Programme Coordinator (Partnerships) At Danish Refugee Council

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Programme Coordinator to be the focal point for DRC Poland’s Partnerships.

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to promote and protect durable solutions to conflict and displacement affected populations on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC is implementing a multi-sector response to support Ukraine refugees, IDPs and host populations both within Ukraine and in the neighbouring countries of Poland, Romania and Moldova and wider Europe. Since late February 2022, nearly 4 million Ukrainians and third-country nationals have crossed the border to Poland. As part of its neighboring country response, DRC is establishing an operational presence in Poland to support displaced populations through partnership with civil society organizations and national NGOs, duty bearers and other actors.

About the job

As Programme Coordinator you will be responsible for ensuring ‘quality’ throughout relevant designated parts of the project cycle and provides support for programme design and implementation. In close coordination with Programme Quality Assurance Manager, Protection Manager, the you will play an essential part in Poland’s fundraising efforts and you will lead and coordinate proposal development. Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Partnership engagement

• Develop and lead partnership engagement strategy, including engagement criteria and principles.
• Review existing sub-grant agreements with partners and improve existing oversight tools for an improved engagement.
• Support in finalizing 10 sub-grant agreements under UNHCR-funded Blue Dot project.
• Participate in kick-off meetings and partnerships engagement events.
• Develop a plan, and conduct partners vetting, including capacity assessment processes as required.
• Support capacity development actions for all partners.

Proposal development

• Act as the co-lead writer/coordinator/editor for concept notes and proposals, as needed. Project proposals will be designed ensuring alignment with donor strategies and requirements and that DRC’s programme handbook guidelines are incorporated into proposal design.
• Ensure streamlined and clear communication between all departments (finance, program, and area operations) in the drafting of budgets.
• Contribute (alongside relevant colleagues) to the development of strong logical frameworks and monitoring & evaluation plans that are in line with the logic of intervention and clearly described within each proposal.

Fundraising and donor liaison

• Support the development of DRC’s fundraising strategies
• Support fundraising efforts in coordination with the country director and HoP, including undertaking donor mapping and providing briefings to in-country donor representatives
• Liaise with donor representatives and coordinate donor visits to programme sites, in support to country senior management

Grants management

• Ensuring development and submission of specific reports alongside relevant colleagues. This includes following reporting/proposal development deadlines and planning. As well as, but not limited to, communicating with relevant staff members to ensure timely and quality inputs, verifying data and donor compliance.
• Provide guidance on and ensure compliance with donor and DRC rules, regulations, and guidelines and raise issues affecting external/ internal compliance Oversee grant management processes, including proposal amendments, grant extensions, etc.
• Assist senior management in donor liaison and communication. Represent DRC in other external meetings with stakeholders and coordination meetings.
• Maintain up-to-date information on DRC portfolio, donor priorities and funding opportunities, as part of a fundraising plan and to identify new donors and funding opportunities in line with the strategic priorities of DRC Country and Regional Office
• Coordinates Grants Management Meetings in line with established methodology, ensuring that project management tools are updated.
• Ensure quality information management related to grants (including managing the DRC Grants Management System (GMS) and in-country documentation and trackers) and promote timely and efficient communication to all relevant focal points regarding important Grant information impacting implementation, including any amendment to scope of the intervention, budget and targets.
• Lead application process and ensure compliance regarding (no-)cost extensions, amendments, top ups, reallocations.

Grant management support to local implementing partners (subgrantees)

• Provide technical support, guidance, and tools to implementing partners at proposal development process
• Support design and establishment of the sub-grant agreements under existing and new projects
• Coordinate completion of the sub-grant agreements, tracking and oversight of partnerships
• Support in the partnership capacity assessment to local implementing partners and collaborate with the partnership development manager in designing capacity building plans including grants management support

Capacity development

• Provide technical guidance and deliver trainings on DRC and donor guidelines and proposal development and reporting to field offices.

DRC Dynamics ERP System

• Ensure DRC Dynamics is used to its full capacity
• Ensure proper application of ERP grants and projects processes in the country
• Apply reports and data analytics from ERP system to improve performance in the country
• Ensure that Country ERP support is in place (i.e. super users)

Communication and Media

• The PSM will develop a comprehensive media and communications strategy, ensuring smooth flow of information, good relations with high profile visitors and the media, and high-quality reporting to showcase DRC Poland activities and achievements.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 3 years’ experience in proposal, project, or programme development, reporting, or grants management in an INGO. Moreover, we also expect the following:

• Master’s degree in political science, international development, economics or other relevant field
• Excellent knowledge of donor rules, regulations, and procedures including but not limited to US and European donors, EU funding mechanisms, and UN agencies.
• Proven experience in successfully applying for institutional donor funding
• Previous proven experience in programmes implemented through local partners
• Proven experience in capacity building and training of national staff and local partners
• Ability to design, develop and implement processes
• Excellent skills in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Professional proficiency in English
• Professional proficiency in Polish, or Ukrainian or Russian

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 5 months

Band: G

Designation of Duty Station: Warsaw

Start date: 1 August

We offer competitive salary and benefits in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff.