Senior Partnerships Officer

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Senior Partnerships Officer is responsible for supporting effective management, monitoring, and strengthening partnerships with implementing partners to ensure high-quality program delivery, compliance with organizational and donor requirements, strong financial and programmatic performance, monitoring achievement of targets and data validation, as well as coordinating the partner capacity strengthening interventions to fill the partners capacities gaps.

The role will coordinate closely with internal departments including Program Operations, Finance, MEAL, Awards, Supply Chain, and Technical Advisors to ensure partners are adequately supported, monitored, and capacitated to deliver timely program results.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Partnership Senior Manager

Dotted Line reporting: Save the Children Switzerland team

Staff reporting to this post: N/A

The senior partnership officer will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing all technical aspects and financial aspects of the PNGO of the intervention’s implementation.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Partnership Management and Coordination

• Serve as the primary focal point for day-to-day coordination with the implementing partner.
• Facilitate regular coordination and follow-up with the partner to ensure timely and effective implementation of activities and compliance with program requirements.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor the implementation of the activities planned in the project.
• Organize and facilitate monthly program coordination meetings with partners and relevant internal departments (Finance, MEAL, Techn ical Advisors, Partnerships, and Awards) to review progress, risks, and compliance issues.

Follow up on action points and ensure timely resolution of implementation challenges.

2. Program Monitoring and Reporting

• Monitor the quality of the partner program implementation to ensure all activities are delivered according to approved work plans, budgets, and donor requirements.
• Review partner narrative reports and provide constructive feedback to ensure quality and compliance before submission.
• Coordinate with MEAL, Finance, Awards, and Technical Advisors to consolidate feedback on partner reports.
• Support the incorporation of partner narrative and financial reports into donor reports in coordination with the Awards team.
• Monitor Indicator Performance Tracking Tables (IPTT) and verification methods in coordination with the MEAL team.
• Validate the data reported by the partner to ensure the targets achieved are verified correctly.

3. Financial Monitoring

• Monitor partner budgets and expenditures in coordination with the Finance team to ensure compliance with financial policies and donor requirements.
• Support the review of partner financial reports and ensure alignment between budget and programmatic reporting.
• Follow on financial transfers to partners and coordinate with Finance to ensure timely disbursement according to agreed schedules.
• Coordinate the regular feedback meetings with partners and finance focal point
• 4. Compliance and Risk Management

• Support and monitor the implementation of partner risk management including risk assessments, safety concerns, and proper documentation of decisions, best practices, and lesson learned.

• Support compliance monitoring of partners to ensure adherence to organizational policies, donor regulations, and partnership agreements.
• Lead the development and monitoring of risk mitigation plans, procurement plans, and supporting documentation checklists for partner implementation.
• Identify risks related to program implementation, financial management, or compliance, and work with relevant teams to develop mitigation measures.

5. Capacity Strengthening

• Identify capacity development needs of partners and coordinate capacity-building initiatives with relevant Country Office departments.
• Joint plan the capacity building plan with partner considering partner priorities
• Facilitate or coordinate capacity-building sessions related to program management, financial compliance, procurement processes, and reporting requirements.
• Arrange for all agreed capacity building plans in close coordination partner and relevant departments including Supply Chain team, Technical Advisors, Risk & Compliance, Finance

6. Audit and Documentation

• Coordinate partner final external audits in line with partnership agreements and donor requirements.
• Liaise with the Supply Chain department to arrange contracts for external audit services.
• Ensure all required partner documentation is properly maintained and accessible for internal and donor compliance requirements.
• Discuss the audit finding with the partner and support it to develop mitigation plan

General

• Ensure that all partner activities are implemented in accordance agreed plan and according to donor requirement.

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BEHAVIOURS

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values

• Holds self-accountable to deliver on his/her responsibilities.

• Use project resources in a timely manner, to achieve project goals.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own Personal development and encourages their team to do the same

• Widely shares his/her personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships with all CO cross functions team

• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.
  

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in Education /relevant Social Science field or equivalent experience

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Minimum of five (5) years’ professional experience in partnership and project management, working with refugees and host communities in comparable humanitarian or development roles.

• Proven experience managing sub-grants and partnerships, including due diligence, compliance monitoring, performance tracking, and partner oversight.

• Demonstrated experience in project planning, implementation, coordination, facilitation, monitoring, and reporting, ensuring quality delivery and achievement of results.

• Experience in capacity building of partners and stakeholders, including conducting assessments, delivering technical support, and strengthening institutional and operational capacities.

• Strong negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience working with partners, local authorities, and other key actors in complex environments.

• Experience in financial monitoring and budget oversight, including expenditure tracking, ensuring donor compliance, and supporting financial reporting processes.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and professional reports.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), with strong analytical and reporting skills.
  

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties relevant to their field of work.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse. The role holder is required to adhere to SCI Safeguarding policies and child participation

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.