INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Partnership Operations Specialist

Code: SR-00-9377

Duty station: Home-based, with frequent field missions (up to 60%)

Starting date: 19/08/2024

Contract duration: 5 months, renewable according to funding availability 

Reporting to: Localisation Advisor

Supervision of: N/A

Functional Supervisor: N/A

Type of duty station: Non-family duty station

General context of the project

INTERSOS wants to assist and support the affected communities, leaving them the leading role in their healing and empowerment process. For this reason, it is essential to recognize local actors’ unique identities, shapes, and needs, ensuring collaborations able to enhance both partners’ skills. The localization strategy employed by INTERSOS adheres to principles of equality and complementarity, with the ultimate aim of strengthening collective capacity to address the needs of affected populations. As part of its global work around localisation, INTERSOS is willing to improve its internal ability to systematically support local actors, from everyday implementation challenges to organisational empowerment. The Partnership Operation Specialist would play a key role in this process.

General purpose of the position

INTERSOS is seeking a dedicated and experienced Partnership Operations Specialist to join our team at INTERSOS HQ. This role will play a pivotal role in supporting our field missions in effectively managing all operational aspects related to partnerships, including administration, finance, logistics, and human resources. The Partnership Operations Specialist will be instrumental in developing tools for monitoring and capacity strengthening, conducting field missions to support the implementation of new systems and best practices, and ensuring the overall success of our partnership operations.

Main responsibilities and tasks

• Partnership Management: Improving the quality of partnership identification and management. Through existing tools collaborate closely with field missions to empower internal skills related to partnership management from a compliance perspective. Analyses challenges, identifies suitable solution to mitigate risks and ensures the effective operational management of partnerships across all support areas.
• Toolboxes: In collaboration with INTERSOS support departments (Finance, HR, Logistics, Grants), identify existing resources and develop new toolboxes to facilitate partners’ capacity strengthening on financial, logistics, and human resources management.
• Capacity Strengthening: Support field missions and local partners through the joint identification of needs, priority empowerment actions and implementation of capacity strengthening initiatives for partners, through in-person or remote mentoring and training.
• Risk analysis and mitigation: Support field missions in the operational assessment of new partners, from due diligence to MoUs revision and partnership management. Analyze needs and create tools and systems enabling successful partnerships, regularly conducting risks analysis exercises, and providing recommendations for improvements.
• Field Support: Coordinate with the Regional offices and HQ departments as needed to ensure cohesive support to field missions. Undertake field missions to provide hands-on guidance to country teams in the implementation of partnership-related systems and best practices in the areas of partnership administration, finance, logistics, and HR.
• Compliance and transparency: Collaborate with relevant local partners and with INTERSOS departments to ensure compliance with INTERSOS policies and donor requirements throughout the partnerships, including counter-terrorism regulations. Collaborate with finance and grants department for global overseeing of funding to local partners.

Required profile and experience

Education

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., international development, business administration, finance, management, logistics)

Professional Experience 

• A minimum of 4 years of professional experience managing NGO operations in fragile and insecure locations.
• Proven experience in Project Management or humanitarian operations management
• Experience working with/for local actors in different contexts.

Professional Requirements

• Sound understanding of compliance with administrative and legal requirements, including standard NGO and donor policies.
• Proficiency in project management tools and techniques and operations management
• Strong knowledge of financial and administrative processes related to partnerships.
• Proven experience in capacity strengthening and training development and delivery.
• Ability to implement operational strategies tailored to the context and needs. Able to support the development of individual and collective skills.
• Proved understanding of localisation, shift of power and equitable partnership principles.
• Experience in logistics/procurement would be an advantage.

Languages

• Proficiency in English and French is mandatory.
• Knowledge of an additional language (Arabic, Russian or Italian) is an advantage.

Personal requirements 

• Takes initiative, likes to innovate; leads and mobilizes teams around a common project; and is motivated by equitable partnership and localization values.
• Good management and organization skills even under heavy work pressure, works well independently and remotely.
• Self-development, initiative, flexibility and adaptability.
• Willingness to travel to field locations as required.

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested candidates are invited to apply following the link below: https://www.intersos.org/en/work-with-us-hq/#intersos-vacancy-headquarters/vacancy-details/6635021a1f50200029b7bf2d/ 

Please note that our application process is made of 3 quick steps: register (including your name, email, password and citizenship), sign-up and apply by attaching your CV in PDF format. Through the platform, candidates will be able to track their applications’ history with INTERSOS. 

Please also mention the name, position and contact details of at least three references: two line managers and one HR referent. Family members are to be excluded.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the first interview.