Senior Advisor, GAC Framework

International Rescue Committee • Aurora, ON

10d

About The Position

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is seeking a Senior Advisor, GAC Framework Manager to oversee and manage the relationship between IRC and Global Affairs Canada (GAC). This role is crucial for coordinating and managing a new three-year humanitarian framework agreement with GAC. The Senior Advisor will act as the Project Lead, working closely with regional and technical teams, and implementing country programs to ensure effective award management throughout the project lifecycle. This includes ensuring compliant delivery, strong communications, effective financial and narrative reporting, and program adaptation. Beyond the framework agreement, the role involves account managing the GAC relationship, working with the Director of IRC Canada on a multi-year donor engagement strategy, supporting broader business development, and monitoring, innovation, and learning. This position requires extensive internal coordination with technical, operational, and global colleagues, as well as IRC leadership in Canada and other locations.

Requirements

• Demonstrable understanding of humanitarian aid and development programming
• Ability to work effectively under pressure
• Ability to build strong working relationships and work collaboratively and effectively with program and field staff from a distance
• Proven ability to operate in a complex organization, across functions and work collaboratively as part of a diverse team.
• Organized self-starter and able to handle competing priorities, deadlines and identify strategic and critical issues
• Solid organizational skills, detail oriented, ability to multi-task and prioritize tasks, and to learn quickly
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people within and across departments in a multi-cultural environment
• Both a team player and independent performer in a very fast-paced environment
• Good IT skills (Word, Outlook, Excel)
• Solid understanding and experience of Global Affairs Canada
• Experience of other more governmental humanitarian and development donors and their requirements
• Demonstrated experience in building and cultivating relationships with institutional donors
• Substantial proposal writing and portfolio management experience
• Experience in developing, negotiating or managing framework proposals / or multi-region / consortia proposals for development and humanitarian donors
• Strong experience in quality assurance, writing, reviewing and editing narrative and financial reports with excellent attention to detail

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree, preferably in a subject related to humanitarian and development work (International Relations, Refugee or Migration Studies, Economics, Development Studies, Public Policy, etc.), or equivalent experience
• Experience in developing countries, preferably in the context of an NGO or International Organisation (UN, NGO, or major donor or similar)
• Experience of working in a complex organisation, with multi-tier reporting relationships
• Languages relevant to IRC and to the GAC partnerships, particularly French, though other working languages (Spanish, Arabic, Kiswahili) are a strength.

Responsibilities

• Oversight and overall management of the GAC Canada Framework Agreement (CFA).
• Manage the IRC’s strategic relationship with GAC, building strong working relationships with key individuals within the donor, managing IRC’s profile and engagement, and acting as the key internal point of contact on the CFA.
• Manage and cultivate professional relationships with GAC, facilitating meetings and engagement for the annual allocation process, providing updates on implementation and grants management issues, and supporting IRC colleagues in preparing materials for briefing events and meetings.
• Lead on contract negotiations with the donor on new agreements or agreement amendments.
• Coordinate the annual funding allocation process, including analysis of donor priorities, internal decision-making on strategic development of the partnership, and advising on, reviewing, and collating inputs for expressions of interest, concept notes, and proposals.
• Prepare and consolidate budgets, coordinate internal reviews, and approvals before submission.
• Lead on supporting any issues related to CFA project implementation and management of the GAC global portfolio.
• Maintain continuous monitoring of performance and expenditure of the CFA portfolio, including specific support to country programs and Technical Units where needed and through field visits as appropriate.
• Ensure high quality, compliant and timely delivery of contractual requirements, including narrative and financial reports, amendment requests, critical updates, audits, evaluations, funding applications, and organizational updates.
• Develop internal processes and guidance documents and provide relevant and timely advice for the effective and compliant management of CFA awards.
• Provide guidance and advice on standard donor compliance rules and regulations as required by IRC’s internal policies and best practices.
• Develop and maintain internal systems for data management (e.g. Box, OTIS, Salesforce).
• Carry out regular lessons learned exercises to improve CFA processes and contribute to organization-wide learning initiatives, including responsibility as Project Lead for carrying out Project Cycle Meeting routines including Project Learning Meetings.
• Lead development and implementation of the GAC Multi-Year Donor Engagement Strategy, coordinating meetings with cross-department operational teams, and leading donor relationships and engagement.
• Support the Director of Canada to feed into an IRC Canada’s whole-of-Canada institutional engagement strategy, encompassing GAC humanitarian and development funding and other institutional donors.
• Represent the IRC at donor meetings and conferences, presenting the organization’s work; undertake direct representation with donor officials and support the development of the IRC’s donor relationships.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of donor strategies relevant to IRC’s work, such as funding priorities, geographical interests and political climate.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of IRC’s position on GAC, including its funding portfolio, business development pipeline, implementation and compliance issues, risks, influencing aims, and senior-level HQ-HQ engagement.
• Support the development and maintenance of tools and resources that improve donor engagement and relationship building across the organization.
• Contribute to AMU/Unit workplan and delivery of specific projects.
• Contribute to the overall strategic relationship led by the Director for IRC Canada.
• Promote and facilitate cross department collaboration, including with the Regional Program & Award Support Teams, and ensure regular liaison between Finance Department(s) and AMU.
• Play an active role in the global IRC network as required, with a particular emphasis on maintaining effective partnerships between IRC headquarters, regional, and country offices.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct: Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability.
• Policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation.
• Commitment to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs.
• Opportunity to build teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior