DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS, Mali DFSA (upon to funding available)
FHI 360 is seeking candidates for a Director of Partnerships for the five-year, $60 million USAID/Office of Food for Peace-funded Development Food Security Activity for Mali. This proposed program will bridge humanitarian assistance and longer-term development programming in conflict-affected areas, with the overall goal of improved food security and resilience of target communities. Program objectives focus on stabilizing vulnerable households by reducing the impact of shocks and connecting households to basic services; empowering youth as key drivers of economic and social development of their communities; and having communities drive approaches to manage natural resources and community assets sustainably and productively. Local partners will be an integral part of the program, including local government, private sector, NGOs, community-based organizations and civil society groups. As stated in the Request for Applications, “Partnering directly with local leaders, networks, and institutions in Mali will better enable and empower communities to respond to acute and chronic food security challenges in Mali with smarter, more resilient, and home-grown solutions.”
Position Summary:
The Director of Partnerships is a key position for the Development Food Security Activity. S/he will be experienced with program management and working with local partners in all stages of program implementation. S/he will work closely with the different programmatic units to ensure that local partners are involved in program implementation and that local entities increasingly take on more responsibility as the program progresses. The Director of Partnerships will work closely with local entities to strengthen capacity to manage activities and ultimately position local groups to directly receive funding in the future. S/he and his/her team will provide overall technical guidance, leadership, and mentoring to strengthen local actors’ competencies. The Director of Partnerships will report to the Chief of party.
Availability of position is contingent upon funding availability and USAID approval.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Provide overall technical guidance and leadership, mentoring, quality control and coordination to the partnership unit.
• Ensure that cross-cutting themes such as adaptive management, resilience and sustainability are fully included in the partnership strategy.
• Monitor adherence to the award agreement, ensure that program implementation and partnership strategy is responsive to communities and Mali policies/priorities, and is consistent with relevant program guidelines, principles, and quality standards.
• Support the project’s subgrant administration with local organizations, to ensure that technical perspective and capacity building issues are considered as part of the grant administration.
• Lead unit to assess and catalogue local organizations and supervise capacity assessments.
• Ensure that the capacity building curriculum fits the local context and capacity.
• Work with the unit to refine organizational development tools and recommend best approaches for the staff and partner capacity development, building on existing knowledge and experience.
• Lead the Partnerships unit in coordination with the project Monitoring and Evaluation and Finance and Compliance units, monitor the implementation of local partner activities through regular field visits and assessments to ensure program quality and impact.
• Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated.
• Produce written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities.
• Create and follow effective stakeholder management plans, ensuring sound and proactive communications within the project as well as with USAID, Government of Mali authorities, and colleague agencies.
• Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites – spend up to 50% of time in the field.
• Oversee members of the partnership unit and ensure that all staff are following workplans, activities are on schedule, and project deliverables are completed as planned.
• Develop and oversee implementation of capacity building strategy for team members that promotes a culture of learning through systematic analysis and reflection of program data and lessons learned.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• In close partnership with the COP, create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel at all levels.
• Represent the project in relevant forums with the broader humanitarian and development community.
Education:
• Master’s Degree or its international equivalent, in Public Health, Knowledge/Information Services, Communications, Education, Environment, Health, Behavioral, Life/Social Sciences, International Development, Human Development, or related field.
Experience:
• Master’s in development studies, economics, food security, nutrition, public health, social sciences, or other relevant field.
• At least five years of relevant experience in positions of progressively greater responsibility in programming in a developing country context.
• Experience working on NGO capacity building programs, ideally in relief and/or post-conflict settings.
• Experience providing leadership, supervising staff, and convening people across technical teams to build consensus and achieve an outcome.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French. Proficiency in local languages is desirable.
• Preference for experience with USAID-funded programs.
• Experience in Mali or other sub-Saharan African countries strongly preferred
• Excellent computer skills (especially Microsoft office applications) and ability to use information technology as a tool and resource.
• Articulate, professional and able to communicate in a clear, positive manner with clients and staff.
Travel Requirements:
• 10%-25%
The application files must include:
– A cover letter ;
– An updated detailed CV
Application files must be sent no later than February 10, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. precise only via the following email address: FHI360Mali@fhi360.org