Major Responsibilities

Program Design & Proposal Development (Approx. 40% of time)

• Support cultivation of donor relationships in Kenya and the region, tracking upcoming funding opportunities aligned with priority sectors and the country’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP).
• Lead and coordinate proposal development processes involving global technical advisors, partners, finance, operations, HR, and program teams to ensure timely and compliant submissions.
• Utilize needs assessments and contextual analysis to inform project design and monitor donor trends, policies, and funding opportunities.
• Support program growth by collaborating with technical units on design, research, and identification of new funding opportunities.
• Ensure strategic partner identification and engagement during proposal development and maintain proposal tracking using IRC tools (e.g., OTIS).
• Oversee proposal budgets ensuring alignment with technical narratives and donor requirements.
• Write and edit proposal sections to ensure coherence, responsiveness, and compliance.
• Ensure timely submission of high-quality proposals.

Grants Management and Compliance (Approx. 40% of time)

• Review and negotiate donor contracts and agreements, including extensions, amendments, and budget realignments in coordination with DDGA and maintain an updated grants tracker.
• Provide oversight of the grants portfolio and pipeline, ensuring timely submission of deliverables, including narrative, financial, and MEAL reports.
• Facilitate open and accurate information flow within the Grants Unit and relevant departments.
• Provide technical guidance on donor regulations to ensure compliance in operations, program implementation, and reporting.
• Proactively address compliance issues and keep senior management informed of any risks or challenges related to contracts, reports, and budget variances.
• Coordinate closely with finance teams to review project spending plans, manage spending amendments, and oversee grant closeout activities.
• Lead project lessons learned during closeout phases.

Partnership Strategy and Management (Incorporated throughout role)

• Lead the development and implementation of IRC Kenya’s partnership strategy in collaboration with the DDGA and senior management.
• Chair the Partnership Working Group to ensure a coordinated and strategic approach to partnerships in Kenya.
• Oversee partnership management operating procedures, ensuring efficient processes and clear roles consistent with IRC’s PEER System.
• Promote local partnerships aligned with IRC’s SAP, supporting capacity building and strategic engagement of partners, particularly local and women-led organizations.
• Support identification, onboarding, and mapping of strategic partners for program integration.
• Facilitate partner sub-award management, including pre-award assessments, proposal reviews, contracting, and compliance monitoring.
• Coordinate capacity building initiatives and training for partners and key program staff in grants management, compliance, and reporting.
• Monitor partner performance and compliance through scheduled visits and review of reports, providing feedback to partners and relevant departments.
• Maintain comprehensive and up-to-date records for all sub-awards and partnerships in IRC systems.
• Human Resources Management, Capacity Building, and Development (Approx. 20% of time)
• Coach, train, supervise, and mentor direct-report staff across grants and partnerships teams, setting clear expectations and providing regular performance feedback and reviews.
• Foster a cohesive team spirit despite geographic dispersion, holding regular one-on-one meetings and promoting knowledge exchange.
• Develop measurable capacity building plans, including quarterly training, to strengthen team technical skills and support career development.
• Collaborate with HR to promote staff well-being, monitor attendance and leave, model healthy work-life balance, and respond to staff care needs.
• Identify and invest in high-performing national staff for succession planning and nationalization goals, ensuring smooth transition of roles and responsibilities.
• Support recruitment and retention strategies to build a strong and motivated team.

Representation and Advocacy

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with donors, government actors, UN agencies, NGOs, local communities, and other stakeholders.
• Represent IRC in meetings, consultations, and forums to promote partnerships and program objectives.
• Assist in organizing donor visits and ensure smooth coordination of field visits.

Country Program Management

• Actively participate in strategy discussions, including SAP revision processes.
• Stay updated on IRC priorities, policies, and process changes, ensuring grants, partnerships, and MEAL units are informed.

Key Working Relationships

• Position Reports to: DDGA
• Position directly supervises:  Grants Manager
• Indirect reports: Two grants officers, Grants and Reporting fellow

Job Requirements

Education

• Advanced degree in international studies, development, social sciences, or a related field preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree with significant grants and/or partnership management experience and strong writing skills may be considered.

Work Experience

• Minimum 7 years of field-based humanitarian grants management experience, including working with sub-grantee partners to build their capacity.
• At least 5 years of experience in relief and development contexts.
• Proven experience in partnership management, consortium/network management, or subgrant/partner management is highly desirable.
• Experience with donor regulations including USAID, PRM, FCDO, UNHCR, UNICEF, SIDA, EU, ECHO, and private donors.
• Demonstrated skills in proposal writing, program design, M&E, budgeting, and capacity building.