Role: Partnerships Specialist
Location: Ethiopia
Language: English, relevant local language(s)
About Terre des Hommes Netherlands
Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) is committed to ending child exploitation in all its forms. We work across Africa and Asia, partnering with local organisations to protect children from trafficking, sexual exploitation, child labour, and other forms of child exploitation. Our work is grounded in evidence, child participation, and safeguarding principles.
The Role
The Partnerships Specialist is a key TdH NL function, crucial for establishing and managing effective, equitable relationships with partner organisations. They lead the TdH NL partnership engagement approach, supporting partner mapping, screening, and formation. Once agreements are in place, they offer partners a range of support, on themes including project management, quality assurance, compliance with TdH NL/donor policies, and guidance on programming and advocacy.
The Partnership Specialist is the main link between partner organisations and TdH NL technical specialists and programme managers, actively promoting connections between partners, peer agencies, and other relevant actors. The role's focus is tailored to the technical and operational needs of the Strategic Partner Organisations and projects in their countries of responsibility, clarified within specific Terms of Reference. The number of partners and projects assigned is regularly reviewed and adjusted based on the resource mobilisation pipeline to ensure balanced workloads aligned with resources and programme priorities.
The Team
The Partnership Specialist is part of the Partnerships & Quality (P&Q) team within the Impact Department and reports to the Partnerships Lead. The role works in close collaboration with Programme Managers, Technical Experts and Advisors, MEAL staff, and Finance teams.
The Partnerships and Quality team is a cross-functional team focused on developing and managing effective partnerships that achieve sustainable, positive outcomes protecting children from exploitation. The team combines several core functions, including partnership management, programme development, portfolio information management, MEAL, and programme support. It works closely with partner organisations and TdH NL’s Programmes, Research & Influencing, Finance, Communications, and Engagement (Resource Mobilisation) teams.
Result Areas and Core Activities
Your job is to support partner organisations in Ethiopia and Uganda to achieve their partnership goals, amplified by the catalytic role of Terre des Hommes Netherlands. To do this you will:
1) Programme Implementation and Partner Collaboration
- Oversee and guide TdH NL’s programme implementation through close collaboration with partner organisations, ensuring new projects are effectively set up, responsibilities are clear, and progress is closely monitored.
- Provide ongoing support, guidance, and coordination between partners and TdH NL’s technical specialists to ensure programme objectives are achieved.
- Facilitate joint reflection and learning moments between partners and TdH NL teams.
2) Partnership Mapping and Formation
- Support the identification, mapping, and validation of partners within assigned countries or thematic areas, in line with TdH NL’s Partnership Policy and Partnership Journey.
- Lead or contribute to partner due diligence and screening processes, ensuring the organisation maintains a strong roster of qualified partners.
- Establish and nurture trust-based partnerships that advance TdH NL’s mission to end child exploitation.
3) Compliance, Quality, and MEAL Support
- Support partners to ensure compliance with TdH NL and donor policies, procedures, and agreements.
- Provide oversight of core MEAL processes in collaboration with the MEAL team, ensuring that partners apply TdH NL MEAL Standards and submit timely, quality reporting.
- Review and consolidate partner reports, ensuring that results are accurate and align with project objectives.
4) Partnership Development and Fundraising Support
- Support the co-design of new projects with partners, applying TdH NL’s project development guidance and promoting meaningful participation by children and local stakeholders.
- Collaborate with Programme Managers and the Engagement (Resource Mobilisation) team to provide programme, partnership, and contextual insights for proposal design, donor engagement, and pipeline development.
- Contribute to the identification of new partnership and funding opportunities within the assigned region or thematic area.
5) Learning, Networking, and Coordination
- Facilitate partner engagement in learning exchanges, advocacy, or external networks where relevant, in coordination with the Research & Influencing and Communications teams.
- Champion sustainable approaches to tackle child exploitation by promoting awareness of portfolio performance, learning, and good practices among TdH NL teams and partners.
- Connect partners with technical or operational support from other TdH NL teams based on identified needs or risks.
- Actively develop and maintain a strong understanding of Terre des Hommes Netherlands’ mission, strategy, and programmes, and apply this understanding to ensure that all work contributes meaningfully to the organisation’s goal of ending child exploitation.
What you bring?
- Experience: Minimum of 5 years in partnership management or programme coordination within an NGO/INGO setting.
- Partnership Management: Proven experience establishing and managing equitable partnerships with civil society organisations, including due diligence and compliance.
- Programme Delivery: Experience overseeing projects with implementing partners, ensuring high quality and accountability standards.
- Child Rights & Safeguarding: Strong understanding of child rights programming and safeguarding standards in international development.
- Capacity Building: Experience providing training, mentorship, and accompaniment to local partners and teams.
- Fundraising & Design: Experience co-designing projects and contributing partner insights to donor proposals.
- MEAL: Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning processes to support partner reporting.
- Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively across diverse teams, cultures, and time zones.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant development field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Geographic Focus: Regional experience in Africa and/or Asia is a strong asset.
- Languages: Fluent English is essential; proficiency in additional languages is a plus.
Competencies
- Teamwork and Collaboration: Works effectively with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds and builds constructive relationships across teams.
- Delivering Results: Takes ownership and accountability for delivering high-quality outputs that advance TdH NL’s goals for children.
- Problem Solving and Decision-Making: Makes sound, timely decisions based on evidence and experience.
- Applying Technical and Professional Expertise: Applies professional and technical expertise to the highest standards and shares good practice.
- Multi-Tasking: Demonstrates strong organisation and time management in balancing multiple priorities.
- Integrity: Upholds the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct, modelling TdH NL’s values.
- Safeguarding: Acts as a role model for safeguarding and ensures all work reflects TdH NL’s child protection and ethical standards.
What We Offer
TdH NL is a growing organisation on the move. This means a lot of room for your own initiative and ideas. As we manage and execute our own programmes and projects, the difference we make and therefore you make is tangible on a daily basis. To enable this, we offer:
- A 1-year contract, with the intention to extend to an indefinite contract after the first year.
- The position is classified within salary scale 11, with a monthly salary range of 1,847.36 - 3,047.41 EUR. The specific amount will be determined based on your experience.
- We offer a 36-hour contract, which is considered a full-time workweek in our organisation. The benefit of this schedule is the possibility to work 4 x 9 hours and have one day off per week while maintaining full-time employment status. You have the flexibility to spread your hours over the week in agreement with your manager.
- This is a fully remote position (work-from-home) with frequent travel, offering excellent work-life balance. Please note that there is a possibility to also work from a partner organisation’s office when required.
- Our benefits package includes a medical cover; work-from-home allowance and assistance with setting up your home-office.
- Our new hires receive a one-off financial compensation to purchase or design an ergonomic home working environment. We’re happy to tell you more about this when applicable.
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