Grants and Fundraising Consultant

TITLE:  Grants and Fundraising Consultant 

BASED IN: Flexible with a preference for Lebanon

REPORTING TO:  Programmes Manager and CEO

CONTRACT TYPE: Part Time; 5 Months contract, with a possibility of extension

START DATE: August 2020

END DATE: 31st December 2020 with the possibility of extension

BACKGROUND:

Women Now for Development is a feminist, women-led non-governmental organization dedicated to deepening and strengthening women’s role in Syrian and Lebanese communities by enhancing their social, economic, and cultural participation. Women Now was established in June 2012 in response to the conflict in Syria and the ensuing humanitarian crisis.  Today, we implement programs in four Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS): two in Idlib, Syria and two in Bekaa, Lebanon, reaching thousands of beneficiaries annually.  We work in four integrated programmatic areas:  

Protection - Psychosocial support, 

Empowerment - Education and Vocational Skills training, 

Participation - Leadership training and Rights Awareness 

Advocacy and Campaigning - at the local and international levels.  

At Women Now we work from the ground up, to empower ourselves, and the community around us in order to bring about significant long-term change.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

The Grants and Fundraising Consultant will be a crucial member of the Women Now for Development team. You will be dynamic and creative in programme development, but also realistic and pragmatic about the limitations of the context, capacity and funding.  You will be able to think on your feet and support teams in adapting to ever-changing, highly challenging contexts.  You will be a natural team-leader, adept at bringing out the best in your colleagues, treating them as equals at all times, but also able to push them to achieve and grow with the organization. You are experienced at writing winning proposals and understand the importance of developing programmes from the ground up, seeking and taking into consideration the ideas and input of the implementing team.  You will have an overview of Women Now programming, with a meticulous eye for detail. You will communicate about our work with confidence and professionalism to donors and other high-level stakeholders, directly in meetings, and in detailed reports.  You will be able to reassure them and ensure their trust despite the challenges we may face. 

This is an exciting role for someone who is passionate about women’s rights and who wants to deepen their management experience, working for a leading feminist, women’s rights-based organization.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

In close consultation with the Country Managers, Programmes Manager, and CEO, the Grants and Fundraising Consultant will work to complete the following tasks:

Donor Relations:

Maintaining positive professional relations with existing donors, donor networking and building relationships with new potential donors

Working to secure diverse and sustainable sources of funding including for programs and core costs

Facilitating donor visits and meeting face to face

Responding to donor enquires and keeping donors updated if it becomes necessary to suspend activities

Checking and negotiating contracts; ensuring compliance with non-finance related contractual obligations

Working with the Finance Manager to negotiate budgets and budgetary reallocations

Representing the organization at workshops and conferences as necessary

Programme Design and Development:

Implementing programmes in line with the Women Now ethos and strategy, taking into consideration consultations with implementing staff, feedback from participants, and needs (ascertained through desk-based research, needs assessments, or household surveys)

Consulting Technical Advisors in Protection and Participation (women’s political participation) where necessary to enhance and develop programme content and design, and to problem-solve.  

Keeping abreast of international standards and other guidance on Protection, GBV Services, Child-friendly spaces, PSEA, community-lead social action etc., disseminating such information within the organization and ensuring its uptake

Drafting proposals, log frames, work plans, and risk assessments

Review draft budgets and ensure that they are appropriate for the proposed project

Attending external training to expand your skills related to the role

Line management/Supervision:

Supervising Programme Coordinator/s and MEAL Officer

Cultivating a positive team spirit, a culture of collaboration, accountability, initiative and trust

Overseeing the management of project implementation throughout project cycles and ensuring that projects are implemented in line with work plans and targets, or adjusted in response to changes in the context or needs

Supervising the work of the MEAL Officers – checking the quality of their MEAL tools and data collection methods, providing constructive feedback

Where possible, providing technical guidance on Protection, Empowerment (Education and Vocational Training), Women’s Participation, Gender Mainstreaming, PSEA/Safeguarding, MEAL and/or consulting the Technical Advisors in Protection and Participation

Identifying gaps in staff capacity and securing appropriate training from third organizations (donors, partners, consultants etc.)

Providing support in addressing challenges

Reviewing narrative reports drafted by the Programme Coordinator/s and MEAL Officer, providing constructive feedback to ensure that you can submit high-quality reports 

Working with the HR Manager to recruit project management/MEAL staff as necessary – including conducting interviews 

Conduct probationary reviews and performance appraisals

Responsible for upholding PSEA/Safeguarding standards and the principle of non-discrimination in order to promote social cohesion

PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in project management, gender studies/women’s rights, development, human rights, political science, or another relevant subject

Master’s degree in a relevant subject (an advantage)

Knowledge and Experience 

5+ years’ experience working in either Rights-based NGOs, or Humanitarian NGOs

Strong experience of grants management, including experience of remote management

Experience of securing funding from a range of donors and being responsible for donor relations and networking – fostering positive relationships with existing and potential donors 

Experience of managing grants and projects in highly challenging contexts 

Ability to craft high-quality proposals and narrative reports

Ability to monitor implementation and spending, and address issues as they arise through working with all stakeholders

Experience in enhancing the quality of existing programming

Experience of working on programmes specifically for women and/or adolescent girls 

Commitment to advancing feminist values through working with communities rather than against them.  Experience of working for/within feminist organizations/movements/campaigns.

Experience of working for/with grassroots organizations, major INGOs and governmental donors

Knowledge/experience of programmatic areas: Protection, Adult Education, Vocational Training, and Economic Empowerment/Livelihoods, Women’s Political Participation

Excellent understanding of the context in Syria specifically issues facing women, adolescent girls, and IDPs

Understanding of safeguarding and child protection, accountability to affected populations and the Core Humanitarian Standard and other international standards

Skills:

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: ability to build and maintain professional and positive relations with: trainers, colleagues, beneficiaries, partners and donors

Excellent problem-solving skills: the ability to anticipate, pre-empt and solve problems (risk mitigation)

Strategic thinking and forward planning

Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities

Language Skills:

Fluency in English and advanced knowledge of written and spoken Arabic essential

Knowledge of Turkish an advantage

Personal Qualities:

Analytical, thorough and attentive to detail

Team spirit – cooperative, professional and committed 

Independent self-starter, able to work and develop with minimal supervision