OXFAM PURPOSE: To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering.

JOB PURPOSE: To ensure that all partnerships align with Oxfam Kenya’s strategic objectives and manage communications and resources to maintain strong and productive relationships.

TEAM PURPOSE

To work with the Programme and Support Teams in developing a vision and strategy for the Oxfam Kenya’s approach to partnership and local leadership and its implementation across the country mission. The Partnership Coordinator (PC) has a responsibility to lead on partnership capacity development assessments and subsequent plans, engage in localisation related networks while maintaining relationships with CSOs, CBOs, local government institutions and INGOs in advancing locally led programme coordination, advocacy and response. This role will lead the partnership strategy review and implementation, adapt and enhance tools, processes and frameworks as needed and ensure the localisation pillar is embedded into Oxfam Kenya’s programme approach. The role shall further ensure and support government agencies and civil society organisations to be adequately involved in project activities and that they are taking part in formal coordination activities including clusters.

Key Responsibilities

The Partnerships Coordinator is responsible for strategically coordinating local partners. The Partnership Coordinator has the overall responsibility to oversee the tools and process flow for partnership management within Oxfam ’s partnership portfolio by ensuring that partners conform to and are in alignment with the national and global tools and processes.  

Capacity Assessment

• Support and conduct a partnership mapping while supporting other projects in other Oxfam operational locations.
• Lead on the development of project partnership assessments for the new partners (as well as others) as per the OGB approved minimum requirements, and development of partner contracts.
• Lead on the development of the partner contracts (and related annexes), ensuring a shared change goal for the joint and a broader and evolving partnership.
• Support with partners assessment reports where new partners shall be identified.
• Collaborate with the program quality team to undertake review of the current partnership work. – appreciating the context, the successes, challenges and areas that requires improvement.

• Draft and update project Partnership Development Plans projects within Oxfam’s portfolio which includes organizational and technical capacity building according to the needs of each partners.
• Ensure all partners benefit from capacity development on safeguarding and gender minimum standards in emergencies.

Project Management and capacity support

• Lead on the organisation of inception-kick off meetings and the development of workplans, spending plans, and procurement plans for partners. Oversee all due diligence, assessments and compliance issues in coordination with the field teams and Finance Manager. 
• Support partners in assessing risks and opportunities of collaboration, assessing capacities in terms of strengths and gaps to meet objectives.
• Develop and elaborate a plan for partnership monitoring (including budgets) and carry out regular monitoring visits to partners (thematic, organizational, financial areas).
• Ensure that the partnership complaint mechanism is integrated in the country office’s existing mechanism, including a Safeguarding reporting mechanism to allow for full accountability.
• Support strengthening of Oxfam’s partners’ internal controls, the capability to utilise grants and maintain an adequate management and information system in order to increase accountability and the timeliness, quality and reliability of reporting.
• Work closely with the MEAL department to ensure that partners are supported to build effective monitoring systems for the programme and staff and carry out regular monitoring visits to partners (thematic, organizational, financial areas).
• The PC will have access to internal tools related to partnerships and capacity building, including; capacity assessment, OXFAM’s capacity building toolkit; OXFAM’s operational capacity building assessment tools; OXFAM’s partnership strategy;  
• Conduct consultations with technical program staff involved in the technical capacity building process whenever related support is required. 

Partnership Management

• Work closely with the Oxfam program teams to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to work with partners –sharing tools and guides to help standardise the way that we work.
• Coordinate the involvement of all staff in ongoing support to partners and in reporting obligations. 
• Support and coordinate efforts of Oxfam Kenya with regard to the management of partnerships.
• Lead on the day-to-day communication and follow up with all project partners to ensure quality and timely implementation.
• Ensure that Oxfam Kenya has an updated and responsive strategy and plan for addressing key opportunities and challenges of the partners.
• Advise senior management teas on areas of high risk to Oxfam Kenya or partners, particularly concerning security.
• Ensure the quality of partnerships through effective coordination, relationship management and sustaining the delivery of quality capacity building support.
• Use ongoing checks to ensure that all Oxfam Kenya and partner staff are pleased with the partnership and that mechanisms exist to address emerging challenges. 
• Regularly consult with Oxfam Kenya and Partner staff in producing comprehensive and informative reports that inform the country programme.
• To inspire and energise the programme team, and to champion positive and innovative ways of working to promote a learning environment on working with partners.

Person specification

Most importantly, every individual at Oxfam Kenya needs to be able to:

• Live our values of INCLUSION, ACCOUNTABILITY, EMPOWERMENT, COURAGE, SOLIDARITY and EQUALITY.
• Ensure you commit to our ORGANIZATIONAL ATTRIBUTES (including adhering to the Code of Conduct).
• Be committed to our feminist principles, and to applying them in your day-to-day behaviour and your work. Be ready to keep learning, with accountability to those who experience oppression as a result of their identities, such as their gender, race/ethnicity, disability, class, or LGBTQIA identity."
• Be committed to undertaking Oxfam’s safeguarding training and adhering to relevant policies, to ensure all people who come into Oxfam are as safe as possible.

Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Professional/Technical qualifications

• Postgraduate degree in Social Sciences, Project Management, Development Studies, or related field.
• At least 5 years’ experience in a similar role.
• Excellent coordination skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to work under pressure and prioritise work to meet tight deadlines.
• The ability to design and facilitate training processes for different partner skills levels.

Essential

• At least 5 years’ of experience in international non-governmental organizations and humanitarian settings, specifically in capacity building, partnership, grants and reporting.  Skills and experience in managing and coordinating with multiple partners concurrently. 
• Previous experience in working with local actors and previous experience in overall capacity building of CBOs, and experience in developing an operational capacity building toolkit and monitoring system/tool all strongly. 
• Proven excellent project management and coordination skills required.
• Nuanced understanding of partnerships management support which encourages participation, articulates the rights of partners, alongside managing relational issues.
• Experience in developing tools, manuals, training modules and plans for the purpose of capacity building and project management.
• Experience in working with, and good working knowledge of local actors of a variety of capacities both technically and operationally. 
• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility.
• Comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well. 
• Good knowledge of the humanitarian and development sectors and the relevant INGO’s, NGO’s and government institutions.
• Taking the lead, effective communication: emphatic and active listening skills and, huge sense of collaboration and problem solving are the hallmarks of this position.
• Flexibility in working overtime when needed. 
• Strong level of computer literacy (Microsoft Word, Excel and Power point).
• Full proficiency in spoken and written English required.

How to apply

As part of your online application, please upload your up to date CV and Cover Letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.  

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

About us

Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries. 

A thriving diverse Oxfam:

It’s people power that brings about change. To play our part as a global organisation working to overcome poverty and inequality, we need equality, diversity and inclusion across our community of staff, partners and volunteers. Together, we’re committed to becoming a more diverse workforce, better able to tackle the global challenges that face our world today.

To do that:

• We need to dismantle the unequal power structures that exist everywhere, this including Oxfam and the wider development and charity sectors.
• We need an inclusive Oxfam where everyone can bring who they are to our work and feels celebrated for the differences they bring.
• We want and need everyone, and that means we need you.