Title: Program Development Manager
Department: Relief International, Afghanistan Country Office
Location: Kabul, Afghanistan
Reporting to: Regional Program Development Manager (Africa & Asia)
Direct reports: Not Applicable
Budget Responsibility: Not Applicable
* This role is classified as requiring advanced pre-employment checks
About Relief International and our programs
Relief International is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.
People living in fragile settings face complex, interconnected and deep-rooted crises that often tear a hole in the social fabric of communities. When this happens, our teams work closely with community leaders; first focusing on critical health needs, and then, as communities recover, focusing on both health and wellbeing programming that helps reweave the social fabric for greater resilience in the future.
Our team of more than 7,000 staff and local volunteers work in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that is safe, truly local, conflict sensitive, climate smart, evidence based, and reaches those in need.
Relief International is a 60-year-old international NGO alliance that is the product of mergers and alliances between four organizations. Today, Relief International is comprised of Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK and Relief International-Europe, all of which are led by a single senior leadership team.
Position Summary
Relief International seeks a Program Development Manager to support its programme development efforts in Afghanistan (and other geographies, as required). This position will be responsible identifying new funding opportunities in-country, develop partnerships with peer organisations (INGOs/local NGOs), write concept notes and proposals, and provide support to the country director in maintaining donor liaison to secure funding for new projects and programmes (including but not limited to cross-border programming). The position will also support other geographies at the request of supervisor.
The position will report to the Regional Program Development Manager (Africa and Asia), and work closely with the Country Director(s), Country office team(s), Regional Programmes Unit, Regional Finance Unit, Awards Management unit.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
· Search for new, in country funding opportunities through donor websites and donor engagement meetings, and country office networks, and create summaries of funding opportunities (e.g. check alignment with country strategy, organizational policies, program priorities, country capacity) through a consultative approach to support decision-making on application process.
· Use local information to regularly prepare, update and maintain an in-country donor engagement tracker and donor map
· Support/lead partnership and consortium development with different organizations, agencies, and coordinate/lead the internal and external (donor) compliance requirements in relation to particular funding opportunities and ensure new programs are designed based on evidence and theories of change. Guide the grants team to conduct downstream due diligence as required
· Coordinate with consultant or lead on any comprehensive and/or rapid needs assessments required for particular funding opportunities
· Lead in-country design workshops for particular funding opportunities
· Write concept notes/proposals following donor guidelines for different programs in consultation with country office team, technical assistance department (TAD), and other units. Lead the development of all required annexes (budget, workplan, and all necessary donor requirements).
· Provide support to country director to regularly meet current and prospective donor representatives who are in-country (such as UN Agencies, Various embassies, other institutional and non-institutional donors)
· Communicate regularly with program and field staff as well as other departments on ongoing and planned program
· Represent the organization at meetings, conferences, and workshops
· Regularly update country office profile and conduct research related to specific program sectors, RI’s work on the ground, donor priorities, regional/country funding trends, and prepare/update knowledge pieces such as capacity statements, reports, one pagers, etc
· Provide administrative support (Go/no go memos, cost share memos, updating the country pipeline, etc.), record keeping and data management.
· Undertake all other duties and projects assigned by the supervisor that will be assigned from time to time.
Other related tasks that may arise from time to time.
· Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
· Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, contribute to ensuring that all those who come into contact with Relief International staff and the communities we serve can be trusted to work safely with them
· Support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.
· Work collaboratively with the Global Safeguarding Manager to advocate for the inclusion of safeguarding activities and resources within program
· Ability to demonstrate knowledge of donor requirements of safeguarding standards and protection from exploitation and abuse
Role requirements
Experience and skills required for the role.
· Master’s degree – International development or related field preferred but not required
· At least five years’ experience of working with an international NGO
· Work experience in Afghanistan is not essential but will be an added value
· At least three years’ experience of working directly on programme/proposal/business development in an international/local NGO
· Familiarity with grant writing particularly with EU (EC, ECHO, etc.), US Government (BHA, BPRM, other USAid entities) and with UN Agencies will be of added value.
· Demonstrated experience of securing UN-funding will be assessed
· Comfort with multi-tasking, and willingness to work a flexible schedule to accommodate high-intensity, competing deadlines.
· Excellent coordination and communication skills in English: oral, written and editing
· Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines
· Strong computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office applications, especially Word, Excel and Outlook, Box, SharePoint, One Drive
· Demonstrated ability to follow instructions and carefully review work for accuracy
· Ability to travel up to 30%, as needed
RI Values
Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:
We Value
- Integrity
- Adaptability
- Collaboration
- Inclusivity
- Sustainability
How to apply.
- To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button in the job advert page
- You will be asked to upload a CV and Cover Letter. The cover letter should be no more than 2 pages long and explain why you are interested in this post with Relief International and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.
Closing date.
Please apply immediately as we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis, therefore may withdraw the position for the job board closing date.
Please apply by uploading your cover letter and up-to-date CV on our website.
Due to limited resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted
Relief International has a zero-tolerance policy for unlawful harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International is committed to protecting our staff and the communities we work with from abuse and harm including sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
All staff are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct.
This is an international position and includes standard expatriate benefits such as accommodation at the secure Relief International guest house and other consolidated allowances (health insurance, R&R, deployment allowances, etc.)
Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.
