With over 70 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 34,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

International Assignment (WVI – Paid via GCLA) Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Job Description:

PURPOSE OF POSITION

• To lead and drive growth in revenue in the West Africa region and support National Offices (NOs) fundraising efforts for private non-sponsorship and public/institutional grants income in alignment NOs strategies and Our Promise.
• To support the National Offices in increasing and diversifying bilateral, multilateral, major foundations, private public partnerships, Gifts-in-Kind (GIK) non-food items, corporates and grants income, by providing over strategic direction in line with Regional and National Offices strategies.
• To build relationships, capacity and collaboration to effectively grow the portfolio, ensure effective pipeline and win rate to meet programming needs.
• To support productive engagement and retention of governments, multilateral and private sector donors through successful grants implementation and strong donor relations with the aim of maximizing and diversifying the funding base.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy and Leadership:

• Provide day to day leadership and management to the Regional Resource Development Function in supporting NOs grants acquisition and management.
• In collaboration with Regional Strategy, Programme Quality and Impact (SPQI) and the Regional Leader (RL), and National Directors (NDs), provide strategic direction for grants acquisition (both public and private) in the region in alignment with NO needs, strategic initiatives and contribution to (Child Well-Being) CWB targets.
• In accordance with Global (Grant Acquisition and Management) GAM processes and the NO Business Planning Cycle, assist the RL and NDs in setting annual grant income projections to be used in the NDs Performance Agreements.
• Lead team planning, ensuring efficient and effective deployment of time and talent to effectively support NOs.
• Lead capacity development planning with (Regional Office) RO, NO, SO (Support Office). Lead efficient issue resolution across NO/SO as needed.

Grants Acquisition:

• Assist NOs in setting up vibrant GAM teams and structures and ensure that competent staff are recruited by NO GAM teams.
• Enable NOs to manage opportunity pipeline tracking planning (i.e. regional/country level donors mapping, strategic direction and areas of alignment, etc) maintaining an overview of regional grant funding and resource development in alignment with NO strategic directions and Our Promise.
• Ensure in coordination with SOs and the RO, cross functional team support to NOs for proposals development.
• Support the NOs in the development of consortia whenever necessary in preparation for upcoming opportunities
• In collaboration with the Global Center technical teams, Regional Technical Advisors and SO technical and ministry specialists, support the prepositioning of unsolicited proposals and the development of a pipeline of innovative products.
• In line with Global GAM facilitate and ensure the use of a key grants database for performance monitoring and portfolio management.
• Provide background information to facilitate readiness for concept/proposal development
• Support NOs to understand and use the Grants Risk Assessment Form to facilitate the Go/No Go Decision.
• Depending on size of grant, profile and donor requirement, work with P&C and relevant SOs to hire high performing staff (i.e. chief of party, etc).
• To stimulate and provide strategic direction for NOs to pursue non-traditional funding sources, identifying emerging or untapped high potential donors and new emerging models.
• Support local Resource Development and branding, in conjunction with Communications.
• Support countries in the Commercial Contract readiness self-assessment in collaboration with GC for approval to acquire commercial contracts

Pre-positioning & Donor Engagement:

• Identify key relationships to strengthen national and regional positioning and elevate WV’s profile with peer agencies, government, foundations, multilateral, private sector and donors.
• Work with and through National Offices and in collaboration with SOs International Programme Group (IPG) colleagues, to cultivate and maintain strong donor relationships at regional and country level, developing engagement strategies for each donor or a group of donors.
• Monitor the donor competitive landscape, and circulate funding forecasts to NOs to enable them to organize prepositioning meetings with donors.
• Provide support and guidance to NOs in development of capacity statements to be utilized during prepositioning meetings with donors.
• Maintain an up-to-date record of the requirements of current potential regional donors and be proactive in the lookout for opportunities for regional donors etc.
• Research, analyze, develop, and track relationships with new and current donors at regional level and share information with NOs.
• In conjunction with Regional Communications department, develop key marketing material and external audience mapping to assist RO/NOs to preposition WV in West Africa
• Participate in strategic regional donor meetings with foundations, bilateral and multilateral institutions etc

Grants Management & Compliance

• Serve as a member of the Regional Grants Management Committee and provide support in leading Grants Health Tracker review process for NOs
• Mobilize cross-RO functional support to NOs for GAM performance (RL, finance, operations, P&C, strategy, technical, QA)
• Ensure significant Grant audit / implementation issues are brought to the attention of NDs, RL/ SDO. Coordinate with SOs, NOs and the Regional Finance Team (RFT) to ensure key grant document as per the agreement are tracked (semi & annual reports, mid-term and final evaluation reports, quarterly financial report etc.) and a successful close out of large scale grants
• In conjunction with finance ensure compliance in key grant areas (e.g. eligibility, CAL, match, grant decision making powers, etc). Flag critical policy or systems issues needing resolution by GC.

Collaboration and Learning

• Support capacity building of GAM units at RO/NO level, including technical staff and LCs to build their GAM capacity. Prioritize NOs to support
• Strengthen capacities in grants-related and resource mobilization areas at regional and country level through capacity building, mentoring, coaching etc.
• Lead, manage and provide capacity building support to employees in the RDU department, & seconded staff by ensuring clear goals and accountabilities are established and achieved.
• Ensure individuals’ performance and development needs are met, and employees are high performing and engaged.
• Engage in NO GAM staff hiring processes. Depending on size of grant, profile and donor requirement, work with P&C to hire high performing staff (.i.e. chief of party, etc.)
• Identify capacity gaps at NOs in grants acquisition and management and other factors leading to poor win rates and grants implementation and work with SOs and the RGM to address them
• Lead capacity development planning with RO, NOs & SOs (i.e. identification of capacity gaps at NOs in GAM, capacity building initiatives for National Directors in Grants acquisition, grants management training in various government and multilateral donors’ regulations, training in common areas leading to poor grant implementation, as well as partnering and innovative programme design)
• Lead with the SOs, the roll out of the partnership grants acquisition training software (i.e. Proposal Pro) and the use of Horizon for opportunity tracking.
• Support/initiative innovative funding streams, e.g. work with global  capacities to enhance Local Marketing and fundraising, International contracting and tendering, grants leveraging trough foundations, match (cash or in kind).
• Engage in respective working groups to support:
  • NRDs (National Resource Development in planning a sustainable funding base;
  • FC (Fragile Contexts), Response offices identify and develop new products to match or bridge grants

Regional representation at various fora:

• To ensure appropriate representation of the region at strategic fora that could lead to resource acquisition and enhanced programming collaboration.
• Represent the region in the grants community fora (internal and external to WV)
• Participate in WV internal grant communities – GAM Hubs and Global Grants Compliance Unit

Others

• Carry out additional responsibilities as assigned by the SDO/RL
• Attend and participate in devotional meetings.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Master’s Degree  in Development, Social Science, Management or other field applicable to developing country context preferred
• Bachelor Degree in International Development, International Relations, Rural Development or any related field.
• At least 10 years of senior management experience leading fundraising initiatives in a large International Organization
• Leadership capabilities that includes strong ability to coach staff to achieve high levels of performance
• Strong influencing skills ability to engage effectively cross culturally & cross functionally in order to achieve shared goals and effective indirect line management
• Seasoned networker with an ability to maintain a good up to date knowledge of the grant opportunities and trends in the humanitarian sector
• Excellent knowledge and experience of project management with government and multilateral agencies grant funded projects and experience of grant compliance procedures for major bilateral and multilateral donors.
• Demonstrated track record in proposal development, funding acquisitions and grant management for major government donors preferred
• Strong organization and delegation abilities; high performance and quality standards; negotiation skills; ability to motivate teams and inspire teamwork;
• Track record of successfully training, developing/mentoring and supervising grant staff
• Ability to engage at a strategic level with bilateral and multilateral donors, IO and INGO etc.
• Ability to manage donor expectations
• Strong budgetary and financial management skills
• Strong understanding of systems design and implementation protocols
• Strong inter-personal skills, and proven team-player
• Excellent written and spoken English and French.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities
• Able to solve complex problems and to exercise independent judgment
• Able to work in a cross-cultural environment with a multi-national staff
• Able to stand above denominational diversities.
• Perform other duties as required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work environment:  Office-based with frequent travel to National offices and support offices
• Travel:  minimum of 30% International travel is required.

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local and International Applicants (IA’s) Accepted