Institutional Partnerships Officer

Background on IMPACT Initiatives

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization manages several initiatives, which includes i) the REACH Initiative aimed at facilitating the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for emergency, reconstruction and development contexts, ii) the PANDA Initiative aimed at directly supporting key aid actors in improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and efficacy of their programmes, and iii) the AGORA Initiative aimed at promoting localised and multi-sectoral aid action in support of the recovery and stabilisation of crisis-affected communities.

The IMPACT team comprises specialists in data collection, management and analysis and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of Acted and the two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from Acted’s operational support on its fields of intervention.

BACKGROUND ON THE INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS UNIT STRATEGY

In 2023, the Department for Projects and Institutional Partnerships (PIPD) developed a strategy to align the departmental priorities with IMPACT’s global road map, with the following objective: to contribute to identifying and sustaining clear and effective fundraising, proposal and project management processes, which are fully embraced by all teams including on and with institutional and downstream partners.

This strategy has led to the ongoing re-structuring of the department into 2 units:

– The Project and Funding unit (PFU) and

– The Institutional Partnerships unit (IPU).

Overall, the role of the department is to support and coordinate funding and project implementation as well as knowledge management on formalised partnership management, in compliance with best practices and donor requirements, and related learning.

The strategy is organised around three results, of which:

– Result 1 aims to ensure IMPACT can rely on a diverse donor base providing the organisation with the resources required to implement our programming;

– Result 2 – IMPACT’s activities are delivered according to best Project Cycle Management (PCM) practices and in compliance with project related donor requirements;

– Result 3 – IMPACT’s partnership framework is conducive to relevant and compliant programming.

Mission

To support the establishment of the Institutional Partnerships Unit within the PIPD at IMPACT HQ, we are currently looking for an Institutional Partnerships Officer (IPO). The position will contribute to the roll out of Result 1 and Result 3 of the strategy outlined above.

Position: Institutional Partnerships Officer

Contract duration: 2 Years

Location: Geneva

Starting Date: ASAP

FUNCTIONS

Under the management of the Institutional Partnerships and Donor Relations manager, the IPO will be responsible for contributing to the set-up of the IPU within the PIPD, aiming to ensure IMPACT’s partnership framework is conducive to relevant and compliant programming.

In light of the growing constraints faced in a number of environments, where direct access is often hindered by security, legal and operational constraints, the role of this specific unit is to support IMPACT’s overall commitment to sustain a localised approach and capacity to develop fruitful operational downstream partnerships over time, while supporting with maintaining a solid donor base.

The ideal candidate would be eager to work within a dynamic and motivated team and will have an understanding of and past experience within the humanitarian sector, compliance and donor requirements, and ideally working on the formalization of relations with partners. The priorities will be determined together with the manager of the unit and the director of the Department.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The IPO’s responsibilities include the following:

1. SUPPORT TO STANDARDISING IMPACT’s approach to PartnershipS

All of the below tasks are in support of the manager, and involvement may vary according to the profile, seniority and context.

– Support in maintaining the IMPACT Partnership database with past, ongoing and upcoming partnerships, gradually filling it with more quantitative and qualitative elements for non-funded partners.

– Analyse the specifics of such partnerships.

– Provide guidance to field teams in terms of new possible partnerships and, where relevant, on which aspects require formalisation.

2. SUPPORT TO THE Tracking of FUNDED PARtnerships

– Support with Due Diligence exercises to potential partners by being familiar with DDL tools, review and analysis of gathered information, coordinating internally with relevant teams.

– Contracting of downstream partners by aligning sub-granting tools and back donor requirements where relevant, review and analyse gathered information, coordinating internally with relevant teams.

– Monitoring and Tracking of partner’s performance, including review of reports and organisation of both internal (kick-off, progress and close out to compile relevant focal points perspectives on the partnership) and external (engaging with partners to provide guidance and receive feedback on the partnership, as required) review meetings .

3. SUPPORT TO CONSOLIDATION of GUIDANCE (depending on profile)

– Contribute to reviewing IMPACT’s due diligence processes with downstream partners. Specifically, ensure the process is compliant, efficient and equitable, and adapted to our scope and required types of cooperation, in relation to data management and analysis.

– Contribute to reviewing sub-granting tools, ensure that they are updated and aligned according to the review, taking into account systematically donor and legal requirements as well as programmatic specificities and local partner capacity

– Contribute to the revision of IMPACT’s Partnership Standard Operating Procedures for non-funded and funded partnerships

– Contribute to keeping track of donor guidance, including in relation to the management of downstream partnerships.

– Contribute to training country field teams

4. Support to diversification and fundraising

Together with and in support of the PFU:

– Assist in keeping track of potential new/updated donor requirements

– Follow up on specific due diligence exercises conducted by Donors or partners

– Coordinate on the implementation of recommendations from due diligence from donors.

– In addition, and where required, the IPO may be tasked to support the wider functions of the department, notably by providing surge support to the Projects and Funding Unit, as well as supporting them with specific dossiers.

Profil

REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar), required;
• Familiarity with the humanitarian coordination system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements, required;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting; required;
• Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Office 365, the Adobe package and Trello required;
• Coordination, organisational and planning skills required, including ability to manage large workloads, effectively meet deadlines, through an excellent ability to multi-task and prioritise in complex environment;
• A self-starter with a proven ability to work independently;
• Past experience in field work is desirable;
• Solution-oriented, flexible, and open-minded, including ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment required;
• A sense of curiosity, the drive to improve the humanitarian sector, and ability to see the big picture.
• Fluency in English [and French and/or Spanish] required;
• Working knowledge of French will be an asset;
• Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment.

Compesation and benefits

• For this position, gross salary between 5’150 CHF and 5’350 CHF monthly (before income tax). NB – IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education and experience of staff. A contribution to medical insurance of 450 CHF per month is already included in the salary figure.
• Insurance covering professional and non-professional accidents throughout the period of employment with IMPACT
• Health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance in case of field visits/temporary deployments
• Applicants must hold a valid work permit for Switzerland or be EU/EFTA citizens
• Up to 40% of remote work on a weekly basis