Grants & Partnerships Coordinator

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Background
Across two refugee camps, Dadaab and Kakuma, and four counties (Garissa, Turkana, West Pokot, and Nairobi), the IRC implements programs in health, nutrition, women’s protection & empowerment, economic recovery and development, as well as emergency response through a network of field offices and a range of institutional and community partnerships.

Scope of Work
The Grants & Partnerships Coordinator will report to the Deputy Director for Grants and Accountability (DDGA) for the Kenya country program. This role combines strategic oversight and operational management of grants coordination and partnership management to ensure quality, compliance, and alignment with IRC’s goals and donor requirements. The Grants & Partnerships Coordinator will work closely with multiple departments including Programs, Grants, MEAL, Finance, Operations, and Technical Coordinators. The position is based in Nairobi with regular travel to field offices and will supervise teams across different locations, including Grants Managers, Grants Officers, Partnership Managers, and Partnership Finance Managers. The Grants & Partnerships Coordinator will liaise with the East Africa Regional office and IRC Headquarters globally.

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.

Technical Skills

• Excellent writing and communication skills with experience developing proposals, concept notes, and donor reports.

• Strong understanding of donor rules and regulations and ability to interpret solicitations accurately.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Familiarity with file sharing systems such as SharePoint is a plus.

• Experience with IRC PEER system and OTIS is an advantage.

Managerial and Leadership Competencies

• Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and team-building skills.

• High attention to detail and time management.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team across multiple locations.

• Diplomatic, politically astute, and skilled in negotiation and representation.

• Commitment to IRC’s values and ability to handle ambiguity in stressful situations.

Languages

• Professional fluency in spoken and written English.

• Familiarity with Kiswahili is an advantage.

Travel

• Willingness to travel up to 30% to field offices, partner sites, and occasional travel to HQ and other regions for meetings and workshops.

National Candidates: We strongly encourage national female candidates to apply for this position. The IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

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