Partnerships Manager

Job Title: Partnerships Manager
Reports to: Senior Technical Partnerships Advisor
Terms: 1 year- renewable
Salary: GB5 Step 1
Requirements: This position will be based in Mogadishu with frequent travel and considerable time in the field for technical support to Concern staff and partners
About Concern: Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.
Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme
poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and
oppression.
Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission. Concern Somalia/Somaliland has been working with local partners for more than fifteen years, and takes a strategic approach to partnerships. Goal 3 of the Country Strategic Plan defines our intentions with regard to strengthening partnerships and championing localisation, and the country team has worked on a partnership strategy and localisation paper to further define and develop ways of working. The country team intends to continue leading both within Concern and externally from this perspective.

Role Purpose: The Partnerships Manager will support the Partnerships Advisor with the strategic engagement and operational coordination of local and national partners across Concern’s programmes in Somalia/Somaliland. The Manager will be responsible for identifying and assessing potential partners, negotiating agreements and fostering collaborative relationships to achieve shared goals. The Manager will also document partnership activities, synthesising
information for organisational learning as well as for internal and external reporting.

Responsibilities:
Strategic Contribution
 Support the Partnership Advisor in implementing the strategic partnership and localization actions outlined in the Country Strategic Plan (CSP) and Country Partnership and Localization Strategy
 Provide input to country strategy development from a partnership and localisation perspective Partnership Development and Coordination
 Identify, map and assess potential local and national partners within Concern’s operational areas (for ongoing programmes) and outside (for potential partnerships for emergency response)
 Coordinate due diligence and capacity assessment (CILPAT) processes for new and existing partners with technical and support team participation and support from Partnerships Advisor
 With Emergency Programme Coordinator, support partners to select Emergency Response Team (ERT) members and coordinate their training/preparation

PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

 Support Partnerships Advisor in leading the Partnership Unit to improve internal coordination and ways of working related to partnership approaches and management
Capacity Strengthening
 Support partners to develop annual tailored capacity development plans based on CILPAT findings and other institutional needs
 Coordinate with internal support (finance, logistics, compliance, HR/admin, accountability) and technical teams to plan and implement capacity strengthening initiatives
 Ensure follow up and revision of capacity development plans to track progress and evolving needs
 Carry out specific capacity strengthening initiatives for partners as relevant and appropriate
 Build Concern staff capacity and understanding of good partnership principles and approaches
 Facilitate cross-learning sessions between Concern and partners and across partners where relevant and appropriate
Monitoring, Support and Documentation
 Plan, coordinate, and conduct regular support visits to partners to monitor progress on CILPAT objectives, provide guidance, and build relationships – and ensure that written feedback is provided to both Concern and the partner
 Maintain accurate records and databases of all partner engagements, including capacity assessments, support provided, and performance outcomes
 Track and document all partner capacity strengthening activities and their outcomes to inform learning and
adaptations, including maintaining a database of training participants
 Assist in collecting positive experiences and best practices from Concern’s partnership approach and disseminate within Concern and partners

 Generate monthly reports focusing on progress, challenges and lessons learnt
 With Programme teams, track and maintain a record of programming commitments by partner to ensure that teams coordinate where working with partners in the same area and that partners aren’t overloaded Coordination and Relationship Management
 Support Partnership Advisor as a focal point for NGO partners on institutional coordination
 Organise and support meetings with partners to discuss issues arising, ensure alignment, share updates and identify challenges and opportunities
 Join inter-partner coordination meetings to provide support and collect information on partner challenges
 Strengthen mutual accountability frameworks and build long-term, trust-based partnerships
 Identify areas of achievement/success stories which can be shared by partners for Concern’s learning
 Support Concern and partner ERT members to carry out rapid needs assessments in case of emergencies
Other
 Support Programme Delivery, Accountability & Community Engagement Assurance Team (PACT), produce work plans and organize quarterly visits to the programme areas and sectors
 Contribute to internal staff learning through facilitation and organization of relevant sessions for Concern and
partner staff using Concern and partner’s in-house capacity and expertise
 Adhere to, support and promote the standards of conduct outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct & its Associated Policies
 Contribute to the establishment of preventive measures to reduce the potential for abuse in Concern programme (as per P4 section 6)
 Promote Concern and partner FCRM and support harmonisation and rationalisation of mechanisms
 Comply with Concern’s health, safety and security guidelines at all times

Role Holder Requirements:
Essential:
 Bachelor’s degree in international development, social sciences, project management or related field (Master’s preferred)

 At least four years’ experience working in partnership management or capacity development, preferably in humanitarian or development settings
 Experience in different parts of Somalia/Somaliland, including in emergency responses
 Experience in dealing with local authorities, national and international NGOs/UN agencies
 Strong understanding of capacity assessment tools, the localisation agenda and donor compliance requirements
 Ability to train local staff and to motivate and develop skills of others
 Ability to assess problems and recommend solutions
 Experience in coordinating multi-sectoral/multi-disciplinary teams and excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills
 Familiarity and knowledge of finance, logistics and administration
 Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities
 Computer literate and sound knowledge of Word and Excel.
 Excellent English-spoken and written
Desirable:
 Experience of working in challenging, insecure areas and willingness to work and live in a remote environment with frequent travel
For GB2 – 6 Roles:
Candidates are expected to demonstrate abilities in the following priority competency areas (highlight 3-4
competencies in bold as appropriate):
Managing Yourself Planning and decision-making
Individual leadership Creativity and innovation
Communication and working with others Influence, advocacy and networking
Delivering results Change
We encourage all eligible candidates, irrespective of gender, ethnicity or origin, disability, or socio-economic status to apply to become a part of the organization. Concern is against all forms of discrimination and unequal power relations and is committed to promoting equality.

Interested candidates, who meet the above requirements, should submit their applications (cover letter and updated CVs) by email to [email protected] with the subject line “Application for Partnerships Manager” by Sunday 14 th September 2025.

If you have any concerns about our recruitment process and need particular assistance - for example if you have a disability e.g. a hearing impairment - please let us know and we will do our best to respond to your needs. 

Important information:
Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct with three Associated Policies: The Programme Participant Protection Policy, the Child Safeguarding Policy, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy accessible here. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisations, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in their work, in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies.
Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Consequently, working or volunteering with Concern may be subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.
During this job application, you will provide Concern with your personal data. Concern takes its responsibilities towards this personal data very seriously and is committed to complying with all relevant data protection legislation.