The role of Portfolio Lead – Shifting the Power is a two-year fixed term contract to lead the delivery of Comic Relief’s transformative, long-term civil society strengthening programme, co-funded by UK aid.  This exciting, strategic programme with the overarching aim of shifting greater power to civil society will invest in the organisational strengthening of civil society organisations in Ghana, Zambia and Malawi and offer training and support in local resource mobilisation. Learning from the programme will influence Comic Relief’s funder practice, and it will also intentionally seek to disrupt ways of working in the wider funder ecosystem. With oversight and support from the Head of Government Partnerships, and through quality relationship management with a diversity of stakeholders within and outside of Comic Relief, the Portfolio Lead will ensure all deliverables for the programme are completed on time, to a high quality, and driven by the programme’s values.                                                        

Key responsibilities:

• Leadership: Provide leadership of Comic Relief’s flagship civil society strengthening programme, co-funded by UK aid, in line with the approved Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Business Case, MoU and budget.

• Approach: Creatively find ways to unlock the inherent power of communities and organisations by ensuring that people with lived or learnt experience are intentionally engaged in how the programme is designed, delivered and monitored.

• Project management and reporting: Develop and drive delivery against an inception phase project plan and budget, encompassing all key deliverables outlined in the FCDO Business Case. Design and manage programme reporting requirements including portfolio Log frame, Partner reporting and financial management and reporting

• Design and developing key programme components: Including relationships with Anchor Partners; grant-making cycles; and in country governance and decision-making processes.

• Organisational Strengthening Framework: Work in partnership with the identified Anchor Partner(s) and other technical partners to complete the design of the framework to define, track, measure and understand the process of organisational change and strengthening

• Communications Strategy: Working with African creative agencies, Comic Relief’s PR & Communication teams, FCDO’s Communications team and Anchor Partner(s), support delivery of the initial communication strategy for the programme and identify draft outcomes.

• Learning and Influencing Strategy: Working with Comic Relief’s Learning & Fund Design Team, Government Partnerships team & Anchor Partner(s), support development and delivery of the learning and influencing strategy for the programme, with a focus on generating evidence on how funders can best support African CSOs to strengthen their organisations & generate more sustainable forms of income locally.  Develop community and partner-led reporting processes and ensure synergy with Communications Strategy.

• Network building and sector learning: Connect with existing networks and fora engaged in the #ShiftThePower discourse, as well as other funders who share Comic Relief’s intention to shift greater power to Southern civil society, in order to ensure the programme contributes to, and benefits from, existing rich experience, knowledge and perspectives.

• Line management: Be ready to provide quality line management and professional development support to potential line reports joining the team

• International travel will be required with this role (dependent on Covid-19 travel restrictions by Comic Relief or governments).

Essential Skills and Competencies:

• A strong interest in and commitment to creating a more equitable development system and shifting power

• Proven leadership of complex, high value partnerships or programmes

• Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail.

• Significant experience within social change and international development, with experience of working closely with national CSOs on organisational sustainability in an African context.

• Demonstrable knowledge of, and experience of, organisational strengthening and/or local philanthropy in an African context.

• Experience of working in partnership with a bilateral donor, ideally FCDO or other large institutional funders.

• Effective relationship builder with strong emotional intelligence and political awareness to proactively challenge and persuade senior stakeholders and partners. 

• Experience of working in partnership at a distance / remotely.

• Strategic and analytical thinker with the ability to see the bigger picture, adopt a positive and solution-orientated approach and make appropriate and effective decisions.

• Strong communicator and planner with a flexible, engaging and inspirational style

Desirable Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge of and active engagements in sector conversations on “doing development differently” and shifting power.

• Experience of working in any of the programme countries (Malawi, Zambia, Ghana)

• Experience of working in a grantmaking or funding organisation

We are currently exploring moving from a solely UK-based team to a more globally dispersed team, to increase diversity, and ensure we are representative of the communities we serve. Therefore, this post may be based outside the UK, and we are actively seeking to recruit within Sub Saharan Africa.

Inclusivity at Comic Relief

We recognise diversity and inclusion are a source of strength in achieving our mission. We therefore welcome everyone, trusting what makes us different brings creativity, styles and experiences to help us collectively do our best work. That’s regardless of your gender, ethnicity, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and cultural identity. We especially welcome those from under-represented groups in modern grant-making and fundraising. We are on a journey, but if you join our team you will be part of a community that is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where we want you to:

• Be valued for being yourself

• Do your best work, and be supported to break down barriers so you can succeed

• Be heard, respected, and treated as an equal, whatever your level, experience or background

Be part of a team that is committed to making this happen – with our colleagues, partners, and contributors.

Comic Relief is committed to preventing and protecting all people from harm in their interactions with us. We expect all those that act in our name to uphold our approach to doing no harm.