The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title:  Programme Development Manager

Organisation: Saferworld

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

About US:

Saferworld is an independent international organisation working to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives. We work with people affected by conflict to improve their safety and sense of security, and conduct wider research and analysis. We use this evidence and learning to improve local, national and international policies and practices that can help build lasting peace. Our priority is people – we believe in a world where everyone can lead peaceful, fulfilling lives, free from fear and insecurity. We are a not-for-profit organization operational in 12 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Job Summary:  The Programme Development Manager (Maternity Cover) will support a portfolio of Saferworld’s teams, with an anticipated focus on the Asia region (including Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Central Asia), and possibly other countries outside the region, in designing and mobilising funding for peace, security and justice programmes. Working closely with Country Managers/Directors, and programme and grant management colleagues, the post-holder will lead on: coordinating and facilitating programme development processes (including taking the lead in drafting high quality concept notes and proposals, theories of change, logical models, risk matrixes and budgets); developing and supporting the implementation of long-term country funding strategies and donor engagement strategies; and supporting new donor engagement and sustaining relationships with current donors. The post-holder will be responsible for growing institutional funding portfolios in our programmes.

The post-holder will have a successful track record in developing programmes and leading new business development efforts with institutional donors such as the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), United States Government (USG)/United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union (EU), UN agencies and European Governments such as Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Additional experience in mobilising resource from trusts and foundations and other non-traditional funding mechanisms is desirable.

They will have proven skills and experience in programme management and support, successful programme design processes and bid leadership.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Programme design and proposal development

• Support and work with country managers/directors and country teams to make informed go/no go decisions on calls for proposals and invitations to submit funding applications.
• In coordination with country managers/directors, lead on programme design and development of programme concept notes and proposals for institutional donors that link to our organisational theory of change and enable Saferworld to realise our strategic plan at the country levels. This includes coordinating between various teams, facilitating development of country team ideas, and taking the overall lead in drafting funding applications (including concept note/proposal narrative, budgets, theories of change, MEL frameworks, and risk matrixes as required based on various teams’ inputs).
• Ensure proposal development processes follow Saferworld’s organisational values and principles in terms of partners’ involvement and leadership (including in participatory proposal and budget development), budget sharing with partners, preparing teaming agreements, and informing partners about donor requirements and their/our obligations towards these.
• Ensure a strong gender and conflict analysis is included in programme design and concept note/proposal writing.
• Maintain a bank of programme concept notes and proposals for allocated countries/themes.
• Provide country teams with guidance on institutional donor policies and strategies, and ensure funding applications align with these, as well as with previous donor feedback and learning.
• Strengthen the capacity of country teams and partners to identify funding opportunities and to develop strong programmes and high-quality proposals.
• Diversify funding sources within country portfolios through scoping relevant trusts and foundations and non-traditional donors.
• Where relevant, support with due diligence processes when entering into partnerships with INGOs and new funding relationships with donors.

Strategic development

• Support and work with country managers/directors and programme teams to develop, plan and implement resource mobilisation plans to fund country strategies, including supporting and coordinating teams to cultivate and maintain good relations with donors.
• Oversee a portfolio of donors, keep a track of their strategic and funding priorities and opportunities for engagement, and feed these into country resource mobilisation plans.

Act as a focal point for engagement with an institutional donor (such as the Norwegian

• Government or the Danish Government), in consultation with colleagues in the Funding Working Group, and maintain a strategy for engagement with this donor.
• Work closely with country managers/directors and programme colleagues to engage with and cultivate donor relationships in allocated countries.
• In collaboration with country leadership, monitor country resource mobilisation plans, and contribute to monitoring and analysing country fundraising performance, including proposal success rate.
• Ensure cross-organisational collaborative working, including working closely with the Funding Working Group to ensure country resource mobilisation plans are connected to global outreach and cultivation with key donors.
• Keep up to date with donor policy developments, and provide analysis of the implications for Saferworld.
• Keep the funding/grants management database updated with key information about funding opportunities relevant to allocated country programmes.
• Participate in/support negotiations with donors related to new and/or existing grants in allocated country programmes.

Cross-organisational representation

• Participate in external networking and represent Saferworld at relevant donor conferences, seminars and/or other fundraising events in relation to our work.
• Engage with the wider NGO and fundraising community, particularly in relation to institutional and statutory funding.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrable experience of designing, developing and implementing international development programmes – preferably in conflict-affected contexts – that bring about community-led programme change, and policy and practice change. Experience of designing peacebuilding, security and justice, and/or conflict prevention programmes is an asset.
• Demonstrable experience of writing successful institutional funding proposals – including developing theories of change, MEL frameworks, risk matrixes and complex budgets.
• Proven experience of financial design, including programme budgeting and development of budget narratives.
• Demonstrable experience of leading programme design sessions/workshops including developing and remotely managing processes to write successful concept notes and proposals while building and managing relationships, including remotely, with country offices and/or local partners.
• Demonstrable experience in building and maintaining relationships with institutional donors, and understanding of donor requirements, particularly for donors relevant to Saferworld such as the FCDO, USG/USAID, EU, UN agencies and Sida (among others).
• Demonstrable experience of working with teams and partners in ways that reflect the principles of power-sharing, solidarity and accompaniment.
• Experience in mainstreaming gender-sensitivity/responsiveness/transformation in programme design and proposal development.
• Willingness to travel (dependent on security assessments and project funding, and aligned to our aim of working differently and reduce environmental impact).
• Strong understanding of key political, development and humanitarian trends and debates on, and/or experience working in, focus countries/regions for Saferworld (especially in the Asia region), particularly linked to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, development, governance, and security and justice (desirable).
• Experience in mobilising resources from trusts and foundations and non-traditional donors

Skills/Abilities

• Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of a second language is desirable.
• Ability to work flexibly, independently and on own initiative.
• Experience in developing strategies, and translating strategy into practice.
• Ability to negotiate and understand priorities of colleagues, applying a problem-solving supportive approach.
• Excellent communication skills, with clear strategies for working remotely with colleagues and partners, including experience of communicating effectively across cultures and with diverse audiences, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines, multiple priorities, and prioritise and manage workload.
• Excellent participatory workshop facilitation skills.

Personal qualities

• Self-motivated and persistent in the face of complex challenges.
• Able to manage multiple and complex priorities at once and prioritise work to deliver on objectives effectively.
• Personable, empathetic and able to develop excellent working relationships and collaborate with staff around the world.
• Commitment to and compliance with Saferworld’s safeguarding principles.
• Commitment to gender equality, respect and value equality and diversity, and understanding of how this applies to own area of work.
• Commitment to the vision, mission and values of Saferworld.

How to Apply:

All candidates should send an updated CV and a covering letter addressing the person specification and why you feel your experience matches the requirements of the role and send to jobs@saferworld.org.uk with the subject indicated as Ref: PDM-Mat

Deadline: 28^th August 2023

NB: We regret that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

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