Partnerships Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental and non-profit organization founded in 195

• DRC operates in more than 35 countries globally and is one of the largest protection actors in Kenya. The organization focuses on improving the protective environment for refugees and host communities through various programs, including Protection monitoring, Child Protection, and GBV prevention and response. DRC aims to address protection issues faced by displaced and non-displaced at-risk groups and individuals, while also facilitating durable solutions and humanitarian disarmament and peace-building activities to respond to the needs of communities affected by acute crises and protracted displacement situations.

Job Overview:
The Partnerships Officer will play a crucial role in implementing DRC's strategic partnerships framework and systems at the country level. This position is designed for a dynamic and self-motivated individual who will work to strengthen current and future partnerships with national NGOs, community-based organizations, civil society, the private sector, and research institutes. The officer will be responsible for mapping out and identifying new partnership opportunities, assessing partner organization capacities, facilitating relevant capacity strengthening support, ensuring donor compliance in partnerships, and providing ongoing support and management to partner organizations throughout and after project implementation. The role is based in the DRC Country Office in Nairobi and will require in-country travel to support partnerships across Kenya, particularly in counties where DRC does not have a physical presence.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Partnerships Officer will have a range of duties and responsibilities, including:

• Internal Capacity Building and Technical Guidance: Supporting DRC program and support staff in understanding and adhering to donor compliance for national partnerships across DRC’s portfolio in Kenya. Collaborating with Programme Managers and relevant functions to clarify roles and responsibilities for partner communication, engagement, program delivery, financial management, procurement, reporting, and compliance. Identifying partnership-related risks and compliance issues early and agreeing on mitigation measures with relevant colleagues. Reviewing and contextualizing existing partnership resources at the country level and identifying additional needs for capacity assessment, monitoring, compliance, and project cycle management.
• Partnerships Management and Collaboration: Coordinating across teams to support partner organizational capacity assessments and analyzing assessments to identify partners aligned with DRC’s strategy. Identifying specific capacity strengthening and organizational development needs and providing or coordinating training and targeted capacity strengthening support to partners on Grants, Finance, and Compliance. Providing technical partnerships support with the assistance of Area Office teams, Technical Coordinators, Finance, and Grants Management. Tracking ongoing partnerships, monitoring work plans, achievements, and results on the ground. Participating in initiatives to improve partnership practices by assessing DRC Kenya’s partnership approach and capturing lessons learned and best practices. Regularly updating the partnership tracker for the assigned portfolio.
• Grants, Accountability, Reporting, and Learning: Coordinating with Project Managers and relevant support-function focal points to monitor partner compliance with internal and external requirements, including procurement, HR, finance, safeguarding, reporting, and documentation. Following up on partner reporting schedules, supporting documents, financial liquidations, and payment-related requirements with Finance, Grants Management, and Programme teams to ensure timely submissions. Preparing Sub-award contracts and ensuring partnership agreements, tools, budgets, and financial standards are consistent with donor requirements. Maintaining complete and accessible partnership files, including due diligence documentation, assessment reports, capacity-development plans, agreements, monitoring records, risk registers, action trackers, and compliance follow-up. Supporting organizational audits on partnerships and following up on audit findings and compliance gaps. Ensuring timely partner payments and financial liquidations, and maintaining the partnership risk registers for the organization.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate for the Partnerships Officer position should possess the following qualifications:

• A minimum of 3 years of practical experience working with the UN or an INGO in a partnerships role focused on programming compliance and capacity strengthening.
• Demonstrated experience in providing capacity-strengthening support to national partners and a strong understanding of partnership principles.
• Experience in donor compliance and procedures across the project cycle is essential.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across teams and with external partners.

Educational Background:
Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or another relevant field. Practical training or courses in partnership principles, capacity strengthening, and project management are preferred to enhance the candidate's qualifications for this role.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience, particularly in working with international organizations such as the UN or INGOs. The candidate should have a solid background in partnerships, compliance, and capacity strengthening, demonstrating the ability to navigate complex partnership dynamics effectively.

Languages:
Fluency in English, both spoken and written, is mandatory for this position. Excellent communication skills are essential for engaging with various stakeholders, including national NGOs, community-based organizations, and research institutes. Additional language skills may be considered an asset but are not required.

Additional Notes:
The position is offered on a six-month contract with the possibility of extension. The salary and other conditions will be in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment. The duty station is the DRC Country Office in Nairobi, with frequent travel to field locations expected. Applications must be submitted in English and include a letter of application and CV. The deadline for applications is 6th November 202

• DRC is committed to achieving gender parity and encourages female candidates and those from minority groups to apply. The organization values diversity and is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees.