Grants and Partnership Coordinator

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Job Overview

The Grants and Partnership Coordinator leads the strategic and operational management of IRC Uganda's partnerships portfolio and grant management functions. The primary focus is on building, managing, and deepening equitable partnerships with International and local NGOs, government, and private actors, consistent with IRC’s Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS) framework. It also covers grants management, donor compliance, and business development support in line with Grants & Awards Information Navigator (GAIN – Grants management system) and the Business Development Strategy. This position sits in the Programs department and manages all functions of the Grants and Partnership unit at IRC Uganda, inclusive of support to program strategy. The position manages a team comprising two Grants Managers, one Partnership Manager, and one Senior Partnership Officer, reporting to the Program Quality and Accountability Advisor. It is based in Kampala with travel to field sites.

Major Responsibilities:

Partnership Management:

• Oversee the partnership management operating procedures for IRC Uganda that set out efficient and responsive processes, delineate clear roles and responsibilities, and articulate IRC Uganda’s strategic approach to partnerships, consistent with PEERS
• Collaborate with Technical Advisors to support the country program to analyse the roles, capacities and strategies of local civil society, government and private actors, to define IRC’s role based on its added value to local actors and systems (asking ‘why not partner’) in strategy and program design, as well as in Go-No Go processes.
• Co-facilitate and support robust stakeholder analysis processes and informed decisions in each outcome area for effective programming.
• Oversee, facilitate and coordinate all aspects of sub-award life cycle management, from partner identification, due-diligence, agreement development, start-up, implementation, monitoring through to close-out, coordinating all program, operations and finance components.
• Facilitate and coordinate the pre-award process with respect to all new sub-awards, including through appropriate vetting, analysis of risks associated with the award, and the identification and implementation of appropriate measures to mitigate those risks, working with other departments as appropriate.
• Oversee the timely development of partnership agreements and effective start-up of partnership projects, ensuring that partnerships are appropriately integrated into overall project cycle management

• Manage the Partnership Working Group (co-responsible for delivering the functions of the PWG), including referral of issues to Senior Management Team as appropriate.

• Engage partners in business development, proposal development, reporting and grants management processes as appropriate, in coordination with the sector leads.

• Facilitate the collaborative development and delivery of the partner project support plan, ensuring that it appropriately addresses issues identified in the due diligence process, and coordinate with relevant departments for the timely, quality implementation of the plan.

• Support the resourcing of organizational development support where appropriate for partners; coordinate organizational development support to partners.

• Provide, facilitate and/or arrange targeted sub-award and partnership management trainings, refresher trainings, coaching and mentoring, and other ongoing support on partnership management and compliance for key partners and IRC staff.

• Promote a culture and practice of capacity sharing between the IRC and partners, identifying and promoting opportunities for the IRC to learn from partners, as well as for partners to learn from the IRC.

Grants Management and Donor Compliance:

• Act as focal point for communications with HQ on all grants administration functions.
• Support the timely and productive facilitation of Project Cycle Meetings (PCM), including project design, opening, implementation, closing, and learning meetings according to agreed grants team RACI Matrix..
• Lead and coordinate all project revisions, amendments, budget realignments and grant modifications.

• Ensure quality information management through regular maintenance of grants and partnership files, reporting calendars, timely submission and updating of internal IRC documentation and other Grant Unit tools and IRC specific online platforms (particularly, OTIS) including coordination and preparation of documents and files for internal and external audits.

• Provide programs and operations teams with routine technical guidance and information to ensure that all grants are implemented in compliance with IRC and donor regulations.

• Coordinate with HQ to obtain and disseminate specialized compliance guidance as required.

• Proactively raise potential compliance issues to senior management; work closely with HQ compliance colleagues to resolve any related issues.

• Develop and update compliance cheat sheets for all grants.

Business Development (Proposal Development):

• Identify, summarize and communicate new opportunities

• Facilitate internal Go/No-Go meetings to ensure an informed and participatory decision for new funding opportunities.

• With SPDQC, lead proposal management processes, including creation and monitoring of proposal workplan; assigning responsibilities; coordinating reviews; updating OTIS; help with drafting and producing high quality concept notes and proposals; reviewing budgets; preparing annexes; and ensuring quality assurance/compliance checks.

• Lead the submission of timely grant amendment and extension requests, closely adhering to contractual terms and processes.

• Strengthening organizational capacity in business development, including enforcing clear and structured processes and providing trainings.

• With the support of the SPDQC and DDP, participate in the development and implementation of the Uganda Business Development Strategy

Staff Management and Development:

• Lead direct management of the Grants and Partnership staff and provide professional development/capacity building as needed.

• Build the grants and partnership management capacity of program staff by facilitating training and provide one on one follow up support in report writing, proposal development, partner management and other related topics as needed.

• Keep team updated on new grant and partner management initiatives launched by donors, partners, or IRC Regional or Headquarter offices and disseminate updates to team.

• Ensure clear delineation of roles and responsibilities and logical portfolio allocation for all team members.
• Coordinate performance management within the department and ensure a culture of high performance through staff engagement and accountability.

Requirements

The Grants and Partnership Coordinator will need to meet the requirements below:

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field and applicable experience in nonprofit organisation, partnership & grants management, including BD and compliance. A Master’s degree in a relevant field is an added advantage.

• Minimum of seven years of experience in humanitarian partnership and grants management in a multi-donor, multi-sector working environment.

• Demonstrated experience in an inter-departmental coordination role and the ability to communicate with and balance the priorities of a range of stakeholders.

• Experience leading the development of large multi-sector funding proposals.

• Demonstrable understanding of project planning and management cycles, and strong program design skills
• Prior grants management experience and familiarity with European (FCDO, Embassy of Netherlands, ECHO and European Union), and UN (UNHCR, UNICEF, UNOCHA etc.) donor regulations, procedures and requirements. Familiarity with private foundations (IKEA, Hilton and LEGO) is a plus.

• Strong understanding of PEERS or equivalent partnership management frameworks; PEERS experience strongly preferred.

• Genuine interest in and commitment to collaborating with local partners for effective and context-appropriate humanitarian response. 

• Ability to independently organize work and prioritize tasks

• Team leadership and supervision experience and skills

• Exceptional English writing and editing skills required. Able to draft and edit detailed documents for donor submission with minimal oversight.

• Familiarity with international IRC systems and processes a plus.

COMPETENCIES

• Strong cross-cultural communication skills and eagerness to work as part of a diverse team. Sensitive to interpersonal differences and a range of viewpoints.

• Exceptional advance planning and organizational skills. Able to effectively prioritize and follow multiple activities and deadlines simultaneously.

• Analytical, strategic, and able to proactively develop solutions to complex challenges.

• Reliable, patient, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong ability to mentor and build staff capacity.

National Candidates:  We strongly encourage national candidates to apply for this position. The IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

NB: This advert will close on 2nd July 2026

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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