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Programme Officer - Strategic Partnerships

Feb 19, 2020 | Women's Fund Asia
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Women’s Fund Asia (WFA) is a regional women’s fund, committed to supporting women and trans*2 people led interventions, to enhance and strengthen their access to human rights. The Fund started in 2004 as the South Asia Women's Fund (SAWF), operating in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In 2016 the organisation undertook an intense process of review and consultations, and on 8 March 2018, it was relaunched as Women's Fund Asia, expanding its mandate across Asia and increasing its outreach from 5 to 18 countries.

The present team works out several cities across Asia to implement the programme, with a diverse roster of consultants and experts from across the region. WFA’s headquarters is in Colombo, Sri Lanka, while the Executive Director works out of the Liaison Office in Lucknow, India. Other team members work out of their home locations.

The Programme Officer – Strategic Partnerships supports the Senior Management Team on developing and implementing the resource mobilization strategies to enable a sustainable and resilient WFA, with the institutional, fiscal, and programmatic capacity to undertake its role effectively.

The primary responsibility is to maintain and develop relationships with institutional donors and participating actively in networking, outreach, and planning. The position requires strong research, analytical, and writing skills along with the ability to identify new opportunities and conceptualise new strategies.

The Programme Officer coordinates with various teams at WFA—grantmaking, MEL, Communications, and Finance—to gather relevant information about WFA’s programmatic work and to communicate this information to various donor audiences. 

The Programme Officer – Strategic Partnerships reports to and receives support and guidance from the Deputy Executive Director and is part of the Institutional Building team which comprises MEL and Communications. 

Major Duties & Responsibilities 

Philanthropic Partnerships (Fundraising/Resource Mobilisation)

  • Support the Senior Management Team in working towards WFA’s fundraising goals.
  • Work with the ED and the DyED to ideate strategies to raise resources for ongoing/and or new programmes.
  • Research and write concept notes and proposals to institutional donors (including bilateral and corporate foundations).
  • Contribute to (and in some cases coordinate) development and implementation of institutional fundraising strategies and plans.
  • Monitor and ensure the timely delivery of information and grant obligations to donor, including preparation of donor reports.
  • Coordinate with grants team members, MEL Officer, and Communications Officer to compile relevant information on ongoing programmes, key trends, and outcome/results for donor reporting, as well as for developing new resource mobilisation strategies.
  • Coordinate with the Finance team on budget preparations and projections.
  • Build relationships with institutional donors (current and potential) and networks.
  • Identify and map developments, trends, and opportunities related to the funding landscape and which are relevant to the institutional growth of WFA.
  • Advocate for WFA’s work and its mandate of resourcing feminist movement building in Asia with various donors and in various strategic spaces, as well as through contributing to publications and participating in various network working groups. 

Outreach and Communications

  • In consultation with the DyED, represent the organisation in various networking and donor spaces.
  • Work with the DyED and the Communications officer on various communication materials and collaterals such as annual reports and newsletters.
  • Represent WFA at national, regional, and international events as necessary. 

Management and Supervision

  • May supervise Associate or Assistant position(s), interns, and volunteers as needed.
  • Manage consultants hired for WFA for relevant programmes/tasks.
  • Management of complex proposal processes that require coordination with other departments and external stakeholders.

Experience

  • Minimum of 5-8 years of progressively responsible experience in social justice sector, especially with a feminist organisation in the region.
  • Experience with a regional organisation is an added advantage.
  • Demonstrated experience of leading/contributing to grant proposal development— both narrative and financial.
  • Experience in fundraising/networking/communications required, preferably for human rights, women’s rights, and trans* rights. 

Academic Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in any social sciences subjects, law, or any other relevant subject.

Expertise & Skills 

  • Knowledge and understanding of the socio‐political context (with a focus on women/trans*/human rights) in Asia.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the politics of resourcing and funding ecology a plus.
  • Strong project management experience: ability to monitor, evaluate, and assess impact of multiple projects over multiple years with multiple deliverables and deadlines.
  • Excellent documentation and analysis skills in English.
  • Knowledge and familiarity with budgetary analysis and planning.
  • Ability to communicate extremely well in English and one other regional language is a must; knowing more than one regional language is an asset.
  • Presentation, coordination, negotiation, building and reviewing systems, assessing impact, and decision-making skills are imperative.
  • Ability to design, organise, and lead the implementation of work plans and relevant processes.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and the proven ability to provide leadership to a team and to work in a team environment.
  • Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment, with an international team, based in remote locations, is a must.
  • High comfort and tolerance to manage stress and role demands, ability to multi-task, prioritise, and self-manage.
  • Willingness to undertake extensive travel.

Principles and Values

  • WFA’s programme and its strategy are rooted in feminist principles; it is imperative that the values, understanding, and behaviour of the PO is entrenched in the same principles.
  • Must have demonstrated commitment to the advancement of women’s and/or trans* human rights.

Terms and Conditions 

  • One-year renewable contract will be issued once selected. Ability to join immediately is required (within a month of confirmation).
  • The current salary for the position will be between USD 1800 to USD 2000 per month. The salary will be commensurate with work experience and skills.
  • In case the individual is based out of home, then an office running stipend of USD 150 will be provided.
  • There will be a six-month probation period, during which the contract can be concluded through a notice of one week on either side. The incumbent will be internally evaluated before being confirmed.
  • The performance evaluation for this contract will be in line with 1 2 months, which means that after confirmation on six months’ probation, it will be due with the next contract.
  • Once confirmed, the contract can be ended by a notice of 30 working days or salary of 30 working days in lieu of notice.
  • The organization has a zero tolerance to sexual harassment at work place; as well as any form of discrimination on any grounds including but not limited to sex, gender, sexual orientation, class, caste, race, and disability; the practice of which could result in immediate termination of services with no compensation, reference, or experience certificates.
  • The impact of sound judgment, decision‐making, and management/leadership in this job function is of utmost importance to the organisation and its overall ongoing success.