Partnerships and Grants Officer

Reports to: Head of Partnerships and Resource Mobilization (PRM)
Location: Damascus, Syria (with frequent travel to Aleppo office)

Purpose of the position

Under the guidance of the Head of Partnerships and Resource Mobilization (PRM) and ICARDA Syria Country Coordinator and working within the Partnerships and Grants Unit (PGU), the Partnerships and Grants Officer supports the design, development, and management of ICARDA’s partnerships and resource mobilization activities in Syria. The role focuses on identifying and cultivating relationships with donors and partners, coordinating the full cycle of proposal development, ensuring compliance with donor requirements in on-going grants, and contributing to the effective implementation of ICARDA’s partnership and resource mobilization strategy.

The incumbent will work closely with PGU colleagues, the ICARDA Syria country team, research teams, Finance, and Communications Units to ensure ICARDA’s partnership portfolio is strategically aligned, efficiently managed, and positioned for sustainable growth in line with ICARDA’s mission.

About ICARDA                                                                                                      

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a treaty-based international non-profit research organization supported by the Center for Global International Agriculture Research (CGIAR).  
ICARDA’s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, as well as environmental health in the face of global challenges including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development and capacity development that take into account gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organization, other CGIAR Research Centers, and the private sector. ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For more information: www.icarda.org .

Main responsibilities           

Partnership Development and Donor Engagement

·        Build and maintain effective relationships with existing and potential partners, ensuring timely and accurate responses to donor and partner inquiries.

·        Support the development and updating of donor landscapes and funding strategies, including preparation of donor briefs, partnership summaries, and communication materials.

·        Contribute to strengthening and expanding ICARDA’s network of partners and collaborators across Syria and thematic areas.

·        Collaborate with PGU and the Communications Unit on the development of tailored partnership materials and event briefings.

·        Conduct desk research and analysis to identify and assess potential partners and donors (bilateral, multilateral, philanthropic, and private sector).

·        Ensure accurate and up-to-date records of partnership interactions and donor profiles in ICARDA’s SharePoint system.

Resource Mobilization and Proposal Development

·        Support and coordinate the full cycle of proposal development, from concept note to final submission, ensuring alignment with ICARDA and CGIAR priorities and donor requirements.

·        Lead or assist in identifying, tracking, and summarizing funding opportunities (including calls for proposals) and communicating them to research and country teams.

·        Support proposal development through drafting sections, compiling administrative documentation, and coordinating inputs from internal teams.

·        Ensure quality assurance and consistency of proposal packages, including logical frameworks, budgets, and deliverables.

·        Maintain an organized database of proposals, submissions, and results, and provide regular analytical reports to management.

·        Assist in improving PGU systems and processes related to proposal design and submission.

Grants, Contracts, and Compliance

·        Support the drafting, review, and management of partnership agreements and sub-grant arrangements in collaboration with PGU, Finance, Legal, and project teams.

·        Ensure compliance with donor and ICARDA policies throughout the grant lifecycle—from signing to closure.

·        Monitor and communicate updates to donor regulations and support their integration into internal policies and procedures.

·        Liaise with donors and partners to facilitate reporting, amendments, and contractual communications.

·        Support internal and external audits, ensuring timely submission of accurate grant-related information and documentation.

Systems, Data, and Knowledge Management

·        Maintain ICARDA’s donor and partner databases (CRM, SharePoint, UBW) to ensure accuracy, consistency, and accessibility of information.

·        Support the integration of digital tools and new systems to enhance efficiency in resource mobilization and partnership workflows.

·        Contribute to institutional knowledge management by documenting lessons learned and best practices in partnership and proposal management.

·        Generate periodic reports and analyses on partnership activities, donor pipelines, and funding trends.

Institutional Coordination and Capacity Strengthening

·        Collaborate with program leaders, finance, and country managers to strengthen institutional coordination on donor engagement and proposal planning.

·        Support internal training and coaching of staff on partnership development, proposal writing, and donor compliance.

·        Contribute to the implementation of the CGIAR-wide partnership, advocacy, and resource mobilization frameworks.

·        Support ICARDA’s participation in CGIAR and partner initiatives, events, and joint fundraising activities.

Requirements

Education, qualifications, and experience

·        Master’s degree (preferred) or a Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Business Administration, Agricultural Economics, Political Science, or related field.

·        Knowledge and experience of the agriculture sector in Syria.

·        Extensive experience (ideally 10-15 years) covering partnership management, donor relations, proposal development, or resource mobilization within an international research or development organization at a senior level.

·        Proven experience in coordinating and developing donor-funded proposals and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships.

·        Demonstrated established donor network.

·        Solid understanding of donor rules and compliance (e.g., FAO, EU, BMZ and international foundations).

·        Fluency in English and Arabic with strong writing and communication skills.

·        Strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a multicultural environment.

·        A self-starter who is comfortable working remotely with minimal support.

Benefits

Terms of appointment, salary, and benefits

The successful candidate will be offered a 6-month consultancy contract on a full-time basis, renewable subject to continued need for the position, availability of funding and satisfactory performance. The Incumbent will be provided with a monthly honorarium.

Please be advised that ICARDA accepts applications only in English, as per the organization's standard communication language. Applications in other languages will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.