JOB DETAILS
The overall role of the position is to lead on the relations with the United Kingdom, Ireland and other key donor countries and to contribute to the overall resource mobilization strategy.
An initial identification of tasks includes the following; however, additional tasks may be identified according to the needs of the team and donors’ requests from the Secretariat.
Under the supervision of the Donor Relations Team Lead, the top 3 priorities of this role are:
• Lead on relations with the UK and additional donor countries such as Ireland (others to be determined). Manage relations with the government, Parliament, CSOs and other relevant stakeholders in these respective donor countries;
• Set strategies for comprehensive partnerships and resource mobilization for these donor countries that align with GPE’s strategic priorities;
• Develop, manage and implement key donor country influencing strategies and coordinate future replenishment strategies for these donor countries.
In addition, other key tasks include:
• Develop and coordinate advocacy strategies in support of cross-market strategies and other key global and regional policy processes (to be identified)
• Translate policy positions into compelling advocacy messages and tools.
• Create materials tailored to individual donors/potential donors.
• Work with GPE youth leaders and other champions in support of the national strategies.
• Prepare and manage leadership trips to key donor countries.
• Support the head of the donor team in cross-team work.
• Cooperate with communication and campaign colleagues in relevant national NGOs and champions, coalitions and networks to develop effective and creative advocacy campaigns.
• Coordinate the national “Friends of Education” group in the UK for policy change in support of global education and GPE.
• Collaborate with other team members in the External Relations (EXR) Team and contribute productively to the EXR team’s work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.
Selection Criteria
Education
Master’s degree in a relevant field of study with at least 8 years of experience (though 10 years is preferred) working within the field of advocacy, donor relations and/ or campaigns.
Or a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study with at least 10 years of experience (though 12 years is preferred) working within the field of advocacy, donor relations and/ or campaigns.
Language
Fluency in English is required; in reading/writing/speaking as well Other languages are a plus.
Experience
• Track record of having led on major successful fundraising strategies;
• A motivated self-starter with experience in advocacy & communications, and campaigns.
• A flexible and enthusiastic team player with a track record of delivering in a fast-moving environment.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure, prioritize and juggle multiple tasks within tight deadlines, and to deliver time-sensitive high-quality work.
• Strong experience in creative undertakings, which proved to provide effective, out-of-the-box solutions to complex problems.
Competencies
Accountability & Results Focus – Engages in productive consultation without losing sight of responsibility for own, and team, decisions, deliverables and deadlines. Doesn’t let the pursuit of perfection prevent forward progress, in self or on teams. Seeks clarity from colleagues or leadership team when needed; Helps junior staff get needed clarity to move work forward; works within and across teams to remove obstacles and resolve issues. Takes ownership of own mistakes, failures or oversights, and seeks to correct them; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team mistakes. Manages differences of opinion to productive resolution so as not to impede progress. Ensures group efforts produce clear actions and decisions and tasks conclude.
Adaptability – Models flexibility – responds to changing circumstances by innovating and altering behavior to better fit different situations. Learns new skills, performs work in different ways and coaches team members to do the same. Exerts a calming influence on colleagues and staff in stressful situations. Professionally deals with personal discomfort in a changing work environment and helps others do so.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills – Has extensive experience & success working in multicultural environments. Speaks and writes clearly and effectively, adapting language, tone, style and message to diverse, multicultural audiences, internally and externally. Skilled at communicating complex information in succinct and digestible ways; coaches others to develop this skill. Shares information and keeps people informed; Operates with transparency, in a way that builds trust in a culturally diverse environment; Within and across teams, addresses behaviors that undermine transparency and trust. Maintains productive working relationships with colleagues and holds team members responsible for doing the same. Engages in active listening and two-way conversation. Asks questions for clarification and responds to others appropriately. Learns from others’ ideas and expertise.
Planning & Organizing – Works well independently and in teams. Develops clear goals aligned to agreed strategies and direction. Plans and prioritizes work effectively, for self and assigned teams Works under pressure and against tight timelines, and still delivers high-quality work. Manages own and team time efficiently, and delegates appropriately. Foresees risks and identifies mitigation strategies and contingencies.
Client Service Orientation – Models positive attitude for junior staff and demonstrates and encourages creative problem-solving skills. Demonstrates, and instills in teams, a commitment to seeing client issues, problems and questions through to resolution. Creates the infrastructure to help team members prioritize client issues based on urgency, and triage as needed. Experienced in dealing with staff and partners at all levels of the organization and tailoring solutions and communications accordingly. Strong conflict management skills and ability to coach staff in deescalating and resolving conflicts; Able to see the big picture and the interconnectedness of decisions and activities within the various lines of business. Discretion and tact in dealing with sensitive issues and coaching staff to do the same. Proficient at developing client satisfaction metrics, monitoring, adjusting and optimizing strategies to ensure clients are satisfied with the services provided.
Conceptual and Analytical Skills – Expert level research skills and experience developing them in others. Extensive experience leading efforts to quickly analyze and synthesize information from technical reports and other sources, summarize it into key messages, and use it for political influencing. Experience modeling analytical and problem-solving skills for junior staff and guiding them in applying them to their operational tasks. Strategic thinker with ability to translate strategy into tactical actions.
Foundational Technical Knowledge in Education & Development – Demonstrated experience leading work on education and/or development issues in low and middle income countries. Experience with the policy process. Strong understanding of, and experience with, fragile and conflict affected contexts. Broad and deep knowledge of stakeholders and major issues and challenges, with demonstrated experience applying this knowledge to country issues. Expertise in one or more of the following GPE focus areas: Education finance, education planning and management, education in fragile contexts, girls’ education, inclusive education, learning, teacher development, other areas relevant to work of GPE.
Relationship Management – For assigned stakeholder group (e.g. donors, private sector & foundations, civil society, or other), deep knowledge of the organizations and their unique characteristics, and strong professional network with key players. Understanding of, and sensitivity to, stakeholder perspectives, interests and needs and their intersection with GPE’s goals and interests. Extensive experience forging and managing relationships and developing partnerships that expand the reach and impact of the organization. Strong influencing and negotiation skills; Skilled at getting alignment behind a common goal, and support for specific courses of action or solutions. Possesses strong political judgment, diplomatic sense, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
Representation Skills – Well-rounded with a broad base of knowledge about GPE, its partners, its work, its challenges and its impact (not expected for external candidates). Expert ability to think and respond quickly and extemporaneously with tact and diplomacy, and to present a credible and convincing presence. Ability to represent GPE and the full range of its activities and products to external stakeholders. Thorough understanding of the political landscape within which GPE and its partner countries operate.