Humanitarian Policy Officer East Africa Jobs

Who we are:

Muslim Aid is a UK faith-based international development organisation that provides support to communities around the world affected by disasters, conflict, or endemic poverty without regard to their social, religious, or ethnic background. 

Established in 1985, Muslim Aid has facilitated the engagement of the British Muslim and non-Muslim community in support of its work in a variety of ways. Over the years, its humanitarian work has included responses to major crises around the world including, famine in East Africa, earthquakes and flooding in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as conflicts in Syria and Yemen. 

We place strong emphasis on long-term development projects that build the capacity of local people to help themselves. In addition to the 5 country offices worldwide we also work with multiple partner offices focusing on sustainable Development Programmes and providing humanitarian relief during times of crisis.

Summary of the role:

As the Philanthropy Manager, you will oversee the development of existing high-net-worth (HNW) donors and cultivate new high-net-worth prospects. You will work closely with key Third Party supporters to establish our presence nationally. A key part of your role will be to strategise to identify new high-net-worth donors and create long-term relationships, ensuring that Muslim Aid becomes their charity of choice. You will also collaborate closely with fundraising and supporter services to organise tactical, innovative, bespoke, and strategic events that meet the needs of high-net-worth donors and maximise major gifts like no other.

About the Role:

1. Develop a three-year high-net donor strategy with stakeholders that drives long-term sustainable revenue and year on year growth.
2. Develop short-, medium- and long-term strategies to maintain engagement, retention and increase revenue with existing and prospective donors that supports our organisational strategy.
3. Design and evaluate business plans to maximise return on investment and drive continuous improvements.
4. Develop a full Philanthropy & Legacy system to review fundraising forecasts, review progress and implement quarterly tactical activation plans to recover potential losses.
5. Develop and manage annual philanthropy budgets and KPI’s in line with 5-year strategy.
6. Be a Brand ambassador ensuring that all external engagements align with the organisation’s values and messaging.

About You:

To be successful in this role, you will need:

1. Significant experience in fundraising, corporate relationship and/or high-net donor development.
2. Proven track record in implementing corporate / business / high-net donor strategy and achieving challenging targets.
3. Knowledge of a wide range of fundraising mechanisms including CRM, sponsorship, brand association and employee fundraising.
4. Building and managing stakeholder networks.
5. Ability to work within a team structure as well as independently, be creative, take initiative, be attentive to detail and possess excellent interpersonal communication skills.

Why you should apply:

Join Muslim Aid as a Philanthropy Manager and drive impactful partnerships with high-net-worth donors. You will develop relationships with existing and new donors, working with key supporters to build our national presence. Your role includes strategizing to make Muslim Aid the charity of choice for HNW individuals and collaborating on unique events that maximise major gifts. Apply now to make a transformative difference!

Benefits you will enjoy working for us: 

• 25 days annual leave + 4 additional privilege days
• Hybrid working
• Paid time off for medical appointments 
• 2 hours lunch break on Fridays 
• Workplace Pension Scheme

How to apply:

To apply please submit your cover letter (no more than 1 page) and CV. 

Leadership and Governance Officer (Maternity Cover)

Salary: £41,852 p.a. (Inc London Weighting)  

Hours of work: Full time/35 hours per week  

Contract: 12 months – Maternity Cover

Location: London Office/ Hybrid  

Job Profile 

The leadership and Governance Officer is a key role that enables CAFOD’s Leadership (the Executive Team) and Governance (the Board of trustees) teams to fulfil their remits well through sound administration, organisation, and relationship-building skills. 

The post sits at the centre of CAFOD and will have a broad overview of key issues affecting CAFOD’s work and the management mechanisms in place to address them.  The post holder will have proven experience in providing sound administrative and organisational support at a board/senior management level. This includes excellent communication and interpersonal skills with an ability to interact across different cultural settings. They will have experience in setting meeting agendas, following up on key actions and experience in forward planning with excellent project management skills to support the Board of Trustees. 

The post holder will ensure: 

• That the governance of meetings and functions in CAFOD (Board of Trustees and relevant committees) are well planned, effective and documented transparently. 

• That governance reporting requirements are fulfilled to a high quality and in a timely fashion. This includes minute-taking, serious incident reporting and follow-up actions. 

• That they keep abreast of changes in the governance environment and ensure CAFOD is following charity commission regulations appropriately, engaging with relevant Directors accordingly. 

• That key stakeholders receive a high-quality service from the small Directorate team. This includes CAFOD colleagues and supporters, Trustees, Catholic Church officials and members of the public. 

The role is part of the Governance Team, which has a broad, cross-organisational remit, working closely with CAFOD’s Directors.  

The post holder will also manage the Leadership and Governance Assistant who provides direct support to CAFOD’s Executive Director and Executive Team. Line management of this post holder is provided by the Executive Director.

Key Responsibilities 

Ensuring effective Governance (60%) 

• Acting as Secretary to the Trustees and Committees, ensuring that the annual meeting cycle (Governance Calendar) is followed, records of meetings are kept and that external submissions (e.g. the annual report, serious incidents, and other reporting) take place in a timely manner. 

• Ensuring Trustee and Trustee committee meetings are well-planned (dates, papers, agendas, attendance, etc.) and well-run (including guidance for Chair, minuting, follow-up, action tracking, etc) and that follow up actions are monitored and undertaken.

• Liaise with Trustees on governance matters, including due diligence requests, and events, planning a schedule of Trustee travel to international programmes. 

• Overseeing the recruitment and induction of trustees to CAFOD’s Board and coordinating their on-going training and development in conjunction with the Governance Lead Trustee. 

• Manage the policy review processes and document management with support from the Leadership and Governance Assistant. 

• Ensuring relevant policies come to the Board of Trustees for review in line with the schedule of reporting as outlined in the Governance Calendar. The meeting calendar dates are reviewed on an annual basis in October (so next review is October 2025). 

• To be responsible for CAFOD Trustee’s Annual Report being produced in a timely and accurate way, commissioning a consultant. 

• Liaising with the Executive Members regarding governance matters ensuring that they are able to provide relevant and accessible information in a timely manner. 

• Assist with the communication of CAFOD’s governance work with key donors, supporters and other stakeholders. 

• Working with the Governance Lead Trustee to implement any necessary improvements in CAFOD’s governance mechanisms.   

Ensuring the effective running of the Executive Team (25%)  

• Providing strategic guidance on governance issues and support to CAFOD’s Trustees and Leadership Team. 

• Managing the Governance and Leadership assistant to ensure that Executive Team meetings are well-planned (dates, papers, agendas, attendance, etc.) and well-run (including minuting, follow-up, action tracking, etc.). 

• Having a broad oversight of all critical projects and support the team to deliver its objectives on time and to budget. 

• Brief the Executive Team on matters arising as needed especially governance. 

• Process organisational grants and memberships. 

• Alongside the Governance and Leadership Assistant, maintain an overview of CAFOD’s key contacts and relationships with the Catholic Church 

Support to the Director (15%) 

• Working closely with the Executive Director in planning trustee board meetings, following up on necessary actions and ensuring that papers and other necessary information are well produced, accurate and timely. 

• When the Governance and Leadership assistant is absent, to manage the diary of the Executive Director. This includes broad insights to plan effective use of their time, including sufficient time to follow up on actions and to prepare for internal and external commitments. 

• Provide support on Budget monitoring for the team with input from the Executive Director and L&G assistant. 

• When required monitoring the ED inbox, ensuring that requests are followed up and that communications are drafted and signed off, as necessary. 

• Forward planning and ensure coordination of travel. 

• Prepare briefings and presentations for the ED when required. 

People Management 

Lead, manage, develop and support the Leadership and Governance Assistant by championing CAFOD’s purpose and values through building strong and safe working relationships, setting SMART objectives and conducting performance reviews, and nurturing staff career development.  Encouraging collaborative ways of working and aiding staff to be adaptable to change whilst engaging with the external and internal context.    

Safeguarding 

All CAFOD staff share the responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities. 

Person specification 

Understanding our context – awareness of and sympathy with CAFOD as an agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference and a commitment to international development. 

Working together – a team player who is able to get the best out of others; communicating well across cultures and levels; seeking to understand where and how problems arise and finding solutions. 

Resources – careful stewardship towards resources, always cognisant of CAFOD as a Charity; ability to prioritise and use my (and others’) time well and respectfully. 

Results – seeking feedback and continuous improvement; awareness of own development needs and taking responsibility to act on them. 

Job specific competencies 

• Experience in setting meeting agendas to make the best use of time and achieve objectives, follow up and results. 

• Experience of forward planning and ability to take a project management approach: bringing in the right people and using their contributions well. 

• Good understanding of charity governance requirements 

• Communication and interpersonal skills that enable the person to interact across different cultural settings. 

• The ability to process complex information and compose accurate minutes. 

• Collating the necessary paperwork for Trustees whilst exercising meticulous attention to detail 

• Ability to manage and organize a complex work pattern, managing competing priorities and dealing with senior-level stakeholders. 

• Ability to work with discretion and confidentiality. 

Desirable 

• Experience of working with/in a catholic church/NGO setting. 

• Being able to work in Spanish, French or Portuguese. 

• Experience in line managing others. 

• Experience in managing budgets. 

• Trustee experience.   

CAFOD is committed to being an anti-racist organisation and we are keen to increase the diversity of our teams. We are particularly keen to seek out applications from people of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. 

There's room for everyone: Catholics and non-Catholics; people of all faiths and none. We employ people in all corners of the world, of all ages and ethnicities. The result? A friendly and open-minded organisation. 

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults 

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.

Here at Action For Humanity (AFH), we are looking for a Director of Finance & Services to join us. You will join us on a full-time basis and in return you will receive a competitive annual salary of £65,000 to £70,000.

AFH is an NGO that provides aid and assistance to people affected by natural and man-made disasters. Our vision is a world of crises-resilient communities. Our mission is to mobilise and respond to emergencies and critical needs through humanitarian, development and peace-building action, helping affected communities survive, recover and build a better future.

As our Director of Finance & Services, you will be responsible to prepare, manage and implement the financial strategy, policies, procedures, and financial controls framework at AFH, as well as inputting strategically and operationally on  services including HR, Procurement and Facilities. Reporting to the CEO and sitting on the Executive Leadership Team, the Director of Finance & Services will work closely with the charity’s leaders to deliver the charity’s objectives. H/she will ensure controls are effectively in place and functional, and h/she will ensure compliance with the rules and regulations AFH is bound by as a charity.  H/she will lead the Finance team and be ultimately responsible for all Finance objectives.

Your responsibilities as our Director of Finance & Services will include the following:

1. Strategic leadership

• As an Executive Leadership Team member, the Director of Finance & Services shall assist the CEO, the AFR and Board of Trustees (BoT) in:
  • developing and implementing the financial strategy, policy and manual;
  • Ensure that investments are meeting their intended objectives, and revise the investment policy as needed to maintain alignment with goalsproviding strategic direction to the organisation through executive decision making, forecasting/budgeting and its implementation;
  •  establishing and implementing internal controls and ensuring efficient and effective financial operations as per industry and sector benchmarks.
• Attend Executive Leadership, Senior Leadership, AFR, and Board meetings, contributing and if necessary, leading them.
• Work with the CEO to develop, co-ordinate and monitor all costings for bids, projects, and core budget.

2. Stakeholder Management

• Maintain effective relationship and coordination with key stakeholders, including local, national, and global organisations, government bodies, banks, donor institutions, etc.
• Ensure independence of the Internal Audit function, the AFR and the Board from the financial operating matters.
• Liaise with partner organisations and provide the necessary leadership and technical support.

3. Compliance

• Ensure Financial and Accounting policies, procedures, and systems are in accordance with statutory regulations, industry benchmarks, and global standards, and in compliance with risk management and internal controls.
• Ensure that all accounting records are properly and timely maintained, reporting cycles and other associated engagements are successfully performed in an effective and timely manner in accordance with the regulatory and organisational requirements.
• Ensure compliance with agreements and contracts in relation to banks and external service providers.

4. Team Leadership

• Assume overall responsibility for UK & International Finance teams, and assume overall responsibility for services including   Procurement and Facilities, including necessary resourcing/recruitment, inductions, training, retention, and day to day management.
• Focusing on team members’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes for building capacities to deliver on present positions and build long term capability to shoulder additional responsibilities.
• Ensure performance management is utilised effectively for all direct reports, to reward good performance and promote a culture of accountability and merit.
• Provide support, guidance, and development to international finance staff.

5. Planning, Reporting and managing resources

• Develop, maintain and monitor the financial systems of the organisation to ensure the production of accurate & timely reports.
• Create business value through technology, ensuring tech systems and procedures lead to outcomes in line with organisational goals, and support with developing the IT and software systems used within finance and services, particularly an ERP system.
• Negotiate contracts and agreements with third parties for commercial aspects of the running AFH.
• Finalise the annual financial statements and periodic financial reports (as applicable), obtain external audit approval, and present them to the CEO, AFR Committee, and Board of Trustees for consideration and approval.Monitor and report on the overall funding status, and coordinate with stakeholders for arrangement and management of funds and grants.
• Ensure funding applications are properly prepared and AFH costs fully covered through a robust cost recovery and cross charging methodology, working with the leadership teams to interact with relevant stakeholders for these purposes.
• Conduct financial analysis and review of existing and proposed programmes, projects, and campaigns, contributing to decision making in this area. Oversee staff payroll, handling of petty cash and banking of donations, management of activity fees and credit control process

6. Other

• Perform any other task assigned by the CEO/AFR or the Board.

What we are looking for in our Director of Finance & Services:

Education

• Qualified Accountant (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA)
• Evidence of continuous professional development

Experience

• Significant experience of a senior leadership team role is essential, as well as having managed a direct team and promoting high performance
• Experience in dealing with external audit and internal audit functions
• Experience of managing change and growth
• Knowledge and experience of Charity finance would be an advantage
• A proven track record of successfully managing all aspects of an operation and delivering successful outcomes
• Experience of preparing financial statements, consolidated accounts and seeing through the audit process from start to finish
• Experience of leading services functions including HR, Procurement and Facilities

Skills

• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build great relationships with a range of external and internal stakeholders, including trustees, partners, and members
• Excellent communication skills, recognising the need to raise awareness and grow our brand and offerings through presentations to a variety of stakeholders
• Advanced ICT skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel, and Finance/Accounting software
• Flexibility and the ability to manage time effectively whilst juggling multiple tasks
• Understanding of political, business and investment climate in UK, Canada and USA
• Understanding of humanitarian and international development sector globally, particularly in relation to the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

Languages

• Strong written and spoken English (Essential)
• Strong written and spoken Arabic, Urdu, or French (Desirable) 

Benefits of joining us include:

• A salary of £65,000 to £70,000 per year depending on experience;
• 25 days’ holiday allowance + your birthday off + bank holidays;
• Matched pension contributions;
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements possible;
• Enhanced sick, maternity/paternity pay;
• Structured annual performance development review process, which informs annual salary reviews and involves training and development provision;
• EAP which includes access to free 24/7 helpline, counselling, and legal and financial advice;
• Subsidised on-site food and drinks;
• Hundreds of discounts and special offers, for shopping, dining out, joining a gym, and more;
• Modern office in central Manchester location with free parking, break out room, and prayer facilities;
• Opportunity to go on international deployment/field visits, where appropriate;
• Annual away days/retreats involving training, teambuilding, outdoor and social activities;
• Subsidised sports and social activities.

This would be an ideal role for a humanitarian sector Finance leader looking to propel their career. We are looking to appoint this role ASAP and will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis, so for the best chance of success please apply today – we would love to hear from you.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Action For Humanity also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

The Vacancy

The Programme Development Manager is committed to supporting colleagues and partners in programme design and development. The team also connects programmatic issues and global policy and advocacy to ensure they are complementary and conducive to external change based on evidence from the ground.

Saferworld’s income is secured primarily from statutory and institutional donors; however, securing funding to support our partners in conflict-affected countries and allow for more flexible programming increasingly requires a more diverse funding base. The Programme Development Manager will support efforts to identify and secure funds from statutory donors, trusts and foundations, and other non-traditional funding mechanisms.

The Programme Development Manager will support a portfolio of Saferworld’s teams in designing and mobilising funding for peace, security and justice programmes. The successful applicant will have a focus of approximately 4 countries, which will be decided based on the candidate’s experience and preference. Working closely with Country Managers/Directors, and programme and grant management colleagues, the post-holder will lead on: coordinating and facilitating programme development processes (including taking the lead in drafting high quality concept notes and proposals, theories of change, logical models, risk matrixes and budgets); developing and supporting the implementation of long-term country funding strategies and donor engagement strategies; and supporting new donor engagement and sustaining relationships with current donors. The post-holder will be responsible for growing institutional funding portfolios in our programmes.

The post-holder will have a successful track record in developing programmes and leading new business development efforts with institutional donors such as the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), United States Government (USG)/United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union (EU), UN agencies and European Governments such as Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Additional experience in mobilising resource from trusts and foundations and other non-traditional funding mechanisms is desirable.

They will have proven skills and experience in programme management and support, successful programme design processes and bid leadership.

For more information about the roles and responsibilities, person specification and any other requirements, please refer to the job document.

Saferworld reserves the right to close this vacancy early given sufficient quality applicants. We therefore encourage early applications to avoid missing out.

The Organisation

Saferworld is an international organisation dedicated to conflict prevention and peacebuilding programming, policy and practice. We collaborate with institutions and work directly with partners across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe to tackle diverse factors that drive violent conflict, injustice and insecurity. We participate in major global policy debates on peace, justice and security to influence change.

For more information about Saferworld as an organisation, our commitment to diversity and inclusion, safeguarding, interview process or staff benefits, please refer to our website or jobs page.