Project Development and Partnerships Team Manager

The Organisation

Global Evergreening Alliance (GEA) is a membership-based organisation that develops long-term solutions to restore degraded lands and improve livelihoods on a globally significant scale. We bring together some of the world’s most capable development and environmental NGOs, research, and scientific organisations to support and facilitate massive-scale environmental restoration and sustainable agriculture projects. Together we build on our shared vision of resilient landscapes and agricultural systems, a safe climate and better livelihoods for rural communities. We are currently implementing Africa’s largest ever community-led land restoration project: Restore Africa.

The Position

The Global Evergreening Alliance’s Project Development and Partnerships (PDP) team is seeking a highly driven PDP Team Manager to manage the proposals and project design function for large-scale land restoration projects, in collaboration with investors/donors and Global Evergreening Alliance’s in-country members.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Project development:

• Lead and manage the PDP team in the project development process, including the initial engagement with investors and donors; the selection, coordination and management of the implementing partners; and the proposal design process.
• Identify and engage with internal and external stakeholders who have appropriate skills, experience, interest and capacity to assist in developing proposals.
• Consolidate proposal components, ensuring the technical, financial and programmatic rigour of project concepts and designs – with final review and quality assurance of all proposals prior to submission.
• Provide technical advice and solutions for project concepts and designs.
• Facilitate, coordinate and consolidate the input of relevant stakeholders into the development of programming tools, frameworks and proposals.
• Collaborate with other Global Evergreening Alliance teams during the project development process.
• Support the Business Development Team in identifying funding opportunities; maintain oversight of the opportunity pipeline and ensure adequate internal resourcing to meet requirements; and contribute to the development and maintenance of project and stakeholder databases as required.

Partnership management:

• Gain an understanding of partner/ member organisations operating structures, policies, strategies and approaches.
• Engage regularly with the focal points of member organisations and facilitate an inclusive and collaborative approach to proposal development.
• Maintain and further develop close working relationships and trust with the focal points of member organisations and with other partner organisations/institutions and relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure the maintenance of detailed records of all communication with external stakeholders.
• Ensure due diligence is conducted on appropriate external stakeholders (including proposed Lead Implementing Organisations and consortium members) to ensure adequate technical capacity and experience, leverage existing projects and best practices, and ensure compliance with the requirements of investors/donors and regulatory bodies, in collaboration with Global Evergreening Alliance’s Compliance Manager.
• Facilitate and oversee the input of members/ technical experts into project design processes.
• When required, support the PDP team to build the capacity of member organisations in relation to project design.

Team management:

• Actively participate in Management-level discussions and activities to support the CEO in setting the strategic direction of the organisation.
• Build a strong, dedicated and cohesive Project Development and Partnerships team.
• Ensure adequate resourcing and capacity of the team in line with organisational requirements.
• Manage internal/ external stakeholder discussions, escalations and representation on behalf of the team.
• Monitor team members’ performance, conduct bi-annual performance reviews, and provide constructive feedback where needed.
• Identify the capacity building and professional development needs of staff and support the organisation in addressing these needs.

Other duties:

• Continually improve and refine systems relating to project design, including through the development or improvement of organisational policies, procedures or standards.
• Develop and review external-facing donor/investor collateral.
• Represent (in a manner that well promotes) the organisation as required, including by participating in functions, events and meetings.
• Support the CEO in the chairing of GEA’s Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC), and the Senior Advisor in the preparation of SAC meetings and involvement of the SAC in GEA decision-making.

Key Selection Criteria

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in preparing international development / poverty alleviation / climate change mitigation and adaptation tenders, grants, bids, proposals or similar documents for a range of bilateral, multilateral, corporate and philanthropic funders and/or for investors.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in leading and managing teams to develop project proposals.
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating the professional development and capacity building of team members.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to engage with, and build and manage relationships with, colleagues/stakeholders both internally and externally, and with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated experience in large scale, multi-country complex program and portfolio management including risk management, quality assurance and reporting.
• Demonstrated high-level project and program design skills, including the development of appropriate theories of change, logical frameworks and budgets.
• Tertiary qualifications, training and/or experience in environmental conservation, rural development, agroforestry, agriculture, climate change or similar.
• Demonstrated knowledge of key development actors’ interests (in relevant technical or geographical areas).
• Excellent collaboration skills, including a demonstrated ability to broker strategic relationships between staff, investors/donors and implementing partners to pursue project opportunities.
• Well-developed time management skills and an ability to prioritise tasks, manage heavy workloads, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent spoken and written skills in English.

How to Apply

To be considered for this position you must have the right to work in Australia. Please provide your resume and a cover letter clearly addressing the Key Selection Criteria in your application. Only candidates who address the selection criteria will be considered for shortlisting.

Applications will be reviewed as they come in, please submit your application via the “Apply Now” button.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] using the subject line: Project Development and Partnerships Team Manager enquiry via EthicalJobs. Kindly note that applications sent through email will not be reviewed.

The Global EverGreening Alliance has zero tolerance for child abuse, discrimination, harassment, and workplace bullying. All staff, including volunteers, are required to sign an acknowledgement and adhere strictly to the organisation’s child protection, safeguarding and other policies. In addition, the successful applicant will need to provide a recent Australian Police Record Check and a current Working with Children Check card.