Afghanistan: Partnerships Manager

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a non-denominational international development agency established in 1967 by His Highness the Aga Khan. Its mission is to develop and promote creative solutions to problems that impede social development, primarily in Asia and East Africa. Created as a private, non-profit foundation under Swiss law, it has branches and independent affiliates in 19 countries.

AKF seeks to provide sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger , illiteracy, and ill health. In Afghanistan, AKF works with rural communities in mountainous, remote or resource poor areas to improve quality of life in the areas of natural resource management, market development, governance, education and health.

The Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan (AKF (Afg)) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of international, private, non-denominational development agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in some of the poorest parts of the developing world. The Network’s organisations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health and education to architecture, rural development and promotion of private-sector enterprise and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, usually in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities.

Summary:

Leading donor relations and grant management, assist the Director of Policy and Partnership to maintain productive, positive relationships, both internal and external.

Core Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Resource Mobilization and proposal development:Identify future resource needs in relevant sectors and highlight future funding gaps, in dialogue with program heads and regional teams where relevant. Lead the process of consultation and proposal writing, including coordination with sector experts and regional teams to prepare new concept notes and full proposals to donors, with systematic and timely inclusion of HR, Finance and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) teams. Support the internal grant cycle process, ensuring its development, circulation, explanation to Coordinators and PMSOs, and ongoing use.


2. Grant Management:Advise Project Focal Points on grants/contracts management, including oversight of all AKF-A Grants. Ensure timely submission of all contractual requirements, including reporting, with coordination of a/l internal stakeholders. Lead on grant amendments and responses to donor requests. Ensure program and sector understanding of donor commitments and contractual compliance. Assess grant issues and prepare regular analysis for Senior Management, particularly flagging problematic cases for attention.


3. External Relations:Lead on donor relations and correspondence. Develop constructive working relationships with donors. Contribute to strategic management of relationships with other AKDN agencies and key stakeholders in coordination with the P&P management team and the program team. Represent AKF in external meetings with relevant donors and in national policy fora and Government working groups with other key stakeholders.


4. Financial Monitoring:Work with the Finance Team to monitor grant expenditure, variance and financial issues. Work with HR & Finance on accurate tracking of staffing contracts, as they relate to grants, to help ensure adequate human resource planning within grants, and prior notice regarding the end of staff contracts.


5. Knowledge Management:develop and maintain systematic branding for proposals and reports, working to standardize stylistic elements of proposals, reports, etc. where optional. Oversight of all donor electronic records including ensuring organisation-wide use and training of grants management database. Update AKDN.net with all current and pipeline grants. Ensure that Finance Team has hard copies of all donor documents.


6. Human resources management: Contribute to the overall effectiveness of human resources management in the P&P team (including coordinators) in close collaboration with the Director, Deputy Director and other P&P managers. Provide management guidance and direction to the Partnerships Coordinator and the Policy and Partnerships Officer.


7. Integration between sectors:Ensure regular communication with Program Management Support Officers and sector staff in the field on regional/national developments, and work with other National Managers and Coordinators to develop innovative linkages and knowledge sharing between sectors and programs.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

1. Master’s degree in relevant field and at least three years of field experience in a similar or relevant field;


2. Experience working in a multicultural environment, preferably in a post-conflict one;


3. Knowledge of the key international donors active in Afghanistan – experience in management of donor relations is highly preferred;


4. Native proficiency written and spoken English


5. Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines;


6. Ability to critically analyse and provide constructive recommendations;


7. Good team player with ability to build and maintain collaborative relationship with colleagues;


8. Willingness to live and work in a post-conflict zones in which personal freedoms may be constrained.

How to apply:

Application:

Any interested applicant may submit their cover letter and resume by e-mail to: http://www.akdn.org/careers

Only short listed candidates will be contacted for further assessment.

Aga Khan Foundation – Afghanistan is an equal opportunities employer. Women are encouraged to apply.

Aga Khan Foundation – Afghanistan recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to the safeguarding of children from abuse.