The Senior Manager, SRHR will drive innovative grant making and focus on high-leverage opportunities to grow CIFF’s influence and the impact of our programmes. It will manage a large portfolio that is central to the delivery of the SRHRsector team’s time-sensitive priorities and meet the corporate objectives of the CIFF Board.

The role will specialise on maximising the systemic effects of CIFF’s SRHR platform investments. Specifically, performance improvements in terms of reach, equity, cost-effectiveness, and integration. The goal is to ensure that health systems meet the SRHR needs of millions, across priority countries and globally.

The role will lead efforts to attract major co-funding, through a combination of donor and philanthropic partnership, and linkages with national health financing.

It will represent CIFF across stakeholders, and step-in for senior leadership as required. The role will oversee and support team-members – often at a distance – in both direct and matrix relationships. Direct line management will depend upon growth in portfolio size.

Strategy & planning

• In collaboration with the rest of the team and across the organisation, design and regularly revisit and review SRHR strategies, partners and pipeline to ensure it is outcome focused, compelling (from a CIFF ‘value add’ perspective) and effective (i.e., is sufficient to deliver CIFF’s objectives).
• Prepare and present high-quality analysis and research, as required, to support the sector in determining future strategic priorities and setting operational plans.
• Contribute to the production of programme strategy and the associated evidence base, alongside other team members, prior to a proposal’s submission for approval.
• Ensure deep alignment with SRHR Missions, specifically: SRHR Access & Funding; SRHR self-managed care; HIV Prevention. Providing expert insight for country-specific approaches. This will also include ongoing close collaboration with the Africa Team’s Girl Capital and Co-Funding and Partnership Directors working on related issues.
• Requires an exceptional understanding and experience in integrated, person-centred SRHR and work to expand contraceptive access, as well as a proven track record of successfully developing and managing large, complicated strategies, investments and strategic relationships with grantees and other funders.
• The portfolio includes sensitive investments and/or those that carry potential political risk, requiring unique capabilities in diplomacy and navigating sensitive issue areas.

Programme development, delivery & performance

• Directly manage a portfolio of live programmes with a value of approximately $25M and an active pipeline of potential investments, in accordance with the sector priorities and plan. This position is expected to lead the development of high leverage, Big Bet investments for the SRHR team.
• Against key corporate and / or sector team indicators and targets, monitor and report internally on the performance of assigned portfolio.
• Apply agreed due diligence and risk management protocols appropriately throughout the development and delivery of proposals and programmes, to ensure the interests and reputation of the Foundation are protected.
• Conduct structured feasibility analysis on investment proposals, using an appropriate range of methodologies and techniques, to ensure they are based on logical and robust assumptions, which can withstand scrutiny from the Executive Team (ET) and CIFF Board.
• Working either with sector colleagues or independently, prepare summary reports, board reports and portfolio investment reports, ensuring these are produced to a high-standard and in a timely fashion, often within tight timeframes.
• Co-ordinate the development of grant agreements, to forecast and process grant payments and to enable effective grant management and reporting within the organisation.
• Working closely with and taking the advice and guidance of, the sector team’s Evidence, Measurement and Evaluation (EME) Business Partner, identify and embed appropriate monitoring and evaluation processes to all proposals and programmes.
• Conduct regular reviews of the progress and performance of programmes under delivery to identify problems and delays, and work with partners to develop effective solutions (escalating to more senior colleagues for support and intervention, where required).
• Work as part of a team to shape and implement plans for scaling up, replicating or leveraging additional support for successful programmes and initiatives, in accordance with Foundation priorities.
• Identify opportunities and options for improving processes, procedures and programme management approaches within (and beyond) the team, to support increased organisational efficiency and effectiveness.

Sector knowledge and profile-building

• Actively maintain CIFF’s reputation as a valued partner for achieving transformational and sustainable change in SRHR.
• Influence the wider SRHR sector (national programmes, donors and implementers) to implement high-impact strategies for health sector change that improves service delivery, cost-effectiveness, quality, equity and gender transformative outcomes. This will include expertise on implementation science, research landscape and credibility to engage with diverse, senior officials.
• Be abreast of developments within the SRHR sector, client-centred design, opposition and international development sectors, establishing appropriate information gathering networks and channels to deepen professional knowledge and skills.
• As required, contribute to the development of thought leadership, PR, marketing and advocacy materials, to support CIFF’s ambitions to scale-up, mainstream and leverage additional support for its initiatives.

Stakeholder and partner management

•  Act as the relationship manager for CIFF’s SRHR investments in key countries, working across equitable access, financing, and self-managed SRH – especially contraceptive self-injection.
• Secure major co-funding and aligned funding related to CIFF’s SRHR Missions, from increasingly diverse sources, including bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, philanthropy and heath financing systems.
• Act as CIFF’s external representative as required, which may include advisory groups/boards/steering committees and/or donor collaboration mechanisms.
• Support internal working groups – including but not limited to Employee Forum, and Anti-Racism and DEI Working Groups.
• Conduct rigorous research and evaluation of potential partners, using agreed corporate protocols and techniques, to assess their suitability and credentials for collaborating on CIFF initiatives.
• Apply CIFF’s agreed account management disciplines and approaches in all dealings with programme partners and stakeholders, to ensure productive and professional relationships are maintained in a coordinated and strategic manner.
• Working alongside senior colleagues, help to develop strategic partnerships to support adoption, replication, co-funding or scaling-up of CIFF programmes.
• With a variety of external audiences, develop and maintain strong partnerships and act as a knowledgeable resource about CIFF’s programmes and priority areas.

Membership and leadership of the team

•  This role will have line management responsibilities of one Analyst and Manager related to linked strategies under the positions remit, plus shared oversight over other SRHR staff members in the team. Additional line management is subject to portfolio and team growth. Matrix management is also anticipated.
• Lead through influence – working cross-functionally and services as a resource/mentor to Managers/Analysts from other teams and CIFF country offices and partners.
• Be a role model to less experienced team members, demonstrating CIFF’s leadership behaviours and providing mentorship to aid their growth.
• Adopt a coaching approach with colleagues which instils a culture of openness and trust, embraces diverse thinking, and encourages continuous improvement and learning.
• We operate a matrix structure so reporting lines can vary between specific aspects of the role.

Requirements

Skills & Experience 

• Strong understanding and experience with integrated, person-centred SRHR, as well as knowledge about the specific contexts in priority countries in sub-Saharan Africa, notably Nigeria, DR Congo and the wider Sahel region.
• Proven track record of successfully developing and managing large, politically sensitive, complicated, cross sectoral strategies and investments. The position requires expertise in diplomacy to navigate and manage a sensitive portfolio along with its strategic relationships.
• Demonstrable experience in analysis and due diligence; policy, planning and programme delivery, including field experience, all within the development sector.
• Knowledge of the evidence bases pertaining to programme design and implementation, and belief in the importance of evidence-based decision making.
• Strong working knowledge of impact measurement and programme monitoring and evaluation.
• An innovative thinker with a pragmatic and solution-oriented mindset.
• Ability to analyse an organisation’s strength of management, vision and adaptive capacity. Ability to recruit, guide, influence and/or advise management teams to effectively implement programmes.
• Experience working within government systems and/or experience influencing the policies of government agencies, private sector organizations or donor organisations.
• Effectively champions and promotes causes – credible and professional, they always present the Foundation’s programmes in a compelling way to engage the audience.
• Skilled in relationship building and strengthening; able to influence others and work collaboratively, uniting groups with a shared purpose.
• English is CIFF’s business language – we expect all of our people to display outstanding verbal and written communication skills across all aspects of their role.
• Capacity to work in a range of cultural and socio-economic contexts, adapting style and approach appropriately and in a culturally sensitive manner to maximise effectiveness.
• IT proficiency (most specifically in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
• A proven self-starter, who works with pace and resilience.

Benefits

The starting salary for this role is GBP 80,000.

CIFF operates a hybrid work policy across all locations, which means employees works some of the time from home. We are happy to provide more information on this as part of the recruitment process.

Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package here at CIFF that includes, but is not limited to the following. All these will be prorated to the fixed term.

• Annual leave – 25 days per annum. Increasing by 1 day after each year of service to a maximum of 30 days.
• Bonus – CIFF currently operates a discretionary bonus scheme.
• Training allowance
• Wellbeing allowance
• Life insurance
• Medical insurance

Please submit your application on or before 15 May 2024. CIFF reserves the right to close the job advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.