Background on IMPACT Initiatives

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization manages several initiatives, which includes i) the REACH Initiative aimed at facilitating the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for emergency, reconstruction and development contexts, ii) the PANDA Initiative aimed at directly supporting key aid actors in improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and efficacy of their programmes, and iii) the AGORA Initiative aimed at promoting localised and multi-sectoral aid action in support of the recovery and stabilisation of crisis-affected communities.

The IMPACT team comprises specialists in data collection, management and Analysis and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED and the two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its fields of intervention.

We are currently looking for a Project Development and Grants Officer to overseeour project development and grant management activities for Iraq and Yemen.

Position: Project Development and Grants Officer

Contract duration: 6 to 12 months

Location: Erbil, Iraq, with frequent travels to Amman to interact with the Yemen team

Starting Date: ASAP

COUNTRY PROFILE

Iraq

Following years of displacement and conflict which precipitated the substantial engagement of humanitarian actors in-country, the Iraq context is increasingly transitioning to a post-conflict development phase. While reconstruction and development initiatives are underway – with significant international support – populations in Iraq continue to face problems stemming from widespread infrastructural damage, reduced access to public services, and economic decline. Humanitarian needs also remain; in 2022, it was estimated that at least 2.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees in Iraq required humanitarian assistance, with the residual impact of past conflict and increasing climatic shocks further intensifying these needs. In addition, 1.2 million IDPs and 4.9 million returnees face hurdles in achieving durable solutions to their displacement, including security concerns, lack of access to livelihoods, destroyed or damaged housing, and lack of social cohesion.

IMPACT has been working in Iraq since 2012 to support humanitarian decision-making and evidence-based prioritisation, in Coordination with the humanitarian cluster system, INGO, NGOs, and national and regional coordination bodies to address information gaps and implement assessments. More recently, IMPACT has been supporting development actors to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and efficacy of humanitarian and development interventions, and encourage an equitable and needs-based transition to stabilisation and development initiatives. Over more than 10 years in Iraq, IMPACT has led country-wide multi-sectoral assessments, informed needs-based targeting mechanisms for multi-purpose cash assistance, extended Technical Support to CCCM and WASH partners, encouraged evidence-based approaches to durable solutions, served as a third-party monitoring partner to implementing agencies, and conducted thematic assessments and rapid needs assessments in response to contextual changes. More information can be found here.

Yemen

After more than eight years of conflict, millions of people in Yemen are experiencing the compounded effects of armed violence, ongoing economic crisis and disrupted public services. In 2023, an estimated 21.6 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection services. The direct effects of the conflict continue to have severe effects on the population in addition to deterioration of basic service infrastructure and a fuel crisis. In addition, natural hazards, such as heavy rains and flooding cause deaths and injuries, destroy infrastructure and livelihoods, and increase the spread of diseases. The loss of livelihoods, when combined with the depreciation and general volatility of the Yemeni currency, has made the purchase of basic everyday necessities difficult for most Yemenis.

IMPACT/REACH has supported the humanitarian response to the Yemen crisis since late 2016, working extensively with humanitarian stakeholders particularly leading portfolios on Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Cash and Markets, understanding flood hazards and risk, as well as localized multisectoral needs assessments. The REACH team, based remotely in Amman, provides systemic assessment and Information Management (IM) support to the response through indicator review, tool design, coordination of data collection exercises, data analysis, output production, and IM platform design.

FUNCTIONS

Under the management of the 2 Country Coordinators (CC) for Yemen and Iraq, the Project Development and Grants Officer (PDO) is responsible to support the identification, development and management of grants in the region. The ideal candidate would be eager to work within a dynamic and motivated team and will have a clear focus on project development as a tool to improve the efficacy of the humanitarian response in the region. The current split of work between the two countries may vary according to priorities, and will be determined together with the 2 CCs.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The PDO’s responsibilities include the following:

1. SUPPORT TO Positioning and Fundraising

All of the below tasks are in support of the CC, and involvement may vary according to the profile, seniority and context.

Context Analysis

• Support to analysing the related countries socio-economic situation, (donor) trends, funding trends, needs and gaps
• Regularly conduct stakeholder analysis, who does what and where
• Alert the Country Coordinator (CC) of gaps and emerging needs in order to trigger donor discussions/assessments in a timely manner

Strategy development and Fundraising

• Contribute to the development of a mission programme strategy in alignment with IMPACT global strategy and road map through engagement with external actors, context monitoring, and relevant focal points
• Based on the IMPACT strategy, support the identification of funding opportunities and donors to ensure funding continuity as well as support the diversification of IMPACT’s donor portfolio through tracking funding opportunities, also potentially engaging with donors and donor working groups.
• In line with IMPACT strategy and expertise, contribute to partners Mapping, to support identifying potential relevant international and/or local partners (academia, think tanks, national and international NGOs, private sector partners, etc.)

External relations

• Support the overall cooperation with IMPACT’s sister organisation ACTED (hosting IMPACT in its field of operations) in relation to project development and Grants Management ensuring communication is regular and timely and synergies are sought and built.
• Contribute to establishing, maintaining and improving active and regular working relationships with donors and, where relevant, act as point of contact for all formal/informal donor communication
• Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships with IMPACT partners, NGOs, UN agencies, relevant working groups, consortia and academia in relation to project implementation and proposal development.
• Maintain an up to date directory of donors, international and local NGOs, other partners and stakeholders
• Ensure fundraising activities are appropriately tracked in the Funding Tracker (or similar tool), which is updated on a regular basis to log in latest negotiations and proposal possibilities with donors.

2. Grant management

Proposal Development

• Oversee project proposal conceptualisation (problem statement, logframe), and the development of other fundraising documents (Expressions of Interest, concept notes) in line with IMPACT country strategy and donor requirements and in close collaboration with IMPACT/hosting partner Field and HQ GD and finance
• Liaise with the CC, Research Managers, Operations Manager and other relevant departments to ensure proposals are relevant and technically sound, as well as with other internal stakeholders such as Finance for the budget and other budget related documents (e.g. budget narrative)
• Ensure that learning from previous projects (e.g., lessons learnt and best practices) is incorporated into new proposals
• Ensure validation of all proposals before submission to IMPACT HQ GD, and relevant HQ partner’s through partner’s field focal point (where relevant) is sought.
• Ensure follow up tool (such as the fundraising tracker) is correctly up to date.
• Address and coordinate the timely response and submission to all comments by donors on proposals in liaison with relevant staff in country, IMPACT HQ Grants and Finance teams.

Contracting

• In coordination with the CC and IMPACT HQ, review/negotiate proposals and/or contracts with donors, ensuring requirements are clear and understood
• Contribute to due diligence exercises of funding partners in liaison with HQ

Project Implementation and Follow up

• Ensure the timely completion of grant related processes such as Project cards, Monthly Reporting Follow Up (RFU) and Reporting Deadline Tracker
• Ensure timely Kick-off meetings are held involving all project components and focal points
• Ensure the establishment and regular update of project progress, key findings and success stories (including key M&E findings – where relevant)
• Ensure that all contractual obligations are clearly defined and communicated internally in terms of deliverables as well as narrative and financial reporting requirements, in close coordination with HQ GD and (as relevant) with partner’s PD and Finance Department
• When any issue is identified in meeting deliverables in the given timeframe and budget, inform relevant staff in country and suggest potential solutions that would meet donor rules
• Ensure ad hoc requests from donors are addressed in liaison with the CC, Programme and support teams
• Implement and oversee the project specific filing system for grant management and ensure it is regularly updated.
• Provide ad-hoc support to project implementation through trouble shooting and eliminating blocking points

Reporting

• Oversee the development of quality project narrative and M&E reports (in support of donors’ requests), reflecting the progress and status of projects in a transparent, timely and professional manner, in liaison with IMPACT HQ GD and finance
• Liaise with Program teams when preparing reports, and with Finance to ensure coherence and alignment between financial and narrative reports by crosschecking the matching of data in the narrative and financial reports
• Oversee the monthly RFU and ensure smooth and regular communication with IMPACT HQ GD
• Where relevant, ensure regular coordination with partner’s Project Development, Finance and other FLAT departments at all stages of project development and implementation, including consultations for donor discussions, participation in project kick off and lessons learnt meetings, and drafting of donor reports or amendment requests

Partnerships

In close liaison with and under the supervision from the CC:

• Contribute to identifying potential partnerships for providing operational and/or technical support for IMPACT programs
• Contribute to due diligence and vetting of partners in close liaison with IMPACT GD and partner’s FLAT departments.
• In coordination with HQ GD, facilitate or take part in discussions with implementing partners, including in relation to formalizing contractual modalities (due diligence and outline of contracts)
• Ensure partners have a clear understanding in terms of IMPACT policies, procedures, compliance, programmatic and financial reporting requirements
• Where relevant, review partner reporting regularly and flag any issues in a timely manner to RC, CC, Finance and partner focal points, and suggest potential solutions
• Where relevant, act as field point of contact for all formal/informal implementing partner communication

3. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Ensure a clear M&E framework for each ongoing project is developed based on project proposals, implementation plans, and donor reporting requirements (including contractual monitoring and evaluation indicators to be tracked as part of activities)
• Ensure M&E policies and procedures are implemented, maintained and tracked for reporting purposes
• Ensure that M&E findings are reflected and their recommendations are incorporated in future concept notes, proposals, donor reports and implementation plans

REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar), required;
• Familiarity with the humanitarian coordination system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements, required;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting; required
• Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Office 365, the Adobe package and Trello required;
• Coordination, organisational and planning skills required, including ability to manage large workloads, effectively meet deadlines, through an excellent ability to multi-task and prioritise in complex environment;
• A self-starter with a proven ability to work independently;
• Past experience in field work is desirable;
• Solution-oriented, flexible, and open-minded, including ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment required
• A sense of curiosity, the drive to improve the humanitarian sector, and ability to see the big picture.
• Fluency in English required;
• Working knowledge of Arabic will be an asset
• Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment

CONDITIONS

• Salary defined by the IMPACT salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
• Additional monthly living allowance provided in country by IMPACT’s hosting partner
• Food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment)
• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
• Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package

How to apply

Please submit your application directly on IMPACT's website: Project Development and Grants Officer for Iraq | Impact (impact-initiatives.org)