Partnerships Officer

JOB TITLE: Partnerships Officer

LOCATION: Location: Virtual but within Eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC or Ethiopia

REPORTS TO: Partnerships Manager

DEPARTMENT: Partnerships and Communications

JOB GRADE: Officer level

SALARY RANGE: Gross Annual Salary: USD 34,824 – USD 36,912 commensurate with experience.
Additional Benefits: Telephone allowance; holiday allowance; comprehensive medical care for self and family; internal wellness fund for comprehensive non-traditional care.

CONTRACT TYPE: The selected candidate will initially be offered a 3-month probationary contract. Following a successful probation period, the appointment will transition to a fixed-term contract, with the potential for conversion to an open-ended contract based on performance evaluations.

Closing date for applications: 13th September 2024

Expected start date: Immediately

About UHAI EASHRI

UHAI – the East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative (UHAI EASHRI) is Africa’s first indigenous activist fund supporting human rights of sexual and gender minorities and sex workers. We fund activists organising in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, and further supports Pan-African organising across the continent. Over the 14 years of its existence, UHAI has funded critical court challenges that overturned repressive laws, resourced pioneering community-led initiatives, and supported documentation, advocacy and organising by sexual and gender minorities and sex workers in the region. We have also partnered with and funded Pan-African organisations and networks allied to our movements. We support movements through providing grants, capacity support, facilitating convening spaces and thought leadership.

We are a participatory fund led by local activists living through local human rights struggles. We advance activist voice by providing resources and tools critical to push for change. Our participatory funding model is building agency and leadership in our communities by ensuring they are not just beneficiaries of support, but, more importantly, decision-makers for the support. UHAI is contributing to a radical shift in the narrative of how Africa’s human rights struggles are resourced from one of foreign assistance, to ownership and self-determination by local movements.

Role Purpose

The Partnership Officer role ensures that UHAI develops and maintains positive and effective partnerships and purposeful relationships that are relevant to the implementation of their strategy and promotes the vision and objectives of the strategic plan to external and its stakeholders.

Key Responsibility Areas

Partnership support

• Support the implementation of the Partnerships and Communication department strategies, policies and procedures
• Lead on the programme design and proposal development processes by developing grant applications not limited to expression of interest, concept notes and proposals
• Support in the preparation of proposal budgets
• Manage on-going partnerships including continuous collation of M&E data required for report generation and communication.
• Maintain and track philanthropic and individual donors contact lists.
• Work with team members in organising donor field visits and programme engagement meetings.
• Develop a robust documentation system for sharing case studies, lessons learned, best practices, and success stories from projects.
• Any other duties as assigned by direct supervisor

Donor funding support

• Plan and prepare for the submission of narrative reports to funding partners as per agreement conditions.
• Understand, maintain, and manage the agreed upon donor and partner agreements.
• Liaise with Knowledge Management and Communications and MEAL teams to ensure that results achievements are adequately captured in funding partner reports using donor management systems.
• Maintain a donor database for donor and partner reporting purposes
• Review final reports of results and negotiate revisions and/or additional requirements.
• With respect to potential donor partners for specific projects, identify liaises, undertake briefings, track activities, and pursue opportunities

Programme Development

• Provide input to the development of partnering policies and planning, as well as report to Partnership Manager on issues related to donor funding.
• Facilitate meetings and workshops with various UHAI team members to support proposal, report writing processes and start up meetings.
• Support specific projects in all the phases of the partnering process: exploration, the proposal writing, negotiation with partners, budget preparation and review of donor agreements.

Thought Leadership and accountability

• Provide analysis and recommendations to UHAI’s leadership and coordination team, as well as the governing body, to enable informed strategic decisions about organizational Partnership building activities.
• Participate in strategic spaces for exchange and learning, including engagements with other donors, feminist funds, regional organisations, and similar entities.
• Work with a portfolio of prospect funders and allied supporters to learn about their individual interests, needs and motivations so we are best placed to secure funding from these individuals.
• Monitor changes to the fundraising environment, to ensure ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements and best practice approach to voluntary codes of practice.
• Contribute to the development of tools and mechanisms for strengthening learning feedback loops within and across UHAI.
• Support the translation and dissemination of UHAI’s learnings and internal reflections to ensure accountability.
• Contribute to ensuring UHAI’s accountability to its funders by coordinating the development of reports and presentations showcasing UHAI’s impact.

Core Role Competencies

All staff are expected to demonstrate UHAI EASHRI values and principles in all their professional relationships and in any interactions that may reflect on UHAI EASHRI. UHAI has a Zero Tolerance Approach to all forms of corruption which is an offence for which immediate dismissal will result.

• Accountability– taking responsibility for all work activities and personal actions; follows through on commitments; maintains confidentiality with sensitive information; acknowledges and learns from mistakes without blaming others; recognises the impact of one’s behaviour on others.
• Integrity – consistently demonstrating ethical, feminist leadership reflected in all aspects of personal and professional activities. Strongly committed to non-discrimination in all forms and active commitment to inclusive diversity.
• Creativity in UHAI’s work, including problem solving– discovering new opportunities and solutions for problems by looking beyond current practices and using innovative thinking Understanding of and commitment to feminist principles and approaches.
• Effective Communication – expressing oneself clearly and effectively when speaking and/or writing to individuals or groups; listening attentively; ensuring that information is understood by all parties; sharing information in a timely manner using the most appropriate method; presenting well-organised information in a group setting.
• Inclusive Collaboration – working collegially with others, cooperating in both interpersonal and team relationships; fostering enthusiasm and maintaining mutual trust, candour and respect. Inclusively embraces the perspectives and contributions of each individual including their diversity.
• Consistently respectful – consistently treats colleagues and stakeholders respectfully by acknowledging and valuing individual differences, communication is open and civil, conflict is addressed early and fosters culture of empowerment and cooperation.
• A successful record in setting priorities and communicating clearly with staff in a constructive and engaging manner and knowledge of and practise in partnership building principles and standards.

Job Specific Specifications

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in social sciences/humanities, development, international relations, communications, women studies or related relevant disciplines.
• At least 5 years of experience in partnership building with philanthropic funders and feminist partners.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience related to accountability and/or learning within an international development organisation, a grantmaking organisation, or a similar entity.
• Possess excellent knowledge and nuanced analysis of the sexual and gender diversity and expression and Sex Work concerns in East Africa; as well as have a good knowledge of the East African civil society landscape generally
• Demonstrated knowledge and commitment to human rights, social justice, and feminist principles to promoting sexual health and rights.
• Demonstrated experience in contribution to feminist theory and political thought as analytical frameworks for the political, social and economic contexts UHAI’s movements operate in
• Proven experience working across and within multiple departments or teams within an organisation.
• Experience in coordinating and facilitating team reflections, evaluation, and learning sessions and processes.
• Proficiency in database creation, data management, using organisational administration tools, techniques, and processes.
• Proficiency in partner management software
• Strong understanding of feminist approaches, LGBTQI+ rights, women’s rights, sex workers’ rights, and rights of persons who use drugs, with a focus on participatory approaches.
• Ability to understand diverse perspectives and successfully influence and negotiate.
• Effective contribution to teamwork and broader organisational goals and strategies.
• Strong organisational skills, ability to identify opportunities, and coordinate initiatives.
• Flexible and adaptable approach, capable of responding to changing priorities in a rapidly evolving environment.
• Currently based in one of UHAI EASHRI’s focal countries in Eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, or Ethiopia).
• Ability to travel within and outside the Eastern African region.
• Effective remote work capabilities.
• Fluency in one of UHAI EASHRI’s working languages (English, French, Swahili) and willingness to learn another. Fluency in both English and Swahili/French is a major asset.

Strongly Desired

• Proficiency in qualitative donor and partner management software
• Knowledge and practical experience with building long-term partnerships with diverse LGBTIQ+ and Sex Worker rights organisations based on feminist principles of solidarity, shared understanding, inclusion, collaboration and self- and collective care.
• Experience working in a start-up environment or in an inaugural role within an organisation.
• Previous experience working in multi-country or regional projects.
• Experience working remotely or with a team located in different countries.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of participatory approaches to partnership building, resource mobilisation, and learning.

KEY CONSIDERATION

Preference will be given to nationals from Eastern Africa, particularly from UHAI focal countries that are currently underrepresented within our team.

As an organisation led by activists, UHAI EASHRI seeks to recruit individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQI communities and sex worker movements in the sub-region. We are particularly interested in candidates who possess not only the technical expertise and professional knowledge required but also the familiarity, connections, and lived experience within the community and movement.

Applications from LBQ women, trans, non-binary, and intersex people are strongly encouraged.