Regional Water Governance Partnership and Grants Coordinator

Global Position Description

Context:

Oxfam is an international confederation of 19 organizations networked together in 97 countries. As part of a global movement for change, we are working together to end world poverty and injustice. We work with thousands of partners in countries around the world, and employ staff in a wide variety of posts. We work directly with communities and we seek to influence the powerful to enable the most marginalized to improve their lives and livelihoods and have a say in decisions that affect them.

Working at Oxfam is so much more than just a job. As an Oxfam employee, consultant, or volunteer, you will join a team of dedicated and passionate professionals working to save lives, help people overcome poverty, and fight for social justice.

Program:

Oxfam’s Mekong Regional Water Governance Program is implemented by the program management unit based in Cambodia, and Mekong country teams across the region.  The program contributes to the Oxfam Asia Regional Strategy and Oxfam Country Strategies in Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and is implemented together with 35 partners throughout the region.

Oxfam's program objective is to enable communities and civil society to be better able to realise sustainable livelihoods in the Mekong and Salween river basins. Our objectives are that we will achieve this by facilitating i) increased civil society participation and engagement in water resource governance; and ii) promoting more open, inclusive, accountable and effective water resource governance.

The Inclusion Project is one of the main sub-projects within this program. The Inclusion Project is a 5.5 year AUD $9 million project from 2014 – 2019, funded by the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as one of 4 pillars in the Australian Government’s Mekong Water Resources Program (AMWRP) 2014-19. The project engages at regional scale, with partnerships and collaborations at country, regional and institutional levels.  It is managed by the cross sectional Mekong team.

The aim of the Inclusion Project is to improve participation by civil society in water governance. With a focus on women’s leadership and involvement, the three project components will see Oxfam and its partners:

• Improve consideration of gender in water governance, and foster women’s leadership

• Strengthen the capacity of civil society to manage water resources and participate in water decision making

• Convene and join in opportunities for policy dialogue and influence on better water management and governance of transboundary water.

This work seeks to influence changes at the community and civil society level, as well as changes in policies and practices at the national and transboundary level.

Purpose:       

The position is the regional coordinator for partnerships and grants in the Mekong Regional Water Governance Program; primarily responsible for the management of all the Inclusion Project partnerships and grants, and also has oversight of other funded partners in the Regional Water Governance program.  

The position leads and coordinates with the National Water Governance Coordinators in each country office (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam) to ensure consistency in national and regional partnership management across the program.  

The position is a member of the Inclusion Project and Mekong Regional Water Governance Program team, working closely with Oxfam Australia and other Oxfam affiliates to support work across the three Inclusion component areas and contribute to the program objectives outlined above.  

A key aspect of this role will be:

• To design and maintain overview of the portfolio of regional and country partners, ensuring a mix of strategic partnerships that contribute to the objectives of the regional Water Governance Program and Inclusion Project

• Leading Oxfam’s approach to partnering with different actors relevant to the regional water governance program

• To ensure that Oxfam’s partner grant administration processes are both timely and responsive to the needs of partners, whilst ensuring that administrative requirements of Oxfam’s systems are followed.

• The position will support Oxfam program staff members to administer partner grants and ensure there is appropriate written documentation of meetings and discussions relating to partners. The position will also oversee the partnership/granting budget and plans, as well as coordinate compliance checks on Partner finances and financial management and provide ongoing support to Oxfam teams to ensure our standards are met.

• The position will also play a key role in scoping and processing new regional and project wide partnerships and ensuring current partners are contributing to and engaging with the Water Governance Program and Inclusion Project  

• The position will work closely with national staff managing Inclusion Project grants and other regional program in-country partners, as well as with the MEL and capacity building staff.

• This position requires significant Mekong regional travel.

Core Responsibilities:

Project Specialty

• Provide leadership in all aspects of project partner grant making including administration and compliance issues and with the project team, identify resources to support partners.

• Coordinate with other Water Governance and Inclusion Project Staff to identify potential project partners and implement the assessment of partners and proposals by providing  input on partner proposals, appraisals, working agreements, capacity assessments, reports and payments.

• Periodically review the partnership portfolio based on performance and outcomes, to ensure the project has the correct mix of partners to achieve objectives

• Ensure the responsive and timely management of all administrative aspects of partner relationships, ensuring appropriate documentation and records are maintained in an easily accessible and logical way and there is a system to plan various aspects of partner support.

• Identify and implement a tailored program with national grant making staff designed to strengthen partner capacities in finance and administration through both a formal training program  based on partner needs, and ongoing one-on-one support and feedback.

• Manage a process for compliance checks and audits on partner financial reports to ensure they meet relevant internal and DFAT requirements.

• Visit country offices in a systematic way and when reports are due, work with Oxfam teams to ensure speedy and efficient review of partner reports.

• Compile collated partner profile and financial information for Oxfam and donor reports.

• Provide guidance to program staff on requirements of the program management system.

• Support program staff to ensure all steps of proposal-to-grant and review process have been followed and comply with Oxfam standards.

• Work with other team members to ensure partners understand and have the skills and knowledge to implement particular standards i.e. gender and disability

• Identify opportunities and contribute to regular high quality documentation of project learning and achievements for a variety of audiences and stakeholders.

• Liaise and coordinate with stakeholders in the other pillars to ensure clarity if a partner is shared.

• Ensure liaison with other affiliates at country level on partnership approaches and management.

Business Services

• Champion and raise understanding amongst Oxfam Staff and partners of a clear set of policies & procedures for partner grant administration.

• Ensure good filing systems for all partner related administration are maintained.

• Work closely with Finance, national project and administrative staff to streamline internal systems and processes to ensure all grants are administered in a timely fashion.

• Ensure all collated partner financial records are compliant with Oxfam and institutional donor requirements.

• Provide and collate all necessary information for auditing, monitoring & reporting

• Maintain oversight of grant disbursements and other contractual aspects of the program, and ensure narrative and financial reports meet Oxfam and donor requirements.  

• Monitor the inter-affiliate agreement and recommend amendments to ensure its effectiveness

Management

• Provide managerial oversight for all partner grant administration processes.

• Develop and monitor effective tracking systems for partner proposals and grants.

• Lead a coordinated team approach that is inclusive of partnership and grant making staff and Program Managers in each Oxfam country program.

• Identify specific grant making capacity building requirements for teams and partners.

• Identify and agree with partners their capacity and development needs and mobilise team and external resources to meet those needs

• Coordinate with line managers and matrix manage the partnership and grantmaking project staff in a manner consistent with Oxfam’s management standards

• Coordinate delegated accountabilities for project risks and reports regularly.

• Contribute to the implementation and compliance of Oxfam administrative, health, safety and security policies and frameworks.

• Accountable to the Inclusion Project Manager

Representation and Relationships

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with all internal stakeholders, with particular attention to supporting the program team realize their objectives.

• Develop  working relationships with  partners at the appropriate level i.e. support to Oxfam staff who hold the partner relationship or direct relationships .

• Develop and foster good working relationships with all key external stakeholders.

• Represent Oxfam at relevant workshops and events.

• Attend relevant Oxfam and external meetings and provide backstop support to the Mekong Regional Program manager on an as needs basis

• Build networks and collaborate with local and international organizations and other stakeholders working in the same scope of work.

• Participate actively in wider organizational development and change processes and teams.

Professional Attributes:

All Staff Attributes:

• Problem Solving:  Uses clear and innovative thinking to solve problems and ensures supervisors are made aware of any risks.

• Continuous Learning:  Demonstrates a commitment to own professional development by actively participating in continuous learning.  

• Self-Awareness: Is aware of own strengths and development needs and seeks to improve style, skills and performance including cultural and gender sensitivities.

• Adaptability:  Adjusts approach and thinking to work effectively in a variety of situations and with different people.

Required Skills and Experience:

• At least five years’ experience in the successful delivery of grant management services in an NGO environment.

• High level capacity and experience in managing multiyear, large budget, complex projects

• Good coordination skills and an ability to lead and coordinate work across teams to get work in motion

• Sound understanding and commitment to partnership approaches, preferably experience with Oxfam’s partnership principles and approaches

• Knowledge of and experience in working with program management cycles, preferably with Oxfam’s program management

• High level financial management skills with the ability to build the capacity of others in this area.

• University degree in a relevant field and/or substantial professional experience in administration, finance or related area in either in the private or non-profit sector

• Ability to work in a systematic and organised manner and within deadline

• Excellent training, needs assessment, facilitation, communication and coaching skills.

• Solid understanding of the basic principles of accountability and transparency

• Experience maintaining an orderly and up-to-date filing system

• Ability to communicate the Inclusion Project to a diverse stakeholder group

• Excellent written communication skills with experience preparing reports, contracts and written correspondence; and excellent oral communication skills in English, Mekong language competency preferred.

• Proven analytical and decision making skills in a challenging context.

• Experience working in environments with political sensitivities

• Advanced computer skills, including Excel, Word and e-mail.

• An ability to undertake significant travel to support program teams and partners in multiple countries, and to join field based work.   

Travel

Participation and support for partner meetings and workshops will require frequent travel within the Mekong region and occasional travel outside the region.

Payment

The salary will be set according to the Oxfam National remuneration guidelines for National Category C2.  

Applying

Send your applications for this position by email to [email protected]before the deadline on November 15, 2017, 4.00 pm Cambodian time.

Please send your CV and a cover letter stating your motivation and relevant skills and experience for the application.

Don’t send copies of diplomas/certificates, recommendation letter etc.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.