Senior Portfolio Manager

BACKGROUND

Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.

The International Rescue Committee is a global network with its headquarters in New York. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

The Awards Management Unit (AMU)

Established in January 2016, the Awards Management Unit (AMU) is a global department with the responsibility for identifying, securing, and managing all funding from statutory/government donors. The department is includes the following teams: Program and Award Support, Strategic Partnerships, Compliance and Policy, Business Development, and Training.

The AMU is a bridge between donors and country programs: providing expert technical advice to the country teams, while maintaining portfolio-level visibility to ensure consistency and compliance, and manage risk. This unit ensures that donor compliance policies and procedures are implemented consistently, and supports all staff working across the award management cycle for all restricted funding from global government sources.

The Purpose of the Role

The Senior Portfolio Manager has responsibility for the oversight, coordination and management of IRC’s Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) Humanitarian Framework Agreement (HFA), across the project lifecycle including donor engagement, business development, implementation and monitoring and reporting. The Senior Portfolio Manager is responsible for managing the relationship with the donor, including providing them with regular progress updates and strategic communications and leading for IRC in annual analytical and planning meetings with the donor. The Senior Portfolio Manager supports learning initiatives among countries implementing HFA projects and is also responsible for the development of internal guidance documents for the management and implementation of the HFA.

Scope and Authority

Line management of Portfolio Advisor(s)

Key Working Relationships

• Reports to the Deputy Director, Frameworks and Global Awards
• Line manages a Portfolio Advisor(s)
• Supports other Frameworks & Global Awards Team members
• Supports and coordinates with other AMU pillars, especially Strategic Partnerships, Business Development, Program and Award Support, and Compliance & Policy, as well as Technical Excellence, Emergency Humanitarian Action Unit, and country and regional offices globally.
• Works closely with Finance, and Programme Delivery unit.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Oversight and overall management of the Sida HFA

• In collaboration with the Line Manager, manage the IRC’s strategic relationship with the Sida Humanitarian Unit; build strong working relationships with key individuals within the donor head office and embassies where relevant; manage the IRC’s profile and engagement with the donor; and act as the key internal point of contact on the Humanitarian Framework Agreement.
• Identify points of common approach with donor’s strategic priorities and the IRC, build connections and leverage IRC’s track record to grow the HFA and pursue other donor opportunities.
• Manage and cultivate professional relationship with Sida Humanitarian Unit on the HFA, facilitating meetings and engagement as needed including for the annual allocation process, providing updates on implementation and grants management issues and supporting IRC colleagues in preparing materials for briefing events and meetings.
• Represent the IRC at donor meetings and conferences, presenting the work of the organisation.
• Participate in the Sweden Multi-Year Donor Engagement Strategy (MYDES) working group to ensure internal visibility of the HFA, effective knowledge sharing on donor priorities and opportunities, to contribute to the further development of the IRC/Sweden relationship.
• Lead on contract negotiations with the donor on new agreements or agreement amendments.
• Coordinate the annual funding allocation process, including analysis of donor priorities, internal decision-making on strategic development of the partnership, as well as advising on, reviewing and collate inputs for expressions of interest, concept notes, and proposals.
• Prepare and consolidate budgets, coordinate internal reviews and approvals before submission.
• Lead on supporting any issues related to HFA project implementation and management of the HFA global portfolio.
• Continuous monitoring of performance and expenditure of the HFA portfolio, including specific support to country programs and Technical Units where needed and through field visits as appropriate.
• Ensure high quality, compliant and timely delivery of contractual requirements; including narrative and financial reports, amendment requests, critical updates, audits, evaluations, funding applications, and organisational updates.
• Develop internal processes and guidance documents, and provide relevant and timely advice for the effective and compliant management of HFA awards.
• Provide guidance and advice on standard donor compliance rules and regulations as required by IRC’s internal policies and best practice.
• Develop and maintain internal systems for data management (e.g. Box, OTIS, Salesforce).
• Carry out regular lessons learned exercises to improve HFA processes and contribute to organization wide learning initiatives.

General

• Contribute to AMU/Unit workplan and delivery of specific projects.
• Promote and facilitate cross department collaboration, including with the Regional Program & Award Support Teams, and ensure regular liaison between Finance Department(s) and AMU.
• Play an active role in the global IRC network as required, with a particular emphasis on maintaining effective partnerships between IRC headquarters, regional, and country offices.
• Other duties as assigned.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Demonstrable understanding of humanitarian aid and development programming
• Ability to work effectively under pressure
• Ability to build strong working relationships and work collaboratively and effectively with programme and field staff from a distance
• Proven ability to operate in a complex organisation, across functions and work collaboratively as part of a diverse team.
• Organized self-starter and able to handle competing priorities, deadlines and identify strategic and critical issues
• Solid organisational skills, detail oriented, ability to multi-task and prioritise tasks, and to learn quickly
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people within and across departments in a multi-cultural environment
• Both a team player and independent performer in a very fast-paced environment
• Good IT skills (Word, Outlook, Excel)

Experience:

• Deep understanding and experience of European institutional donors and their requirements (e.g. ECHO, EuropeAid, FCDO, GFFO, Irish Aid and/or Sida)
• Solid experience in building and cultivating relationships with institutional donors
• Substantial proposal writing and portfolio management experience
• Significant experience in developing, negotiating and managing framework proposals / or multi-region / consortia proposals for development and humanitarian donors
• Strong experience in quality assuring, writing, reviewing and editing narrative and financial reports with excellent attention to detail
• Experience in line management or supervision

Desirable

Experience, Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Masters or Degree, preferably in a subject related to IRC’s work (International Relations, Refugee or Migration Studies, Development Studies, Public Policy), or equivalent experience
• Swedish, French and/or Spanish language skills desired
• Interest and understanding of advocacy work
• Experience in developing countries, preferably in the context of an NGO or International Organisation (UN or major donor or similar)

Experience of working in a global organisation, with complex reporting relationship