Partnership Specialist (National)

The Danish Refugee Council is one of the world's leading humanitarian NGOs, working in over 30 countries to provide adequate assistance and protection to refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, returnees, people on the move, and vulnerable local populations/host communities. Currently, DRC is seeking a highly qualified national Partnership Specialist based in Caracas, Venezuela.

About the job: DRC is managing its operations in Venezuela under the direction of the country office in Caracas and four field offices located in the states of Sucre, Apure, and Zulia (Maracaibo and Santa Barbara de Zulia). DRC Venezuela is implementing an integrated Action encompassing the Protection, Food Security & Livelihood, WASH and Disaster Preparedness sectors.

The overall purpose of the role:

Partnership Specialist is responsible for overseeing the localization management of Venezuela CO portfolio in accordance with donor and DRC regulations. This includes ensuring effective partners’ proposal development, donor compliance, timely reporting and overall accountability to donors. The position reports to the Head of Programme and collaborates closely with Country Director, Head of Support Services, Technical Coordinators, and the Senior Management Team on all localization related matters, compliance, and external representation. 

Responsibilities:

Daily Localization & Partnership Management 

• Ensure high-quality partnership management in close cooperation with SMT, anticipate and identify potential risks, and implement mitigation strategies; support the HoP in communication with donors and prepare modification requests and other contractual documentation for partners as required. 
• Coordinate and facilitate horizontal coordination meetings with partners. for kickoff/opening, review and closing, including monitoring progress against timelines and action points and actively participate in the meetings hosted among CO, Field Bases and partners. 
• Monitor and update that DRC's Partners Mapping and internal documentation systems (Localization SharePoint) are fully updated. 
• Lead the Project Cycle Management processes related to local partners and other relevant local actors in line with DRC global and national SoPs and methodologies. 
• Facilitate the coordination and communication between DRC and its partners in terms of grants management, contract compliance and quality assurance. Ensure it is in line with DRC Implementing Partners SoPs. 
• Participate in new staff inductions by providing an overview of Localization functions, active strategies, and relevant project documents. 
• Provide ad hoc support and guidance to programme  staff  on localization management and partnership-related issues. 
• Advise SMT members on partnership and localization strategies. 

Partnership Development & Management 

• Lead vetting, due diligence and sub-agreements processes with local partners. 
• Lead the selection and identification of local partners, including the yearly Expression of Interest for the selection of new partners. Advise the SMT in the development of new Memorandum of Understanding for strategic alliances. 
• Provide technical inputs in reports and proposals for the Localization sections in accordance with donor rules and regulations. 
• Document lessons learned and best practices from localization and partnership initiatives. 
• Contribute to internal learning events and after-action reviews to strengthen institutional memory. 
• Develop the Localization strategy in accordance with the SMT and receive guidance from relevant stakeholders in field offices and HQ. 

Compliance Monitoring and Quality Assurance

• Act as the Localization Donor Compliance Focal Point in the CO, ensure understanding of contractual obligations and regulations, and seek support from HQ for any questions. 
• Quality control on all partners' contracts before signature, seeking DRC HQ, MEAL and finance advice when required and facilitating the signing of sub-grant agreements or consortium MoU. 
• Ensure that contractual obligations and reporting deadlines are known and met by partners and coordinated with Programme, M&E and Operations teams. 
• Troubleshoot identified gaps for meeting deliverables in the given timeframe and budget, informing relevant staff in the country and seeking DRC HQ Program Department advice on potential solutions that would meet donor rules. 
• Actively participate in Localization Community Meetings to stay up to date with DRC Localization Management Best Practices as well as new regulations and requirements from donors. 

Reporting and New Business Development

• Coordinate provision of training for partners in proposal development and reporting with the support of DRC Country office and field teams. 
• Review partners' budgets ensuring that all needs are covered and that the ratio between programme and support costs are aligned with DRC's in coordination with the finance team. 
• Work with the HoP to update the partners' mapping and partners funding tracker, keeping abreast of localization funding trends and  donor strategies, paying special attention to diversifying the partners portfolio and the CO localization strategies. 
• Support HoP in maintaining active and regular communication  vwith partners, ensuring  timely response  to communications  and coordinating with relevant country team members on high-quality feedback. 
• Participate in external coordination and fundraising-related meetings as delegated by HoP. 
• Collaborate with program technical coordinators, base managers, support services and implementing partners to gather their input for proposal development. Edit and compile the final draft of the partners' proposal and annexes and ensure that they meet the required quality standards before submitting them to the Head of Programmes for review. 
• In collaboration with MEAL team, ensure that partners' project proposal development and donor reporting are informed by reliable organizational data and learning. 
• Lead on communication, negotiations and coordination with donors and external stakeholders regarding partnership matters. 

Promote Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and display respect, care and interest in all employees.

Any ad-hoc tasks assigned by the Head of Programme

Experience and technical competencies:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.  
• At least 3 years of experience in partnership management, preferably with an international NGO or other donor-funded organization. 
• Knowledge and experience working with multiple sectors including protection, food security and livelihood, WASH and Disaster Preparedness. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other relevant software, including Word, Canvas, Excel, Adobe Suite, Mailchimp and PowerPoint. 
• Solid experience in the compilation of partners documents for donor proposals, modification requests and reports; with practical experience in working with UNHCR, SIDA, ECHO, GFFO, VHF and private foundations.  
• Knowledge of localization policies and best practices. 
• Knowledge of donors’ rules and regulations for communication and partnership processes. 
• Previous experience in drafting MoU, sub-agreements and capacity building plans.  
• Ability to tailor content for different platforms (Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram). 
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize large workloads, to consistently meet deadlines and adapt in a complex and challenging work environment. 
• Excellent communication, coordination, influencing and interpersonal skills.  
• Demonstrate ability in thinking creatively and practically to improve the quality of projects.  
• Ability to lead and work within a multi-cultural/diverse team.  
• Ability to coordinate proposal development with multiple stakeholders and ensure alignment with donor expectations. 
• Strong grasp of donor branding, visibility requirements, and contractual obligations. 
• Ability to review and quality-control partner budgets and contracts. 
• Commitment to Humanitarian principles and DRC values. 

Education:

• University Degree in Social Sciences, International Development, Communication or relevant fields.

Languages:

• Fluency in English & Spanish (speaking, writing, reading) is essential.

We offer:

• The opportunity to be part of one of the best NGOs worldwide.
• Access to over 1,000 free online trainings and certifications.
• Contract duration: 6 months renewable depending on funding and performance.
• Salary: Band G-2 / Non-management. National contract.
• HCM insurance fully covered by the organization.

DRC Core Competencies:

• Achieving Excellence: Focus on achieving results and ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaboration: Engage relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the Initiative: Take ownership and initiative while seeking innovation.
• Communicating: Listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating Integrity: Act in accordance with DRC's vision and values.

Application Process: All applicants must upload a cover letter (max. 1 page) and an updated CV (max. 2 pages, without attachments) in English or Spanish, on the DRC employment platform. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 11 at 11:59 pm Local Time. Please note that applications will be reviewed continuously, and interviews will be scheduled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. DRC reserves the right to close the vacancy before the deadline once a suitable candidate is identified.

Start Date: 1st of April 2026.