidays and anniversaries of important historical events. There are several opportunities for social and cultural life. In the current crisis, there is a heightened risk of violence and an increasing number of Israeli checkpoints. Movements are partially restricted, with some opportunities for social life and physical exercise.

– West Bank: In normal times, the security is relatively stable in Ramallah and Bethlehem, but overall unstable in Hebron and the Northern West Bank, with regular episodes of Israeli armed incursions, settler violence, and Palestinian attacks. In the current crisis, the number of incursions and violent incidents has increased considerably, and most towns and villages are isolated from each other due to the closure of all Israeli checkpoints for Palestinians.

– Gaza Strip: In normal times, the security is unpredictable, with long calm periods followed by short bouts of armed confrontation. Security rules are tight with controlled movement. Systems for hibernation and evacuation are in place. In the current crisis the whole population is at constant risk due to frequent airstrikes.

– In normal times, living conditions in Jerusalem are excellent, with all modern comforts and a quality of services similar to European countries, touristic and cultural trips are also possible across all Israel, in Jerusalem, and some pre-authorised sites of the West Bank.

YOUR PROFILE:

• You hold a degree in Social, Humanitarian or Development studies or similar.
• You have at least 5 years of experience in international development and/or emergency and post-crisis environments.
• You have at least 3 years of experience in grants development.
• You have excellent organizational and time management skills and are autonomous.
• You are proactive, show initiative, cooperation, and know how to work as part of a team/network.
• You have the ability to give and receive constructive feedback and discuss with multi-disciplinary teams.
• You have advanced speaking, writing, reporting and proposal writing skills in English.

CONDITIONS:

At HI, the conditions offered are up to your commitment and adapted to the context of your mission. https://hi.org/en/join-the-team

• 12 months renewable International contract starting from 1st, March 2024
• The international contract provides social cover adapted to your situation:
• Unemployment insurance benefits for EU nationals
• Pension scheme
• Medical coverage with 50% of employee contribution
• Repatriation insurance paid by HI
• Salary from 2448 € gross/month upon experience
• Perdiem: 703,25 € net/month – paid in the field
• Hardship: 500 € net/month paid with your salary
• Paid leaves: 25 days per year;
• R&R: 5 days every 8 weeks + possible transport/package support.
• Position: unaccompanied
• Payment for travel costs (air ticket & visa) and transport of your personal effects

Housing: Collective or individual taken in charge by HI

If you are resident in the country: local package