Grant and Partnership Manager at Lindii Peace Foundation (LPF)

The Grant and Partnership Manager will be responsible for coordinating the full grant management cycle, including funding opportunity identification, proposal development, budget coordination, grant negotiations, agreement management, donor compliance, reporting and close-out. The role will also support the development and maintenance of strategic partnerships with institutional donors, UN agencies, international and national NGOs, government institutions, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders.
The successful candidate will work closely with Programme Management, Finance, MEAL, Procurement, Logistics, Human Resources and other relevant teams to ensure that proposals are well-developed, grants are effectively managed, donor requirements are met and partnership commitments are fulfilled.
The role requires strong grant management, proposal writing, partnership development, communication, analytical and negotiation skills, with the ability to manage multiple grants, competing deadlines and diverse stakeholder relationships in a complex humanitarian and development environment.
The Grant and Partnership Manager will contribute to organizational sustainability by strengthening donor relationships, improving grant compliance, identifying funding opportunities, supporting resource mobilization and promoting effective collaboration with partners.
This is an opportunity for a committed professional to strengthen LPF\'s funding base, institutional partnerships and capacity to deliver accountable, high-quality humanitarian and development programmes for vulnerable and crisis-affected populations.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Management and Oversight


Coordinate the full grant management cycle, from funding opportunity identification and proposal development to implementation monitoring, reporting and close-out.
Maintain an overview of active, prospective and completed grants, including their objectives, budgets, implementation periods, deliverables and reporting requirements.
Ensure grant agreements, approved proposals, budgets, amendments and related documents are properly reviewed, documented and maintained.
Develop and maintain a grant management calendar covering proposal deadlines, reporting dates, deliverables, agreement expiry dates and other key obligations.
Ensure relevant teams understand grant requirements, implementation commitments and donor conditions.
Monitor grant performance against approved objectives, milestones, budgets and contractual obligations.
Identify implementation delays, grant management gaps and potential compliance issues, and coordinate appropriate corrective actions.
Support programme teams in managing grant start-up, implementation, extensions, amendments, transitions and close-out.
Ensure grant records are complete, accurate, organized and accessible to authorized personnel.


Funding Opportunity Identification and Resource Mobilization


Identify and monitor funding opportunities relevant to LPF\'s strategic priorities, technical expertise and programme areas.
Conduct regular donor mapping and maintain an updated database of prospective donors, funding partners and relevant grant opportunities.
Review donor calls for proposals, eligibility criteria, funding priorities, submission requirements and application deadlines.
Assess funding opportunities in consultation with senior management and relevant programme teams.
Prepare funding opportunity summaries and recommendations to support organizational decision-making.
Coordinate the development and implementation of resource mobilization plans aligned with LPF\'s strategic objectives.
Support the development of concept notes, expressions of interest, capability statements and other resource mobilization materials.
Identify opportunities to diversify LPF\'s funding base and reduce overreliance on individual donors.
Maintain a pipeline of prospective funding opportunities and track the progress of applications.
Provide regular updates to management on funding prospects, submission outcomes and resource mobilization priorities.


Proposal Development and Grant Applications


Lead and coordinate the preparation of high-quality concept notes, proposals, expressions of interest and grant applications.
Work with Programme Management and technical teams to develop clear programme designs, implementation approaches, results frameworks and activity plans.
Coordinate the preparation of logical frameworks, theories of change, indicators, targets, implementation schedules and other proposal components.
Work closely with Finance and programme teams to ensure that proposal budgets are realistic, complete and aligned with planned activities and donor requirements.
Ensure proposals reflect identified community needs, contextual realities, organizational priorities and relevant technical standards.
Coordinate inputs from Programme, MEAL, Finance, Procurement, Logistics, HR and other relevant functions.
Review proposal documents for completeness, consistency, accuracy, compliance and alignment with donor guidelines before submission through the appropriate approval process.
Ensure proposals clearly demonstrate LPF\'s organizational capacity, programme experience, implementation arrangements and anticipated results.
Coordinate timely submission of complete applications in accordance with donor deadlines and submission procedures.
Maintain an organized archive of submitted proposals, supporting documents, donor feedback and application outcomes.


Donor Relationship Management and Engagement


Develop and maintain professional relationships with existing and prospective donors.
Serve as a key focal point for donor communication on grant development, partnership opportunities and related coordination matters, as delegated.
Maintain regular communication with donors regarding funding opportunities, programme progress, reporting requirements and emerging priorities.
Coordinate the preparation of donor briefings, organizational profiles, capability statements and other engagement materials.
Support donor meetings, consultations, programme visits, review meetings and organizational presentations.
Ensure donor enquiries and requests are addressed accurately and within agreed timelines.
Coordinate the preparation of organizational updates and programme information for donor engagement.
Identify opportunities to strengthen donor confidence through transparency, timely communication, compliance and evidence of programme results.
Ensure donor commitments and external communications are consistent with approved organizational positions and delegated authority.
Maintain appropriate records of donor correspondence, meetings, commitments and follow-up actions.


Partnership Development and Management


Identify, assess and develop partnerships with local and international NGOs, UN agencies, civil society organizations, government institutions, private sector entities and other relevant stakeholders.
Support the development of partnership strategies aligned with LPF\'s mandate, programme priorities and organizational objectives.
Coordinate partnership mapping and maintain an updated database of existing and prospective partners.
Assess potential partnerships based on strategic alignment, technical capacity, organizational credibility, operational presence and relevant compliance considerations.
Coordinate the development, review and documentation of partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, letters of collaboration and other relevant instruments.
Ensure partnership arrangements clearly define roles, responsibilities, deliverables, reporting obligations, timelines and accountability mechanisms.
Maintain regular communication with partners to monitor commitments, address emerging issues and strengthen collaboration.
Support joint programme design, proposal development and resource mobilization with relevant partners.
Identify opportunities for consortium participation, joint implementation and complementary programming.
Promote equitable, transparent and mutually beneficial partnerships that strengthen local capacity and programme impact.


Partner Due Diligence and Compliance


Coordinate partner due diligence processes in accordance with LPF policies, donor requirements and applicable procedures.
Facilitate the review of partner registration documents, governance arrangements, organizational capacity, financial management systems and relevant policies.
Coordinate partner capacity assessments and identify institutional, technical, financial and operational risks.
Work with Finance, Programme Management and other relevant functions to assess partner management capacity and compliance readiness.
Ensure required due diligence documentation, assessments, approvals and agreements are completed before partnership commitments are formalized.
Maintain an updated record of partner assessments, compliance requirements, risk ratings and follow-up actions.
Monitor partner compliance with contractual obligations, donor conditions, safeguarding requirements and applicable organizational standards.
Identify and escalate concerns relating to fraud, mismanagement, conflicts of interest, safeguarding or other serious compliance risks.
Support the development and monitoring of partner improvement plans where capacity gaps or compliance weaknesses are identified.
Ensure partnership documentation and sensitive information are handled confidentially and shared only with authorized personnel.


Donor Compliance and Risk Management


Ensure grant implementation remains consistent with approved donor agreements, proposals, budgets and applicable donor regulations.
Maintain an updated register of donor requirements, compliance obligations and key grant risks.
Communicate relevant donor conditions and contractual obligations to programme and support teams.
Monitor compliance with donor rules relating to eligible expenditure, procurement, visibility, reporting, documentation and other grant conditions.
Work with Finance and Programme Management to identify and address potential compliance gaps.
Support the interpretation of donor guidelines and provide practical guidance on grant-related requirements.
Identify risks associated with grant implementation, partnership arrangements, reporting delays and funding changes.
Coordinate timely escalation of significant compliance concerns to the appropriate management level.
Support the implementation of corrective and preventive actions arising from compliance reviews, donor feedback and internal assessments.
Promote a culture of transparency, accountability, ethical conduct and responsible grant management.


Grant Budget Coordination and Financial Monitoring


Work closely with Finance and programme teams during the preparation of grant budgets, budget narratives and financial forecasts.
Ensure proposed budgets align with programme activities, implementation plans, staffing requirements and donor eligibility rules.
Monitor grant budget utilization in coordination with Finance and relevant programme managers.
Review budget performance information to identify variances, underutilization, overspending risks and potential implementation constraints.
Coordinate the review and documentation of budget revisions, reallocations and other financial adjustments requiring donor approval.
Ensure proposed budget changes are supported by appropriate justifications and processed through the required approval channels.
Monitor financial reporting deadlines and coordinate timely provision of supporting information to donors.
Support financial forecasting and resource planning for ongoing and prospective grants.
Promote appropriate budget documentation, cost eligibility and value for money.
Ensure grant-related financial information is handled accurately and in accordance with approved procedures.


Grant Reporting and Documentation


Coordinate the preparation and submission of timely, accurate and complete narrative donor reports.
Maintain a reporting calendar covering interim reports, final reports, financial reports, progress updates and other grant deliverables.
Obtain and consolidate programme information, monitoring data, financial updates and supporting evidence from relevant teams.
Work with Programme Management and MEAL to ensure reported achievements are consistent with approved indicators, targets and available evidence.
Coordinate with Finance to ensure narrative and financial reporting are aligned.
Review reports for accuracy, consistency, completeness and compliance with donor templates and reporting requirements.
Ensure implementation challenges, deviations, lessons learned and corrective actions are appropriately documented.
Maintain an organized grant filing system, including approved proposals, agreements, correspondence, reports, amendments and supporting documents.
Ensure reporting obligations are completed within donor-approved timelines.
Track donor feedback and follow up on outstanding reporting issues or requests for clarification.


Internal Coordination and Cross-Functional Collaboration


Maintain effective coordination with Programme Management, Finance, MEAL, Procurement, Logistics, HR, Administration and other relevant functions.
Communicate grant opportunities, donor conditions, reporting deadlines and compliance obligations to relevant teams.
Coordinate internal planning meetings and grant review sessions as required.
Ensure programme and support teams provide timely inputs for proposals, budgets, reports and donor requests.
Support the development of internal grant management procedures, tools, templates and tracking systems.
Promote clear accountability for grant deliverables and timely resolution of implementation bottlenecks.
Work with relevant departments to ensure proposed commitments are operationally feasible and adequately resourced.
Provide management with regular updates on grant performance, funding prospects, partnership development and compliance issues.


Partnership Performance and Capacity Strengthening


Monitor partnership performance against agreed objectives, deliverables, implementation schedules and reporting requirements.
Coordinate periodic partnership reviews and document progress, challenges and agreed actions.
Identify partner capacity gaps and facilitate appropriate capacity-strengthening support in collaboration with relevant LPF teams.
Support partners to understand applicable donor requirements, reporting procedures, safeguarding obligations and accountability standards.
Promote appropriate sharing of tools, guidance, lessons learned and good practices among partners.
Monitor implementation of agreed partner improvement actions and follow up on outstanding issues.
Support constructive resolution of partnership challenges and escalate significant concerns where necessary.
Encourage partnerships that strengthen local ownership, institutional capacity and sustainable programme outcomes.


Programme Quality, Accountability and Learning


Ensure grant proposals and partnership arrangements incorporate appropriate quality standards, accountability mechanisms and measurable results.
Work with Programme Management and MEAL to ensure grant commitments are supported by appropriate monitoring and learning arrangements.
Promote the use of programme evidence, assessments, evaluations and lessons learned in proposal development and grant management.
Support the documentation of programme achievements, good practices and lessons for donor engagement and resource mobilization.
Ensure donor visibility and communication requirements are appropriately integrated into approved grant activities.
Support the identification of opportunities for programme improvement and future funding.
Promote accountability to affected populations and ensure relevant commitments are reflected in programme and partnership arrangements.


Safeguarding, PSEA and Ethical Partnership Management


Ensure safeguarding and protection requirements are appropriately reflected in grant proposals, partnership agreements and implementation arrangements.
Promote compliance with LPF\'s safeguarding, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), child protection and Code of Conduct requirements.
Ensure relevant partners understand their safeguarding responsibilities and applicable reporting obligations.
Support the identification and mitigation of safeguarding risks associated with proposed and ongoing partnerships.
Ensure due diligence and partnership monitoring processes consider relevant safeguarding and misconduct risks.
Report safeguarding, exploitation, abuse, fraud or other serious misconduct concerns through established organizational mechanisms.
Promote ethical conduct, transparency, confidentiality and responsible management of donor and partner relationships.
Ensure partnership arrangements do not compromise the safety, dignity or rights of affected populations.


Audit Support, Grant Review and Close-Out


Support internal and external audits, donor reviews, grant verification exercises and compliance assessments.
Ensure grant and partnership records are complete, accurate and accessible to authorized reviewers.
Coordinate responses to audit findings, donor observations and grant review recommendations.
Monitor implementation of agreed corrective actions and maintain appropriate records of follow-up.
Coordinate the completion of final narrative reports, supporting documents and other grant close-out requirements.
Support the review and closure of partnership agreements in accordance with contractual obligations.
Ensure outstanding grant commitments, financial matters, deliverables and compliance issues are appropriately addressed before closure.
Document lessons learned and recommendations to strengthen future grant management and partnership performance.


Other Responsibilities


Participate in management meetings, strategic planning and organizational development processes as required.
Provide professional advice to senior management on funding opportunities, grant compliance, donor engagement and partnership development.
Represent LPF at relevant donor, partner and coordination meetings as delegated.
Maintain professional knowledge of donor funding trends, grant management practices and humanitarian partnership standards.
Perform other reasonable grant and partnership-related duties assigned by the Country Director or designated supervisor.


KEY DELIVERABLES


The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to:
Effective coordination of the full grant management cycle.
An updated funding opportunity pipeline and donor mapping database.
Timely submission of high-quality concept notes, proposals and grant applications.
Strong donor relationships and improved organizational visibility among prospective funding partners.
Effective development, documentation and management of strategic partnerships.
Completed partner due diligence assessments and appropriate monitoring of partnership risks.
Timely and accurate donor narrative reports and supporting documentation.
Effective monitoring of grant deliverables, deadlines, budgets and compliance obligations.
Improved coordination between programme and support functions on grant-related requirements.
Strong grant documentation, tracking systems and reporting calendars.
Timely identification and resolution of grant compliance risks and reporting gaps.
Effective partner performance monitoring and capacity-strengthening support.
Appropriate integration of safeguarding, accountability and ethical standards into grant and partnership arrangements.
Successful completion of grant reviews, audits, corrective actions and close-out processes.
Improved resource mobilization efforts and contribution to organizational funding sustainability.


REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications


Bachelor\'s degree in International Development, Development Studies, Project Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Social Sciences, International Relations or another relevant field.
A Master\'s degree in a relevant discipline is an added advantage.
Professional certification or training in grant management, project management, fundraising or a related field is desirable.
Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in grant management, partnership development, resource mobilization or donor-funded programme coordination.
Demonstrated experience coordinating grant applications, proposals, donor reporting and grant compliance processes.
Experience working with institutional donors and understanding donor rules, contractual obligations and reporting requirements.
Demonstrated experience coordinating inputs from programme, finance, MEAL and other support functions.
Experience supporting partnership development, partner assessments, due diligence and agreement management.
Experience working with grant budgets, financial forecasts, budget revisions and expenditure monitoring.
Strong proposal-writing, report-writing, editing and documentation skills.
Strong organizational, analytical, planning and problem-solving abilities.
Excellent communication, coordination, negotiation and relationship-management skills.
Ability to manage multiple deadlines, funding opportunities and stakeholder requirements simultaneously.


Desirable Experience


Experience working with NGOs, INGOs, UN agencies or other humanitarian and development organizations.
Experience managing grants funded by institutional donors such as UNICEF, ECHO, NHF, FCDO, USAID or similar donors.
Experience working in conflict-affected, hard-to-reach or resource-constrained environments.
Experience in resource mobilization, donor mapping, funding pipeline management and proposal development.
Experience coordinating partnerships with local NGOs, international organizations, government institutions and community-based organizations.
Experience in consortium development, joint proposals and collaborative programme implementation.
Experience conducting organizational capacity assessments and partner due diligence.
Experience supporting donor visits, grant audits, compliance reviews and programme evaluations.
Familiarity with humanitarian principles, accountability to affected populations, safeguarding and localization approaches.
Experience developing grant management tools, tracking systems, reporting calendars and internal procedures.


CORE COMPETENCIES


The successful candidate should demonstrate:
Strong grant management and donor compliance skills.
Excellent proposal development and report-writing abilities.
Strong partnership development and relationship-management skills.
Resource mobilization and funding opportunity analysis.
Strategic thinking and effective planning.
Strong analytical, research and problem-solving skills.
Budget monitoring and financial management awareness.
Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills.
Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement abilities.
Attention to detail and commitment to accurate documentation.
Ability to manage competing priorities and strict deadlines.
Strong organizational skills and effective follow-up.
Ability to work collaboratively across programme and support functions.
Results orientation, accountability and sound judgment.
Commitment to ethical partnership management and transparency.
Understanding of safeguarding, PSEA, protection, gender and inclusion principles.
Integrity, confidentiality and professional conduct.
Adaptability and resilience in challenging humanitarian environments.
• Commitment to continuous learning and organizational improvement.