Overall purpose of the role:

The Project Specialist will work closely with the Data and Research Manager to ensure the successful execution of multiple quantitative research projects, from inception to completion. This will include contributing to the project design to align activities with 4Mi goals, tracking project expenditure, working closely with country offices to close out all projects, compiling donor reports and supporting in dissemination of project deliverables. Additionally, the Project Specialist will provide technical oversight to the 4Mi Officer to ensure SOPs for enumerator supervision are upheld and there is smooth progress in data collection activities.

Responsibilities: 

Project coordination

• Contribute to project design to ensure feasibility of proposed quantitative research
• Create enumerator supervision and tracking tools to maintain high quality standards in field activities
• Provide oversight during enumerator training and ensure training guides are updated, comprehensive and of high quality
• Prepare detailed narrative reports for donors, summarizing project activities and outcomes
• Monitor data collection expenditures, ensuring they align with the budget and are accurately reflected in financial reports

Research

• Complete data analysis and compile research outputs, including infographics
• Contribute to the design of qualitative and quantitative questionnaires, supervise fieldwork and contribute to data analysis and findings
• Support in dissemination of findings through MMC presentations within DRC and other external engagement
• Stay up-to-date on the latest mixed migration developments in the region to enhance research relevance and impact

Country-level coordination

• Foster strong relationships with DRC colleagues in data collection locations by conducting kick-off meetings and overseeing the contracting and payment processes for enumerators
• Supervise MMC partners and consultants in conducting data collection activities in locations DRC has no/limited presence
• Design tools to gather feedback from enumerators and DRC staff in the field and ensure it is integrated into project activities such as data analysis and future project designs
• Develop and recommend tailored solutions to address challenges encountered during project implementation

Team coordination

• Offer ongoing technical support to the 4Mi Program Officer (PO) to ensure the smooth recruitment, training, and daily monitoring of enumerators.
• Oversee the 4Mi PO’s workload, ensuring tasks are balanced and aligned with project timelines and priorities.
• Facilitate communication among team members, making sure that everyone understands their roles, tasks, and deadlines

Others

• When needed represent MMC at coordination meetings with DRC teams or humanitarian partners
• Any additional tasks in support of the 4Mi project

About you

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s 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 act in line with our vision and values.

Experience and technical competencies:

• At least 5-year experience in data collection, conducting surveys or other research activities;
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of mixed migration issues in the region;
• Demonstrated ability to be proactive and to take lead whenever required;
• Outstanding communication skills with enumerators of various nationalities and language groups
• Proficiency in IT systems, including android-based applications;
• Outstanding organizational skills;
• Excellent ability to work under minimal supervision and strong problem-solving skills;
• Enthusiastic about learning, excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong verbal and written communication.
• Sensitivity to issues affecting refugees and migrants in the region.
• Knowledge of standard best practices related to procurement and code of conduct in an INGO setting

Education:

• Preferably Master’s degree in a relevant field, including but not limited to research methods, international development, migration studies or business administration.

Languages:

• Written and verbal fluency in English;
• Verbal fluency in Swahili, Arabic or French (desired)

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ABOUT THE JOB

Responsibilities: 

The overall responsibility of the Senior Advisor for Business Development and Donor Engagement is to develop, coordinate, and lead regional processes for business development and strategic programme development and support donor engagement and the development and maintenance of strategic partnerships in the region. The role also provides business development support to country programmes within the region upon request, and coordinates with relevant global functions to ensure regional efforts are in line with organisational strategies. 

Partnership Engagement 

• Contextualize global fundraising and engagement strategies for the region and develop regional donor engagement plans to foster and maintain constructive, long-term relationships with strategic regional donors and partners. 
• Lead regional donor mapping exercises to identify strategic donors (including institutional, private sector, foundations, and non-traditional donors) and areas of programmatic priority overlap and alignment. 
• Support donor and partner engagement efforts of the EDH through preparation, intelligence, follow up, and general maintenance of strategic regional partnerships. 
• Maintain a comprehensive regional donor database to track donor engagements and coordinate donor outreach and communications throughout the region, in line with global donor databases and tracking efforts. 
• Develop campaigns, appeals, marketing materials, capacity statements, and other communications at regional level in close coordination with global colleagues, particularly relevant Advocacy and Communications colleagues. 
• Proactively monitor donor portals and track donor engagements to identify and disseminate new and strategic funding opportunities throughout the region and coordinate with relevant colleagues, and maintain a regional pipeline overview of opportunities 
• Provide expert advice to country programmes around engagement and fundraising strategies and support country programmes in the development of country engagement strategies, donor mapping exercises, and identification of funding opportunities. 

Knowledge Management And Intel 

• Maintain regional overview of donor intel to support country, regional and HQ engagement and strategy development 
• Support HQ donor focal points with trends analysis and the like to enable DRC to preposition for opportunities in a timely manner.

Strategic Programmatic Development 

• Collaborate with regional programme and support teams including the Commercial Contracts and Consortia team to align and adapt strategic programmatic priorities and regional capacity with regional donor strategies and funding opportunities. 
• Under the direction of the Head of Global Foundations and Institutional donors and in close coordination with Head of Programme Support and relevant technical colleagues lead or support country programmes in the development of new, strategic, or complex interventions for prepositioning outside of country programme capacity or resources to maintain or diversity country portfolios

ABOUT YOU

To be successful in this role we expect you to build and maintain strong, strategic relationships with diverse regional donors, ensuring alignment between donor priorities and DRC programmes. It also requires proactive gathering and analysis of donor intel to identify funding opportunities and maintain and clear pipeline. Finally, close coordination with regional, country and HQ is key to success. Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• A minimum of  3 years of experience at a senior level leading strategic new business development, strategic engagement, and fundraising efforts.
• Strong understanding of the humanitarian and development landscape and architecture globally and in the East Africa and Great Lakes region
• Demonstrated experience with effectively engaging, coordinating, and maintaining networks with donors, partners, and local actors.
• Demonstrated experience of building a pipeline of opportunities with a diverse number of donors – institutional, foundations and/ or private sector etc.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with an ability to identify, address and communicate the core of an issue even if very complex 
• Demonstrated experience with effectively engaging, coordinating, and maintaining networks with donors, partners, and local actors.
• Experience in working in an international, multicultural work environment, experience at country or regional level will be considered an asset
• Demonstrated knowledge of humanitarian and development programming in the East Africa and Great Lakes context.
• Political and cultural sensitivity, patience, tact, diplomacy, persistence, and a team-oriented attitude.
• Willingness to travel across East Africa and Great Lakes region, sometimes at short notice.

Desirable

• Previous experience from DRC or a similar sized displacement organisational
• Master’s degree in relevant field of study or equivalent in experience