Grants and Partnership Coordinator

Role overview

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) supports communities affected by conflict and disaster by restoring health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and dignity. Established in 1933 at Albert Einstein’s request, IRC operates as a large international humanitarian NGO across more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities. The organization is looking for a proactive, solutions-oriented professional to strengthen its work in Uganda.

The Grants and Partnership Coordinator will lead both the partnership portfolio and grants management function for IRC Uganda. The role focuses on building equitable relationships with international and local NGOs, government bodies, and private-sector actors in line with IRC’s Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS). It also includes donor compliance, grants administration, and support to business development under the Grants & Awards Information Navigator (GAIN) and the Uganda Business Development Strategy. The position sits within the Programs department, oversees the full Grants and Partnership unit, and reports to the Program Quality and Accountability Advisor. It is based in Kampala and includes travel to field locations.

Partnership management

• Guide partnership operating procedures for IRC Uganda so they remain efficient, responsive, and aligned with PEERS and clearly define roles, responsibilities, and partnership strategy.
• Work with technical advisors to assess the roles, capacities, and strategies of local civil society, government, and private actors, and use that analysis to shape IRC’s added value in strategy, program design, and go/no-go decisions.
• Co-lead stakeholder analysis and help drive informed decisions across each outcome area.
• Manage the complete sub-award cycle, including partner identification, due diligence, agreement drafting, start-up, implementation, monitoring, and close-out, with coordination across programs, operations, and finance.
• Lead pre-award processes for new sub-awards by supporting vetting, risk analysis, and the design of mitigation measures with relevant teams.
• Ensure partnership agreements are developed on time and that partner projects start smoothly and are integrated into overall project cycle management.
• Chair and coordinate the Partnership Working Group and escalate matters to senior management when needed.
• Involve partners in proposal development, business development, reporting, and grants management activities alongside sector leads.
• Support the creation and delivery of partner project support plans based on due diligence findings and coordinate timely implementation with relevant departments.
• Help arrange organizational development support for partners where needed.
• Organize and/or deliver partnership and sub-award training, refresher sessions, coaching, mentoring, and other compliance support for partners and IRC staff.
• Promote two-way learning and capacity sharing between IRC and its partners.

Grants management and donor compliance

• Serve as the main liaison with HQ on grants administration matters.
• Support effective Project Cycle Meetings, including design, opening, implementation, closing, and learning sessions in line with the grants team RACI matrix.
• Coordinate project revisions, amendments, budget realignments, and grant modifications.
• Maintain strong information management by keeping grants and partnership files, reporting schedules, internal records, and online systems up to date, including documents needed for audits.
• Provide routine guidance to programs and operations teams so grants are implemented in line with IRC and donor requirements.
• Work with HQ to access and share compliance guidance when needed.
• Escalate compliance risks promptly and collaborate with HQ compliance colleagues to resolve issues.
• Create and refresh compliance cheat sheets for all grants.

Business development

• Track, summarize, and communicate new funding opportunities.
• Facilitate internal go/no-go discussions so funding decisions are well informed and participatory.
• With the SPDQC, manage proposal development processes by building and monitoring workplans, assigning tasks, coordinating reviews, updating OTIS, supporting concept note and proposal drafting, reviewing budgets, preparing annexes, and ensuring quality and compliance checks.
• Oversee timely submission of grant amendments and extension requests in line with contractual requirements.
• Help strengthen business development systems through structured processes and staff training.
• Support the development and implementation of the Uganda Business Development Strategy with the SPDQC and DDP.

Staff management and development

• Direct and support the Grants and Partnership team, including professional development and capacity building.
• Strengthen the grants and partnership skills of program staff through training and one-on-one support in report writing, proposal development, partner management, and related areas.
• Keep the team informed about new donor, partner, and IRC regional or head office grant and partnership initiatives.
• Ensure duties are clearly assigned and portfolios are distributed logically across the team.
• Lead performance management efforts and help maintain a culture of accountability and high performance.

Qualifications and experience

Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and have practical experience in nonprofit work, partnership and grants management, business development, and compliance. A master’s degree in a related discipline is considered an advantage. The role requires at least seven years of experience in humanitarian partnership and grants management within a multi-donor, multi-sector environment. Candidates should also bring experience coordinating across departments and balancing multiple stakeholder priorities, as well as leading large, multi-sector funding proposals.

Strong knowledge of project planning and management cycles, and well-developed program design capability, are important. Prior grants management experience is required, along with familiarity with donor rules and processes from European donors such as FCDO, the Embassy of the Netherlands, ECHO, and the European Union, as well as UN agencies including UNHCR, UNICEF, and UNOCHA. Exposure to private foundations such as IKEA, Hilton, and LEGO is an added advantage. A strong grasp of PEERS or a comparable partnership framework is preferred.

The position also calls for strong organization, self-management, team leadership, supervision experience, and excellent English drafting and editing skills. Familiarity with IRC systems and processes would be useful.

Competencies

• Clear and effective cross-cultural communication in diverse teams.
• Strong planning, prioritization, and coordination skills across competing deadlines.
• Analytical and strategic thinking, with the ability to solve complex problems proactively.
• Ability to remain dependable, patient, and self-directed in a fast-paced setting.
• Capacity to coach others and strengthen staff capability.

Additional information

National candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. IRC aims to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff across its programs.

The closing date for this vacancy is 2 July 2026.

Professional standards

All staff are expected to follow IRC Way standards for professional conduct: Integrity, Service, Equality, and Accountability. The organization also enforces policies on safeguarding, conflicts of interest, fiscal integrity, reporting wrongdoing, and protection from retaliation. IRC is committed to prevention, a safe working environment, and corrective action when harm occurs. The organization values critical reflection, shared power, open debate, and objectivity in order to deliver the best possible support to clients.