Partnerships Manager

CARE is a leading relief and development non-governmental organization fighting global poverty. Established in 1946, it is now a confederation composed of 14 members and 4 affiliates. In 2016, CARE worked in 84 countries around the world, supporting development and humanitarian aid projects to reach more than 83 million people. While CARE is a large international organization with more than 11,000 employees worldwide, we have a strong local presence: 95% of our staff are nationals of the countries where our programs are run.

The Partnerships Manager will lead the development of CARE Lebanon’s partnership strategy and its operationalization. The Partnerships Manager will support the mapping and identification of new partnership opportunities, contribute to the assessment of partners’ organizational capacities, facilitate relevant capacity strengthening support, and provide ongoing support to the partner organization throughout the project cycle.  S/he will work with Program Department and the Grants Management Unit to ensure that partner agreements are in place and donor/CARE requirements complied with by the partner organizations.

2. Reporting Lines

Director of Program Development and Impact

3. Organizational Relationship

Partnerships Officer (if applicable)

4. Specific Duties and Responsibilities

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 1: Partnerships Strategy (20% of time)

• Lead the implementation of CARE Lebanon’s partnerships strategy involving identified strategic partners wherever possible.
• Ensure that the roll out of partnership‐related initiatives are adequately budgeted for.
• Facilitate appropriate technical input to the development of country strategy plans, functional review and other planning documents focused on issues related to partnerships.
• Conduct partnerships workshop refreshers for CARE staff on key partnership standards and principles.
• Conduct induction sessions for newly recruited CARE staff

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 2: Partnerships Establishment (30% of time)

• Assess and review the current partnership portfolio, with the aim of growing and diversifying it.
• Follow up the systematic launch of calls for Expression of Interest so to ensure a fair and transparent partner’s selection process, update the existing partner mapping and explore new partnership opportunities.
• Conduct the partnership committee selection (incl. program, finance, logs reps) to propose new partnerships opportunities, and conduct partners' assessment/due diligence and validate proposed membership with SMT.
• Support in the proposal development phase and the onboarding of the partners
• Analyze opportunities and categorize potential partners into strategic and implementing partners and validate findings with SMT.
• Ensure high collaboration with Compliance Unit at CARE.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 3: Capacity Building (25% of time)

• Identify priority gaps in partner capacity (sectoral, programmatic and institutional), take the lead in the development of capacity building plans for the partners and ensure that those plans are effectively implemented and resourced (liaising with logistics, HR, finance, technical Coordinators and program staff).
• Contribute to the development of capacity development strategies and approaches for partners.
• Design and deliver training workshops when applicable and continue to develop tools to further rely on in-house capacity-building expertise.
• Enhance the mentoring and coaching of partner staff through CARE teams.
• Develop simple self‐assessment tools for some of the partners to help them monitor their own capacity.
• Build the capacities of field and support teams on partnership management / communication.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 4: Partnership Evaluation and Closeout (10% of time)

• Analyze results of ongoing partnerships, remote management and impact on the ground to produce lessons learnt and inform strategic decision‐making, in coordination with the Implementation team.
• Develop phase out plans and Key Performance Indicators for partners.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 5: Partner Information Management (15% of time)

• Maintain full partner contact database.
• Refinement and regular update of partner database including definition of key information to be tracked (e.g. key issues/agreements).
• Maintain partnership files as per CARE requirements, including documentation related to partner identification, selection, capacity assessment, capacity development, review meetings, etc. (All documentation relating to partnership, excluding documentation relating to specific projects). 
• Regularly update SMT on key changes in partner structure, portfolio, programming and any other key information that senior management should be aware of.
• Capture lessons learned from experiences with potential and actual partners to inform the ongoing refinement of CARE’s approach to working with partners and strengthening civil society.

Other tasks:

• In case of emergencies, the Partnerships Manager will be the Focal Point to ensure Emergency activities are conducted with the appropriate partners, selected through the Emergency Selection Process, in line with the ERT requirements, participating in the quality and impact of the activities.
• Other responsibilities & duties as required by the Line Manager.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES AS ASSIGNED BY LINE MANAGER

5. Qualifications / special skills or knowledge

a. Skills & knowledge:

• Experience in both emergency and development contexts, preferably with solid experience in partnership-based programming and with background in one or more of CIL’s priority sectors: Protection, GBV, Livelihoods, Food Security and Shelter.
• Extensive knowledge in all aspects of Project Cycle Management and remote management/monitoring practices.
• Extensive experience interacting with and relating to professionals and international stakeholders at senior level.
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong internal and external relationships and networks.
• Motivated self-starter who enjoys working in a collaborative and international environment.

b. Experience:

At least   3-5  years of relevant experience, especially at NGOs, academic organizations, standard-setting bodies, public agencies focused on development and humanitarian programming in the Middle East

c. Academic background: 

Master’s degree in one or several of the following areas: business management, public policy, social sciences or any relevant field, or relevant bachelor’s degree with at least two to three additional years of experience in relevant field.

4. Languages: English and/ or Arabic are the working language of CARE International in Lebanon.

11. of other languages is an asset.