Desk Coordinator

Responsibility

Support Team Level

Department

Programs/ Program Development

Reporting to

Desk Manager (dotted line to Desk Director)

Direct reports

N/A

Budget responsibility

N/A

Relationship management

Program Implementation Department, Support Team, Country Programs

Job Profile

The Desk Coordinator is a key position within the Program Implementation Department (as part of Global Support Team) dedicated to provide program development and grants management support across a portfolio of several countries (Sudan, Chad, Syria, Turkiye, and Lebanon), while focusing on providing direct support to the Sudan Country Office. The Desk Coordinator works closely with key functions within the Program Implementation Team and other Support functions (i.e. Resource Development, Awards Management, etc.) to ensure adequate support is provided to assigned country(ies) on proposals and grants/program management support. The Desk Coordinator will be required to step-in and serve as Lead Writer on funding opportunities in support to the CO(s) depending on identified needs and priorities. Field travel will be expected to provide direct support, gap filling, capacity building, monitoring and serve as surge support in response to humanitarian crises.

This position demands a highly dynamic, proactive, autonomous, and flexible individual with solid experience in program development and overall project cycle management. Strong writing and proposal design skills are a must.

Key Responsibilities

Accountability and Complexity

• Work closely with the RI Support team and country teams (especially Sudan) to ensure the highest quality of program development, implementation and reporting.
• Coordinate with key internal and external stakeholders
• Identify and raise risks on program design and implementation.

  Proposal Development:

  • Foster a culture for evidence-based design and support COs with design workshops for standard proposals.
  • Contribute to program design, for solicited and unsolicited programs, and for pilot and full-scale programs, as well as cost and program modifications/extensions.
  • Manage/coordinate the preparation of funding proposals across a broad range of donors and award amounts, and submitting them via the appropriate donor portals after approvals are secured.
  • Lead proposal writing and costing efforts across a broad range of donors and award amounts as assigned, including supporting and/or leading on other internal processes related to program development (i.e. partnership identification, donor due diligence, etc.)
  • Ensure package is compliant with donor regulations and requirements and that all internal processes/policies have been adhered to i.e. partnership, due diligence, etc.
  • Work with country teams to develop work plan for priority proposals, ensuring time is built in for robust and participatory program design workshops.
  • Ensure cost-share/ contribution identification for proposals is clear and reasonable and follow RI’s processes.
  • Coordinate with relevant Support Team’s members for the proposal development and/or review
  • Support the Desk Manager in monitoring and identification of funding opportunities and in the facilitation of Go-No-Go review and decisions in line with organizational processes and strategy.
  • Track country and proposal efforts and report to Desk Manager on status.
  • In collaboration with country and Support Team, ensure Desk’s proposal development pipeline is accurate and up-to-date.

    Program and Grants Management Support:

    • Work with the Desk Manager and coordinate with the Desk Officer to ensure the quality and timeliness of all donor reports, ensuring they are in line with donor’s compliance and guidelines. Provide final copy edit and/or support in writing assigned sections, upon request. Ensure submission under certain donors’ dedicated platforms in coordination with country offices. When needed, deploy to country programs to assist in writing reports.
    • Support the Desk Manager in ensuring grants and reporting trackers as well as online grant folders are updated regularly in coordination with Global Awards Team as necessary.
    • Lead on overall coordination of grant modifications between CO(s) and Support team offices, facilitating reviews/input from Support Team departments as needed.
    • Provide other grant management and compliance tasks as needed and in coordination with Awards Team.
    • Actively support the constant improvement of program quality and management efficiency through contributions to country and global initiatives, such as SOP/tool/template development/refinement.

      Communication and Representation Support:

      • In collaboration with the Desk Manager, support coordinating with appropriate RI colleagues to ensure accurate and timely communication to donors.
      • Produce and update regular programmatic updates/briefing materials/capacity statements/country profiles for business development purposes.

        Behavior and conduct

        • Ensures that behavior inside and outside of work promotes the values in RI’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies.
        • Acts with integrity and holds themselves accountable for being respectful, inclusive and professional.
        • Reports any concerns.

          Person Specification

          Skills, knowledge and expertise required for the role.

          • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in International Development, Humanitarian Studies, Management, or a related field.
          • 3- 5 years of progressive experience in program/proposal development and grants management.
          • Proven experience with major donors like USG, ECHO, AICS, UN agencies; experience with EC and development donors is a plus.
          • Strong skills in the full program cycle, from design to evaluation.
          • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication; skilled in building consensus. Ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and handle high-pressure environments.
          • Logical thinking, comfort with complex budgets, and high attention to detail.
          • Works well independently and within teams; open to feedback and collaboration.
          • Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
          • Willing and able to travel internationally to support field operations.

            Desirable

            • Arabic and/or French
            • Experience in one or more of the countries supported by the Desk, particularly Sudan.

              RI Values

              Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

              • Integrity
              • Adaptability
              • Collaboration
              • Inclusivity
              • Sustainability