UHAI EASHRI

Job Title: Partnerships Officer (Remote – Eastern Africa)

Location: Remote (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, or Ethiopia)
Department: Partnerships and Communications
Reports to: Partnerships Manager
Job Grade: Officer Level
Contract Type: 3-month probationary period, with potential for a fixed-term or open-ended contract
Application Deadline: 13th September 2024
Start Date: Immediate

About UHAI EASHRI

UHAI – the East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative (UHAI EASHRI) is Africa’s pioneering activist fund, dedicated to supporting the human rights of sexual and gender minorities and sex workers. With over 14 years of commitment, we work in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Our mission is to promote activist leadership and self-determination in human rights struggles through grants, capacity support, advocacy, and thought leadership. We lead with a participatory funding model, ensuring activists are at the forefront of decision-making.

Role Purpose

As the Partnerships Officer, your role is critical in cultivating and maintaining meaningful relationships that align with UHAI’s mission. You will contribute to building a strong network of partnerships that advance our strategic goals. This includes supporting donor engagement, proposal development, reporting, and promoting UHAI’s vision to key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Partnership Support

Implement Partnership Strategies: Assist in executing the Partnerships and Communication strategies, ensuring alignment with UHAI’s goals.
Grant Proposal Development: Lead the design of grant applications, including expressions of interest, concept notes, and full proposals.
Budget Preparation: Collaborate with team members to develop accurate proposal budgets.
M&E Data Collection: Gather and track Monitoring and Evaluation data for reporting and communication purposes.
Donor Relationship Management: Maintain contact lists and oversee communications with both philanthropic and individual donors.
Organize Donor Engagements: Coordinate donor visits and meetings to foster long-term relationships.
Documentation: Create a system for capturing and sharing success stories, lessons learned, and best practices from projects.

Donor Funding Support

Report Preparation: Ensure timely submission of narrative reports to donors in compliance with grant agreements.
Donor Agreements Management: Maintain and oversee donor agreements, ensuring they are adhered to across projects.
Database Management: Keep an up-to-date donor database to facilitate accurate reporting and donor communications.
Liaise with Donors: Regularly engage with prospective donors, providing briefings and updates to build strong relationships.

Programme Development

Policy Development: Provide input into partnership policies, ensuring they align with UHAI’s strategic objectives.
Workshop Facilitation: Assist in organizing and facilitating proposal and report writing workshops with UHAI’s teams.
Partner Negotiations: Contribute to negotiations with partners, including the drafting of agreements and preparation of project budgets.

Thought Leadership and Accountability

Strategic Analysis: Provide recommendations to UHAI’s leadership to support informed decision-making in partnership development.
Participate in Strategic Spaces: Engage in strategic conversations with other donors, feminist funds, and regional organizations.
Learning and Feedback: Support the creation of tools for internal learning and the dissemination of UHAI’s reflections to ensure accountability.
Donor Reporting: Coordinate the creation of reports and presentations that demonstrate UHAI’s impact to funders.

Qualifications and Skills

Required Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, development, international relations, communications, women’s studies, or related fields.
Experience: At least 5 years of experience in building partnerships, especially with philanthropic funders and feminist organizations.
Sector Knowledge: Profound understanding of sexual and gender diversity in East Africa and experience with LGBTQI+ and sex worker rights.
Technical Expertise: Experience with data management, donor management software, and organizational administration tools.
Teamwork: Proven experience working collaboratively across departments and teams.
Languages: Fluency in English, with proficiency in French or Swahili highly desired.

Strongly Desired Qualifications:

Experience in multi-country or regional projects and remote team management.
Proven knowledge of feminist principles and human rights in East Africa.
Familiarity with participatory funding approaches and resource mobilization.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Take ownership of all work activities and maintain confidentiality. Demonstrate commitment to UHAI’s goals through transparent and ethical conduct.

Integrity

Uphold feminist leadership principles and exhibit a strong commitment to non-discrimination and diversity.

Creativity

Foster innovation and problem-solving by identifying new opportunities and methods to drive UHAI’s objectives forward.

Effective Communication

Communicate clearly and concisely, ensuring all team members and stakeholders understand key information. Present organized information in both individual and group settings.

Inclusive Collaboration

Work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders, fostering mutual trust, respect, and cooperation.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV along with a one- to two-page cover letter detailing why they are the ideal candidate for this role. Applications should be emailed to vacancies@uhai-eashri.org by 13th September 2024. Please include “Partnerships Officer” in the subject line.

UHAI is committed to creating an inclusive work environment and strongly encourages applications from LBQ women, trans, non-binary, and intersex individuals.