Established in 1977, GOAL is an international humanitarian agency, with a team of 2,400 personnel, dedicated to alleviating the needs of the most vulnerable communities. Currently operating in 14 countries, GOAL delivers a wide range of humanitarian and development programmes. GOAL has an annual budget of an estimated €200 million and is supported by a range of donors including the Governments of Ireland, UK, USA, the European Union, individuals, trusts and foundations. GOAL values the power of partnership and works with local and international partners to achieve its mission.
GOAL is establishing a Global Partnership Centre based in Uganda with support from Ireland’s Department for Foreign Affairs’ The centre will strengthen GOAL’s partnership portfolio and ways of working with partner organisations, in line with GOAL’s commitment to localisation and Crisis to Resilience framework, as set out in GOAL’s organisational strategy 2023-2025. It is a key feature of GOAL’s multi-year Irish Civil Society Programme (2023-2027). (ICSP) programme of work and a critical part of GOAL’s ambition to make a meaningful contribution to the localisation agenda specifically, Workstream 2 of the Grand Bargain: ‘More support and funding tools to local and national responders’ and the third pillar of the OECD DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance, ‘Incentivising Civil Society Organisation effectiveness, transparency and accountability’.
GOAL’s Global Partnership Centre has four main objectives:
· Identifying local partner agencies (civil society, public sector and private sector) for strategic investment.
· Strengthening the leadership and governance of GOAL’s partner agencies.
· Provide training and technical guidance across a range of programmatic and operational functions.
· Facilitate strategic networking and collaboration between GOAL’s partner agencies.
Overview of Role.
Note: The position will be based within Uganda in which the applicant has the right to work, with up to 30% travel to support Country Offices (COs) and to represent GOAL with key stakeholders
The Director of GOAL’s Partnership Centre will report to GOAL’s Director of Operations, with day-to-day supervision provided by GOAL Uganda’s Country Director.
The role will also be supported by organisational Steering Committee constituted of members from GOAL’s Senior Management Team.
The role will lead and manage a small, experienced multi-disciplinary team made up of a ‘Global Partnerships Coordinator’; a ‘Systems Analysis and Design Adviser’ and two ‘Partnership Officers’ toward meeting the Centre’s objectives.
The role will work closely with GOAL’s Regional Directors and Country Directors, Senior Programme Manager: Irish Aid, Head Office Programme Technical Team (PTT), Programme Innovation Lab, MEAL team, Desk Officers. Up to 30% travel to the COs will be expected as part of this role.
Duties and Responsibilities
General Management.
· Ensure GOAL’s Partnership Centre is on-track for achieving key indicators, outcomes and objectives with its results framework – especially in relation to increasing the number of new partner agencies ‘on-boarded’ to GOAL’s programmes and increasing the level on -on-granting’ to GOAL partner agencies.
· Ensure the Centre is delivering activities on time and within budget.
· Provide timely reviews and reports to GOAL’s Director of Operations and the Global Partnership Centre’s Steering Committee.
Team Management.
· Provide leadership to GOAL’s Partnership Centre’s team of staff.
· Conduct regular performance reviews for the Centre’s staff, in compliance with GOAL’s HR policies (addressing any performance related issues).
· Ensure the Centre’s staff have opportunity for learning and professional development.
Technical Support to GOAL partner agencies.
· Provide technical training to GOAL’s partner agencies on executive leadership and good governance.
· Identify and manage external consultants (including development of Terms of Reference and contracts) for provision of technical training on leadership, governance, compliance and integrations systems approaches.
Managing Partner Relationships.
- Establish effective communication channels with GOAL’s partner agencies in order to foster productive working relationships.
· Oversee to the identification of new strategic partners (civil society, public sector and private sector) for GOAL country programmes.
· Oversee the ‘on-boarding’ of partner agencies to GOAL’s programmes and maintain professional and equitable working relationships with them (in compliance with GOAL’s Localisation and Partnership Policy).
- Evaluating the performance of existing partnerships in order to identify opportunities for improvement
Business Development
· With GOAL’s Fundraising and Business Development Team, identify and pursue opportunities to secure funding for GOAL’s Partnership Centre.
· Support the development of technical content on partnerships and localisation for GOAL funding proposals.
Learning and External Engagement
- Monitoring trends and sector activities in order to ensure GOAL’s Partnership Centre provides thought-leadership and implements innovative activities.
· Engage in relevant regional and/or global networks and participate in relevant international events relating to partnerships and localisation – promoting GOAL’s initiatives and sharing learning from them.
· Support the development and publication of case studies, learning papers or articles about GOAL’s work in partnerships and localisation
Requirements (Person Specification)
Essential
· At least five years’ work experience in a management role, including managing people and budgets – preferrable in a humanitarian/development context.
· At least three years’ work experience in a technical advisory role, preferably in the international NGO sector including remote support in a multicultural and bilingual environment.
· Experience of working with a range of partner agencies, including civil society, public sector and the private sector
· A strong understanding of the Localisation agenda, principles for effective partnerships.
· A strong understanding of resilience and risk-informed systems programming
· Strong skills in forging positive working relationships remotely and in-person with colleagues and external stakeholders.
· Understanding of a business partnering approach and willingness to work in partnership with regional colleagues.
· Training design and facilitation skills (including synchronous and non-synchronous training processes).
· Ability to analyse, interpret and synthesise learning.
· A high level of both written and oral English.
Desirable
· A strong and diverse professional network with the humanitarian/development sector.
· A qualification in Executive Leadership, Project/Programme Management, Business Administration etc.
· Experience of using systems analysis and mapping approaches and tools.
· Specific knowledge or experience of GOAL’s analysis tools and programme approaches.
· Experience leading the development of risk scenarios and using these for programme design.
· Working capacity in another language in addition to English e.g. Spanish, French, Arabic and Turkish, or other language used in any GOAL operational country