Programme Funding & Communication Manager At Medair

Role & Responsibilities

In the role of Programme Funding Manager, the staff coordinates and facilitates the programme teams to prepare proposals and reports for submission to institutional and private donors; maintains an appropriate information system to track the internal progress of proposals and reports; providing administrative support and review that ascertains meeting timeline and requirements in submissions; and supports the country leadership in donor relationship management and in collaboration with Medair global fundraising teams, when required. In this regard, the PFM plays a key role in grant management.

In the role of Communication Manager, the staff is the key link between projects and global offices communication and engagement teams. The goal is to increase the visibility and global awareness of the Yemen program on international level and to ascertain the content quality in line with donor visibility regulations and Medair values and policies. The primary focus is on international audiences, with an expectation to also support content and visual quality of reports to national authorities.

Project Overview

Medair has been responding to needs in Yemen since 2019. Medair implements integrated health, nutrition, MHPSS and WASH programmes to conflict affected communities currently in Aden, Lahj and Al Dahle Governorates.

Workplace & Working conditions

Position based in Aden, Yemen.

Starting Date / Initial Contract Details

As soon as possible. Full-time, 12 months minimum.

Key Activity Areas

Donor Relations Management

• Support the Country Director in maintaining efficient donor relations with the (regional) representatives of relevant funding partners in order to secure funding for the country programme.
• Keeping up-to-date with trends and analyse institutional donor funding opportunities for Yemen and advise senior management on strategic funding decisions. Represent Medair at country-level meetings with donors.
• Maintain the communication with donor’s focal points, and keeping up to date with institutional donor requirements and strategic focus. Plan and implement meetings, exchanges and facilitate collaboration.
• Ensure that best practice is communicated, followed and shared in all aspects of grants management.
• Act as the key Communications focal point for all communications between the Yemen program and institutional donors.

Grant Management

• Coordinate and facilitate the drafting and presentation of proposals for the Yemen program. Prepare and manage timelines for preparing proposal and submissions; provide templates, guidelines and donor- specific advice to ensure that proposals match themes and scopes offered by donors.
• Coordinate and track institutional and private donor reporting in cooperation with the relevant Yemen teams and global Medair offices. Prepare and manage timelines for preparing reports and submissions; provide templates, guidelines and donor- specific advice to ensure that reports match information expectations of donors.
• Support the Liaison Team in preparation of sub-agreements and reporting to authorities.

Brand and co-branding Coordination

• Assist Medair staff on institutional donor and Medair visibility budgets, conditions, and requirements.
• Raise awareness about appropriate branding; ensure that Medair staff, events like kick-offs, trainings, workshops and closing celebrations, facilities and equipment have appropriate Donor and Medair branding.

Communications and Fundraising Resources

• Support the communications team to travel frequently to field sites. Aim is to pro-actively and re-actively obtain resources including photography, interviews, case studies, quotes, video etc. Gather and prepare communication materials for publishing on Medair’s website, social media, and in donor communications.
• Ensure that there is a collection of high-quality photos, video clips, and quotes from beneficiaries, staff, and communities for each project within the Yemen response, which is made available to the global Medair communication teams.
• Proactively engage in Medair’s regional communications meetings, and the monthly global editorial meeting, including pitching and collaborating with other Communications Officers from other country programmes.
• Gather and prepare fundraising materials in coordination with the Engagement Department at the Global Support Office (GSO) in Switzerland, and ensure quarterly updates of the First Stop document.
• Work closely with the Regional Communications Manager (RCM) to gather specific resources for GSO or Affiliate Office initiatives and projects, the year-end campaign, events, or fundraising campaigns.
• Provide in-country briefings to all staff about their role in communicating about the organisation and its work, and how to support the public communication and fundraising activities of Medair.
• Act as the key Communications focal point for all communications enquiries about the Yemen response

Media and Public Relations

• Train project teams in communication guidelines specific to the Yemen context.
• Regularly monitor local press and events and track mentions of Medair which may impact the perception of neutrality or impartiality. Prepare, organise, and lead field visits of high-profile visitors including donors, photographers, or media crews.
• Propose press statements and news items according to the brand and media communication guidelines.
• In collaboration of Liaison Manager, advise national staff regarding media and communication. Develop Key Messages with the RCM and provide training to field staff.

Social Media

• Produce short content updates and creative interactive features for Medair’s international social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, in coordination with the RCM and GSO.
• Train and encourage field staff on the appropriate use of online social media. Actively monitor communications initiated by field staff and propose corrective actions to ensure strong brand reputation.

Internal Communication

• Assist field leadership team in developing tools and structures to pro-actively support the team in improving internal communication within the programme, e.g. internal news, contributing to team meetings, etc.
• Distribute or promote the Annual Report, internal newsletters and other communication material among staff and external contacts in the field.

Team Spiritual Life

• Reflect the values of Medair with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, and external contacts.
• Work, live, and pray together in our Christian faith-based team settings. Fully contribute to the rich spiritual life of your team, including team devotions, prayers, and words of encouragement.
• Encouraged to join and contribute to Medair’s international prayer network.

This job description covers the main tasks that are anticipated. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary.

Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant subject such as Management, Development Studies, Business.
• Excellent working knowledge of the English language (speaking and writing).

Experience

• Knowledge of Humanitarian Essentials, Sphere and HAP Standards and other international humanitarian guidelines and protocols as well as advanced planning, assessment and analytical skills.
• Numerate and able to understand and work with project budgets, financial reports and financial management systems with proven and successful report and proposal writing skills.
• Good negotiation and networking skills. Capacity to work under pressure and manage personal stress levels.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and networking skills, including the ability to develop and manage effective relationships with current and new donors. Team-player with good inter-personal skills.
• Proven ability to work with people from a range of cultural, social, ethnic backgrounds and with different skills.

All new deploying international staff to Medair’s country programmes (and other roles which require field travel) should be fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved COVID vaccine, supported with a COVID vaccination certificate as evidence.