Corporate Partnerships Manager at Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) Nigeria

VSO is the world's leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. Our high-impact approach brings people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action to change lives and make the world a fairer place.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Corporate Partnerships Manager

Location: Lagos
Responsible to: Country Director, dotted line to Knowledge Exchange Manager
 
Role Purpose

• To develop partnerships between VSO and private companies in Nigeria and manage the VSO Knowledge Exchange programme.

Responsibilities
Partnership Development and Management:

• Proactively engage with the international and local private sector in Nigeria to identify potential partnership opportunities, both in terms of programmes and in terms of volunteering opportunities.
• Approach, negotiate, secure, and manage partnerships with both corporate and development partners. Build and support networks between key stakeholders (donors/other agencies/volunteers/partners etc) to strengthen programme impact.
• Offer all relevant Knowledge Exchange portfolio products to partners to ensure the benefits of the Knowledge Exchange initiative are being maximised and revenue targets achieved.
• Develop high quality skills-based volunteering placement documentation with partners, liaise with Regional Recruitment Managers to place the most appropriate volunteers, seeking feedback and providing support to partners as necessary.

Programme Development and Delivery:

• Working with relevant corporate, VSO teams, and potential other development partners, identify opportunities both internal and external to VSO, where skills-based corporate volunteering will add value to existing projects or new / potential projects.
• Working with partners, assist in analysing and understanding the relevant development context and key stakeholders, sourcing programme opportunities, shaping programme objectives, engaging volunteers, partners and relevant stakeholders to inform and influence decision making. Where necessary, identify relevant development interventions to deliver desired outcomes.
• Draft plans based on consultation and review, ensuring that resources (volunteers, employees and funding) are allocated appropriately. Ensure appropriate programme documentation is in place as per VSO/partner guidelines, including for volunteer placements.
• Volunteer Management and Support:
• Work with the people manager and programme team to welcome, induct, orientate and provide on-going support to volunteers, including safety and emergencies.
• Assess volunteer training needs and oversee the delivery of agreed learning. Ensure volunteers are given personal support if appropriate.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Working with the VSO Nigeria M&E manager and the Knowledge Exchange M&E manager ensure the delivery of appropriate M&E mechanisms, and that reporting is in line with VSO and donor/partner requirements.
• Budgeting and Forecasting:
• Work (with partners where appropriate) to ensure realistic project plans and budgets are in place. Liaise regularly with the VSO Nigeria and Knowledge Exchange finance managers to ensure budgets are on track.
• Support planning and forecasting of volunteer demand/ supply.

Other duties:

• Work in close collaboration with the Knowledge Exchange management team via a dotted line report to ensure Knowledge Exchange objectives and targets are achieved.
• Assessing/ auditing partner programmes in terms of Knowledge Exchange minimum standards.

Key Performance Indicator:

• Creation of strategic and coherent programmes with corporate and development partners, which effectively utilise skills-based corporate volunteering as a key development intervention.
• Programmes should actively engage marginalized groups, be ambitiously evolving and successfully delivered in-line with unfulfilled rights of poor and disadvantaged communities, and where appropriate effectively linked to portfolios of sub-programmes in this area.
• Programmes developed within approved plans and frameworks of VSO and / or other partners. Programme development informed by consultation with partners, volunteers, internal stakeholders and beneficiaries (they are held as integral to programme design, implementation and review).
• Transparency and accountability to all stakeholders in programme development and delivery.
• Partners are provided with a growing and widening range of support based on VSO’s core competencies and to include all Knowledge Exchange products and services.
• High quality skills based volunteering placements are developed and documented, based on thorough assessment of partner needs.
• Planned programming activities and volunteer delivery targets are successfully met.
• Dynamic, transparent and effective network exists between key stakeholders (VSO, volunteers, partners, and other stakeholders), which fully supports the overall Programme Plans and is reflective of the external environment.
• Volunteers are supported in their placements, empowered to work effectively with local partners, and actively engaged with programme development. Duty of care baselines for volunteers are met in relation to security, medical and other responsibilities.
• Knowledge Exchange country lead role is performing well and working effectively as part of the country team to meet programme area objectives and support volunteer needs, within the country’s legal framework and VSO/partner policies.
• Efficient delivery of resources to meet the objectives of the Programme Plan objectives.
• Programmes and partnerships are monitored and evaluated regularly in line with VSO good practice guidance.
• Development assessments completed for partners.
• Knowledge Exchange log frame and data collection protocols executed at a country level.
• Regular Programme Reviews completed and shared where necessary
• Evidence of lessons learnt from evaluation being used to adapt ongoing programmes and inform future programme development. Information on good practice, learning and knowledge is sought and shared within country, region and wider organisation

Competencies
Working together - Strength:

• Successfully leads teams and develops others’ team-working skills.
• Communicating and influencing - Expert; Builds mutually beneficial alliances and networks at senior levels within and outside VSO and is a well-known thought leader, exceptional communicator and coach.

Managing Knowledge - Strength:

• Leads initiatives that improve knowledge management; develops others’ knowledge management skills.

Striving for excellence - Strength:

• Leads initiatives to improve monitoring, evaluation and learning; is a role model for continuous learning and improvement.

Managing Resources - Strength:

• Leads others to pursue significant or innovative funding opportunities; finds creative ways to allocate funds and people on complex projects effectively.

Managing People - Strength:

• Builds a high performing team that meets challenging objectives linked to corporate objectives; ensures own team works efficiently with other teams.

Developing People - Strength

• A role model for coaching, mentoring and developing others, and for effective use of VSO’s staff development processes and opportunities.

Leading for the Future - Strength:

• Builds confidence and excitement in VSO’s work and vision, both internally and externally; leads innovative projects.
• Thinking Strategically - Strength Leads strategic projects, coaching others to consider global and longterm impact, and to consult within and beyond VSO.

Delivering Results - Strength:

• Effectively leads large teams or complex projects, generating a goal-oriented, problem-solving team mentality and ensuring timely, high quality results.

Skills Required
Essential:

• In-country strategic programme development specialist - knowledge of corporate, skills-based volunteering, essential.
• Demonstrable understanding of relationship or account management in a corporate environment.
• Understanding of project cycle management tools to ensure effective planning, resourcing, implementation and review of programmes and experience of organisational assessment, planning and review tools and processes.
• Practical experience of applying development issues at a project or community level. Able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of development issues. Experience and knowledge of the relevant programme area.
• Leadership and people management skills, experience of developing, coaching and managing high performing teams.
• Experience of the financial management of budgets, including building a budget, monitoring and managing expenditure.
• Able to develop multiple ideas to solve an issue or situation and take a swift decision, including in a high risk situation.
• Evidence of ability to provide effective support to volunteers.
• Able to adapt to new and demanding situations, with experience of living and working in developing countries.
• Competent Data usage: including collation and analysis of complex and high volume data, using appropriate IT where necessary.
• Able to travel and work long hours, including work away from the home base for up to 30% of time, both within the country and occasionally internationally and
• some weekend and evening work.

Desirable:

• Practical experience gained within a volunteering/NGO context and of managing a volunteer programme.
• Experience and knowledge of the country and region.
• Confidence and experience in external representation.
• Clean, valid driving license.

Application Closing Date
7th October, 2015.

Interview/Assessment Date(s)
19th October, 2015.

Start Date
1st December, 2015

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here to download more information (PDF)