Back Foundation Officer

JRS-IO Vacancy Announcement

Foundations Officer

Department: Programmes and Innovation Department

Location: JRS International Office

Reports to: Head of Grants Unit

Organisational Context

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is a ministry of the Society of Jesus, acting as an international non-governmental organisation with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate for the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. The organisation was founded in 1980 and now has a presence in 58 countries. JRS undertakes services at national and regional levels with the support and guidance of an international office (IO) in Rome.

The style of JRS service is human and spiritual, working in situations of greatest need, seeking the long-term well-being of refugees and displaced people while not neglecting their immediate or urgent needs. The main services provided are in the field of education, reconciliation, livelihood activities and psychosocial support. Currently, almost 1 million individuals are direct beneficiaries of JRS projects.

Operational Context

The position is part of the IO Programmes and Innovation (P&I) Department, which provides programmatic support to JRS globally, and manages programmatic knowledge and learning, thereby enabling JRS to have a meaningful and effective impact on those we serve.

The Department consists of a General Programmes Unit, a MEAL Unit, a Grants Unit, a Reconciliation Unit, and an Education & Livelihoods Unit.

Resource mobilisation at the International Office is carried out by the Grants Unit (raising funding from grant makers) and the Communications & Fundraising Department (raising donations from individuals, religious congregations, and small family foundations).

The Foundations Officer will be part of the Grants Unit and report to the Head of Grants Unit. He/she will also work in close relationship with the Major Gifts colleagues in the Communications and Fundraising Department to ensure an aligned implementation of the resource mobilisation strategy.

Purpose of the Position

The position is focused on new business development and award management with private grant-making entities, particularly larger funding opportunities. The position is expected to cultivate, track, capture and respond to funding opportunities by coordinating and submitting proposals for and manage grants from foundations and other private grant-making entities globally (excluding the U.S.) as well as government donors as needed. The grants are intended to support to global and local programmes and to ensure the sustainability of the International Office.

Within the International Office, the position will collaborate closely with colleagues from the Programmes & Innovation Department, the Communications & Fundraising Department (and especially with the major gifts officers), and the Finance Department.

Key responsibilities

Proposal Development and Stewardship

• Track funding opportunities for JRS priorities from private grant-making entities internationally. This can include participating in relevant meetings, workshops, and conferences.
• Identify, assess and disseminate grant opportunities.
• Create, update and disseminate best practices and supportive guidance and tools in grant winning.
• Carry out due diligence on potential grant makers.
• Coordinate the development of proposals to grant makers in collaboration with relevant technical staff.
• Ensure proposals/grant documents align with the priorities of the JRS Strategic Framework.
• Maintain and steward relations with selected foundations, and support other relationship managers of foundations in their stewardship tasks.

Grants Management

• Manage the portfolio of grants from private grant makers.
• Ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations.
• Ensure timely and accurate programmatic and financial reporting, in collaboration with Programmes and Finance colleagues.
• Undertake field visits to support staff in stewardship of grant makers.
• Maintain records in the Grants Module and Salesforce CRM of grants opportunities, grants related documents and deliverables, including proposal and reports.
• Contribute to the knowledge management about proposal writing and grants management.

Capacity Building

• Create and disseminate appropriate tools and training materials for capacity building activities for country staff
• Conduct training for relevant staff on resources mobilization with private grants makers, foundation grant applications, grants management and reporting.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Advanced university degree in Management, Political Sciences, Law, International Development or another relevant discipline.
• At least five (5) years of relevant work experience with humanitarian/development donor-funded programmes, including a proven track record of securing multi-year grants from international foundations.
• Experience with private grant-makers supporting humanitarian programmes
• Familiarity with templates and procedures used by foundations and institutional donors.
• Experience with financial reporting.
• Strong analytical, strategic-thinking and planning skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.
• Ability to work with CRM, grants and programmes systems.
• Excellent communication and presentation capacities, able to persuasively articulate JRS’s message and impact to external audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a multi-cultural, international environment.

Languages

• Excellent proficiency in written and verbal English.
• Proficiency in French or Spanish is an asset.

Required Core Values

• Commitment to JRS’s mission, vision and values; ability to convey with enthusiasm JRS’s role in accompanying and serving forcibly displaced people and to advocate for their right to protection and a life in dignity.
• High integrity, honesty, and confidentiality; ability to deal tactfully and discreetly with people, situations and information.
• Acceptance of diversity and inclusion as a core value.

Travel

The position requires frequent travel to JRS locations (up to 15%)

Terms and Conditions

Please note that this position is only open to candidates who possess EU citizenship or other legal authorization to work in the European Union.

Successful candidates will be offered a regular contract under Italian law.