Partnership Manager

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), one of the world’s leading NGOs, with a focus on responding to displacement, have been registered in Sudan since 2004, delivering life-saving programming in protection, emergency response, shelter, food security and livelihoods, disaster risk reduction, camp management, and humanitarian mine action. DRC has implemented projects in Central Darfur, South Kordofan, Gedaref, Port Sudan, and White Nile. Sudan hosts one of the largest displaced populations in Africa, with over 3.7 million internally displaced people and over 1.1 million refugees from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Central African Republic, Chad, Yemen and Syria. Against a background of political crisis, Sudan faces economic and social turmoil, with sharp increases in food and energy costs, further exacerbated by disease outbreaks and ongoing conflict.

POSITION PROFILE

 The Partnership Manager will be responsible for working to develop a strategic framework and systems to strengthen DRC Sudan’s partnerships with local and national authorities, civil society organisations (including both formal and informal actors), the private sector, research institutions, and others across Sudan. This role will coordinate the DRC partnership approach in Sudan, and support its development to improve and adapt tools and practices. The Manager will play a lead role in strengthening DRC Sudan’s approaches to partnership, building on our global partnership principles and civil society engagement strategies, aligned with DRC’s global strategy. This role works across departments to establish systems and approaches for identifying, pursuing, and maintaining effective partnerships that contribute to DRC’s strategic objectives. The Partnership Manager will support the mapping and identification of new partnership opportunities, assess partner organization capacities, facilitate relevant capacity strengthening support, and provide ongoing support to partner organizations throughout and after program implementation.

This position will be based at Country Office level in Port Sudan and will require extensive field travel.  he overall purpose of the role:

Responsibilities:

 Strategic Leadership and Coordination

• Lead the development of DRC Sudan’s partnerships and localisation strategies in line with DRC’s global strategy for 2030
• Clearly articulate a vision for DRC Sudan’s partnership approach, and help promote that vision with DRC staff and partners
• Participate in relevant country-level and regionally relevant partnerships and localisation working groups and advocate for the inclusion and support of national organisations in these
• Stay up to date on current trends in partnerships and localisation practice regionally and share learning with country SMT and relevant programmes teams, as well as linking with the HQ Hub technical support teams
• Ensure partners involvement in strategic planning, programme design, and proposal/concept paper development
• Work with the Grants team to ensure that partnership tools and  financial standards meet donor requirements and allow for for adaptation and flexibility and advocate for these changes at country and donor level
• Work across departments to develop systems and policies that are supportive of the Partnership and Localisation Strategies, and ensure periodic review and updating of policies. 
• Define a standard framework of roles and responsibilities among various DRC departments and between area and base office levels for partnership communication and engagement
• Input into in-depth capacity assessment tools related to project and programme design and management, including grants management processes
• Support partner selection processes for national NGOs and MAGs, including local authority liaisons as needed 
• Manage positive and productive relations with selected partners across the country
• Establish and maintain productive links between partners and DRC staff
• Coordinate with external agencies working with the same partners or partners in the same sectors or locations, ensuring a partner-centred approach
• Input into strategy development of various sectors to include plans and targets on programme models that include NNGO partners
• Support technical coordinators to work with duty bearers in different states in Sudan to understand the role of NNGOs and MAGs in humanitarian programming and to strengthen their capacity to engage with them in programme design and implementation
• Lead on proposal development for funding opportunities directly related to partnerships and localisation and actively support identification of and liaision with new and existing donors

Partnership Development and Field Support

• Lead the DRC Sudan CO in developing systematic approaches to selecting partners, and in identifying and pursuing strategic partnerships
• Liaise with DRC Sudan technical coordinators and Partnerships staff to support the design of partner programming in sectors including Protection, CCCM, WASH, Economic Recovery, and HMA

Capacity and Needs Assessments and Partnership Management 

• Coordinate the strengthening of local and national partner capacity to deliver quality humanitarian programming, supporting the Partnerships team to work across relevant departments to set up systems for coaching and capacity building
• Coordinate across teams to carry out partner organizational capacity assessments and analyse assessments to identify specific capacity building and organizational development needs, and ensure that training and targeted capacity strengthening support is provided
• Promote relationships of mutual respect and mutual learning with partners, and provide guidance to relevant staff in supporting them
• Support Partnerships team to establish and maintain a partnership database that maps out partner capacity, influence, and strategic alignment with DRC programming
• Review existing partnerships resources and identify additional needs to support capacity assessment, monitoring, compliance, project cycle management, etc.

Accountability and Reporting

• Guided by DRC SOPs and programme guidance documents, continuously monitor and develop relevant accountability initiatives as well as strengthening the effort to document the impact and lessons learned of activities
• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements including procurement
• Provide input for monthly, quarterly, and annual donor reports as needed
• Lead initiatives to improve partnership practices by periodically assessing DRC Sudan’s partnership management approach taking into account both DRC and partners’ perspectives, capture lessons learned and best practices, and make recommendations for improvement
• Analyse results of on-going partnerships, remote management and results on the ground to produce lessons learnt and inform strategic decision-making

People Management 

• Manage a team of 3 Partnerships staff across Sudan including coaching, coordination, recruitment, and capacity development, including technical line support of finace and MEAL partnership staff and Area Office Partnership Officers
• Provide on the job training as much as required and adapt trainings/coaching to specific staff needs within the partnerships team

• At least 8 years experience in relevant field in an INGO or humanitarian actor
• At least 5 years experience with project or programme management and proven organizational skills.
• Good knowledge of relevant donor compliance regulations
• Significant experience dealing with national partners and local/government authorities
• Professional background in working with internally displaced persons and/or refugees
• Significant experience in training and liaising with national NGOs and Mutual Aid Groups
• Experience working in multicultural work settings
• Full professional proficiency in English

Willingness to embrace and further develop overall objectives such as gender equity, impact monitoring, and cross-sector cooperation

Advanced degree in political science, international development, economics or other relevant field

ALL EMPLOYEES ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE DRC FIVE CORE COMPETENCIES 

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.  
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.  
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.  
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.  
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

POSITION DETAILS

• Type of contract: National
• Contract Length: 12 months
• Band: management  
• Salary Range Starting from, USD 3,400.00
• Duty station: Port Sudan- Country Office 
• Start date: As soon as possible
• Closing Date for Application: 12/5/2026

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for national employees. 

WHAT WE OFFER       

1. Two Bonuses (during two Eid festivals)
2. National Social Insurance 
3. Medical Insurance 
4. Excellent Working Environment and Opportunity for Growth
5. Various Learning and Development Platforms

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Applications must be submitted through the mentioned link on the page by clicking on Apply Button.   
2. All applicants must send a cover letter along with an updated CV (we encourage CV no longer than four pages) in English.   
3. Mentioning three referees' details of your present supervisor and HR along with past employment supervisor with CV.

Note: Applications sent by email will not be considered. In addition, DRC doesn’t charge any fee for any of its recruitment process & believes in equal opportunity in employment regardless. 

If you have questions, you can visit our FAQ page. 

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website: www.drc.ngo.

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap. 

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, color, race, 

marital status, or other protected characteristics.   

***FRAUD ALERT***

It has been brought to the attention of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) that there have been instances of fraudulent job offers, purporting to be from DRC in Sudan. These offers reportedly concern fraudulent employment opportunities to applicants asking for money. DRC would like to stipulate that the organization never charges or accepts any money from job seekers during the recruitment process. DRC recommends that you do not respond to unsolicited offers of employment.