Partnership Coordinator

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified and experienced Partnerships Coordinator to fulfill a new role, serving as the focal point for supporting development of new partnership relationships, programs, and capacity development in Algeria, Libya, Tunisia (ALT).

About the job

They will be responsible for developing strategic framework and systems to strengthen DRC ALT's partnerships with national NGOs and CSOs across the three countries. The Partnerships Coordinator – Programmes will play a lead role in strengthening DRC ALT's approaches to partnership, building on global partnership principles and civil society engagement strategies, aligned with DRC ALT’s 2025 Strategy and the overall DRC strategy. This role works across departments to establish systems and approaches for identifying, pursuing, and maintaining effective partnerships with CSOs, other INGOS, duty bearers, universities and grassroot organisation that contribute to DRC’s strategic objectives. The Partnerships Coordinator - Programmes will support and advise on a more efficient organizational set up to support ongoing and new partnerships, map and identify new partnership opportunities, assess partner organization capacities, facilitate relevant capacity strengthening support, and provide ongoing support to the partner organizations throughout the project lifecycle. The coordinator will also support on leading the localization strategy of DRC ALT. Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Partnership Development

• In close coordination with the HOP, Lead on the Partnership and Localisation Strategy
• Advise on the best structure to support partners and implementation (including Support Services and Area based structures)
• Technically support teams working with partners on minimum standards and develop and roll out partnership SOPs and RACI
• Conduct and update partner mappings
• Support and lead the partnership selection and due diligence process including leading preliminary meetings with partners, leading on DRC’s partnership assessment, and supporting partners to submit the needed documentation for partnerships
• Provide support to partners on required partnership documentation such as MoUs, agreements, budgets and supporting documents
• Establish and maintain a partnership database that maps out partner capacity, influence, and strategic alignment with DRC programming.
• Identify new partnership opportunities and support Area managers to work on their own partnership strategy
• Ensure that minimum standards in line with DRC SOPs applies to partners, looking specifically at duty of care, minimum financial standards and programmatic capacities

Capacity Assessment and Management

• Coordinate across Coordination Unit and Area Offices to conduct partner organizational capacity assessments and analyse assessments to identify specific capacity building and organizational development needs, and provide training and targeted capacity strengthening support
• Review existing partnerships resources and identify additional needs to support capacity assessment, monitoring, compliance, project cycle management, etc.
• Support, develop comprehensive capacity assessment tools related to project and programme design and management, including grants management processes
• Establish and maintain productive relationships between partners and staff, and with DRC Program teams.
• Hands-on support to partners on capacity-building incl. being embedded in partners’ offices.

Grants Management and proposal development

• Work with the PDQM to support and input on localization and partnership project proposals
• Work with the Grants Management Specialist to ensure that partnership tools and financial standards meet donor requirements and allow for adaptation and flexibility and advocate for these changes at country and donor level
• Lead individual grant opening meetings with partners and review key resources including reporting templates, schedule of deadlines, communications processes, and highlight key parts of sub-grant agreement
• Work with field teams and partners on their quality of implementation and the support that DRC is providing towards partners. Ensure that field teams have clear roadmaps for each partner.
• Maintain comprehensive partner report tracker and communication with partners around reporting deadlines. Ensure partners have correct templates, understand quality standards for reporting
• Provide review of partner reports, offering supportive guidance and feedback to partner organizations as part of capacity strengthening plans
• With Finance, monitor partner spending, ensuring partners are compliant with eligibility rules, are monitoring project spending, and remain within obligated amounts.
• Issue agreement modification for amendments including increases, budget realignments, and no-cost extensions

Representation

• Represent DRC ALT on public fora, with donors and in workshops on the specific localization and partnership thematic

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 5 years of professional experience in a relevant field, preferably in an NGO or humanitarian actor. Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• Three years' experience preferred with project or programme management and proven organizational skills
• University degree in a relevant field such as international development, humanitarian. assistance, political science, or other related field
• Three years’ experience engaging with national partners and local/government authorities
• Strong knowledge of donor compliance rules and regulations
• Demonstrated experience in training and coaching
• Knowledge of the North African context
• Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively in a multi-cultural environment with competing priorities, tight deadlines, and in a complex emergency context
• Ability to live and work in an insecure and high stress environment
• Willingness to travel to other DRC bases in North Africa
• Excellent writing, editing and communications skills in English required
• English – fluent with capacity to produce high-quality written products for formal reporting and public communication purposes
• Arabic – fluent

Desirable

• Certificates and advanced degrees an advantage.
• French an asset

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ 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 uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 12 months

Band: Non-Management G

Designation of Duty Station: Tunis, with up to 60% time travelling

Start date: February 2025

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for national/international employees; please refer to our website. For questions regarding the vacancy please contact Sonia Joly, sonia.joly@drc.ngo. 

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 22/12/2025.

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.