Title Awards and Partnership Lead (Manager)
Location Port Sudan (with frequent travel to the field)
Travel Frequent travel to the field
Job Family and Grade Professional โ P7
Pre hire checks This role is classified as requiring standard pre-employment enhance due diligence
Context
About Relief International
Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and well-being.
Our team of more than 4,000 staff and local volunteers work in over 14 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), protection, Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience.
We do this by working with local actors to develop safe and inclusive local programming that is evidence based, conflict sensitive, climate smart, and reaches those in need.
Relief International is an alliance of four organizations with one shared mission, comprised of Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, and Relief International-UK , which operate under a one-team concept under a single senior leadership team
About our Country Program
Relief International Sudan operates in a complex and rapidly evolving humanitarian context. RI Sudan began operations in North Darfur in 2006 and now run over 60 service locations across the country. Relief International Sudan is working across eight states in Sudan: North Darfur, Gedareef, Blue Nile, Northern State, Khartoum, Al Jazira, Sennar, and Red Sea. RI Sudan supports sectors such as WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene), Food Security & Livelihoods (FSL), Health, Nutrition, and Protection. RI Sudan collaborates with more than five local partner organizations and receive funding from a diverse range of donors including UN agencies, ECHO, and OFDA/BHA (formerly BHA).
Job Profile
The Awards and Partnership Manager plays a central role in managing Relief Internationalโs portfolio in Sudan. This includes ensuring compliance with donor requirements, overseeing proposal development, coordinating reporting processes, and supporting efficient program implementation. The Awards and Partnership Manager serves as the primary liaison between in-country donors and RI on awards-related matters while collaborating with program, finance, and operational teams to maintain the highest standards of grant management.
Key responsibilities
Awards Management
- Serve as the central point of coordination for all awards management related cycle within Relief International Sudanโs portfolio, ensuring that awards are managed in compliance with donor requirements and organizational policies.
- In coordination with the Desk and Awards Management unit (AMU), provide guidance to the country office on donor regulations at key phases of the award cycle.
- Maintain an up-to-date awards tracking system, including awards key information, reporting deadlines, deliverables, and any other requirements.
- In coordination with Grants Manager as well as heads of program and support functions, support on donor due diligence and pre-qualification process.
- Oversight the project opening and kick-off processes by ensure shared understanding of award obligations and requirements is communicated to the relevant focal points. Monitor kick-off plans and support with mobilization processes as required.
- Guide the teams during Awards amendments (i.e. modifications, extensions, etc.) and lead the coordination process in country and with the Support office
- Support and guide country office program and support team on Relief internationalโs key Awards Management processes, guidance and SOPs during the life of the award.
- Support in drafting various requests to donors such as reprogramming of activities, requests for assets procurement, loss reports, waivers, modifications ... etc.
- Drive the award closeout processes within the Country office including providing technical/ compliance support on compliance, audit readiness, disposition plan, and other donor requirements.
- In coordination with the field Awards and Partnership focal points, field leadership and technical focal points and advisors, follow up on the implementation of Audit recommendations.
- Conduct final compliance checks to ensure that all donor requirements have been met before award closure.
- Conduct regular awards reviews with program and finance teams to monitor progress, address challenges, and ensure timely completion of awards deliverables.
- Support in preparation for awards-related audits, ensuring all required files are accurate, complete, and accessible.
- Develop and maintain detailed award files, including contracts, amendments, reporting schedules, and compliance checklists.
Donor- Compliance:
- Act as the go-to resource for program and support teams on donor regulations, Donor-compliance standards, and organizational awards management procedures
- During project development, work with the Grants and Reporting Manager, technical advisors/focal points for programs and support functions and DCD to ensure the prepared package (including budget) complies with donor grant requirements.
- Provide financial compliance guidance to program teams to ensure adherence to donor-specific requirements.
Partnership:
- Act as a centralized partnership focal point and coordinate partnership mainstreaming through all programmatic and support functions.
- Develop and maintain strong working relations with new and existing partners.
- Support the field Awards and Partnerships Coordinator in facilitating Screenings and Enhanced Due Diligence process using third party online platforms and RI-developed tools.
- As support to the field, involve different programmatic and support departments in review of partner Standard Due Diligence Questionnaire.
- Draft/review sub-award agreements, sub-award agreement modifications, and other contractual documents.
- In coordination with field Awards and Partnership Coordinator and other relevant field and Country Office based functions, ensure facilitation of Partner Award Opening and Closing meetings, as well as monthly Awards/BVA Review Meetings based on partner-submitted Program Implementation Tools and BVAs.
- In coordination with field Awards and Partnership Coordinator and Grants Manager, ensure that partnersโ reports are delivered on time, in complete package, and in alignment with RI and donor requirements.
- Review partner reports to ensure compliance to RI and donor rules and regulations.
- Draft and finalize partnership agreements, including Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), ensuring all annexes and terms are properly reviewed.
- Provide capacity-building support to partners as needed to ensure alignment with donor and organizational requirements.
- Lead the process of reviewing/revising partnership manual .
- Ensure day-to-day mentorship for partners, and meeting regularly with each partner for coordination and follow up.
Capacity Building and Information, Data Management
- Support the team to familiarize with key RI program/awards related processes. Maintain detailed and accurate records of internal processes, ensuring all updates and revisions are documented and shared.
- Collaborate with finance teams to monitor Award budgets, ensuring expenditures are aligned with approved budgets and donor regulations.
- Monitor Award payment schedules, working closely with finance to ensure timely receipt of donor funds.
- Provide regular trainings to program and support teams on donor compliance, reporting requirements, and awards management tools.
- Establish and maintain a system of partnership performance evaluation and management.
- In coordination with Grants Manager, ensure establishment and maintenance of effective filing system of project documentation.
- In coordination with Grants Manager and Awards and Partnership Coordinators, update an online and offline records/files to ensure effective audit trail.
- Distribute and share with all RI staff copies of all post award documents (modified proposal package and budgets, donor approval on notifications and changes, templates, and tools, etc.) related to their specific programs.
- Distribute and share existing and new donor and RI regulations.
Safeguarding
- Uphold and promote RIโs commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
- Consistent with RIโs safeguarding and protection policies, ensure all people who come into contact with Relief International are as safe as possible.
Essential criteria
- A bachelorโs degree or similar is required;
- Minimum 5 years of work experience in the fields of Awards, Grants, Compliance, and partnership management for an international organization in development and/or humanitarian programs.
- Knowledge and proven strong experience with US, European, and other international government donors;
- Previous experience working with US-Grants i.e PRM and OFA, European Union and UN entities e.g UNICEF, UNOCHA
- Experience tracking award budgets, ensuring donor compliance and timely, accurate spending;
- Proven experience with grants management software/databases.
- Fluent written and spoken English required. Arabic strongly preferred.
- Experience working in a multi-cultural setting
- Competence with Windows, Microsoft Office
Desirable criteria
- Strong knowledge about internal controls, fraud, investigations, and safeguarding
- Additional languages to English, such as Arabic or French, would be good.
- Master's degree in international development or similar fields
Core Competencies:
- Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills.
- Problems solver.
- Self-motivated, results-driven, and excellent sense of organization.
- Strong time management skills, ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
RI Values
Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as โDo No Harm,โ Relief International Values:
- Integrity
- Adaptability
- Collaboration
- Inclusivity
- Sustainability