Humanitarian Funding Officer - Global

Starting Salary: £ 35,703 - £37,210 (including London Weighting)

Contract: Permanent

Location: London (Hybrid or Flexible working options are available)

Job Profile

The Humanitarian Funding Officer (HFO) Global has a remit to contribute to the delivery of effective and high quality humanitarian assistance to new and ongoing humanitarian crises. The role has a global remit although the primary focus is expected to be Africa. As part of CAFOD’s Emergency Response Group - Humanitarian Funding Team- the HFO provides technical advice and programme support to humanitarian and programme staff and partners in developing high quality proposals and programmes, whilst ensuring CAFOD and its partners obtain significant institutional donor funding for its humanitarian work. The HFO will develop, maintain and strengthen our relationship with key donors. A key component of this role is to be a part of CAFOD's Emergency Response Group - Humanitarian Funding Team – providing remote support to country teams carrying out our humanitarian responses as well carrying out contract management and liaising with institutional donors. This role will work closely with the Humanitarian Funding Team Leader, Humanitarian Funding Officer – Global focus Asia, Middle East and Latin America, and the Senior Emergency Response Manager Africa (SERMA). The Humanitarian Funding Officer (HFO) Global is line-managed by the Humanitarian Funding Team Leader, based in London. 

Key Responsibilities 

Emergency Response & Institutional Funding

• To function as the London focal point for specific CAFOD programmes during their planning and development of high quality institutionally funded humanitarian programmes and projects, particularly for Europe based donors.
• Work in collaboration with programme staff to monitor new and chronic humanitarian crises, to make recommendations for funding opportunities and support corporate decision making on responses to these crises.
• To proactively identify funding opportunities and provide proposal development and contract management support for programmes and projects; particularly in countries where CAFOD does not have a funding officer. The primary focus is likely to be Africa.
• To identify and manage funding applications to institutional donors, including but not limited to FCDO, ECHO, the DEC and the START network.
• To ensure that staff and partner organisations included in funding applications, are aware of donor requirements and compliance, and advise on appropriate systems that may be required to ensure these are met.
• Work with programmes staff, as well as CAFOD’s programme accountants, to develop budgets and ensure plans are in place for effective monitoring of budgets, compliant with donor requirements.
• To provide technical support and guidance to programme staff and where necessary build the capacity of local partners on programme development, proposal writing and monitoring and evaluation.
• To work with CAFOD Country Offices to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of institutionally funded programmes, complete and review donor narrative and budget reports, check they are of a high quality and compliant with donor requirements, produced in a timely manner and lead submission when appropriate.
• To take responsibility for establishing, maintaining and strengthening relationships with humanitarian donors (particularly those UK/Europe based) and create opportunities to share CAFOD’s programme expertise with donors.
• To proactively research and scope new donors and funding opportunities and take responsibility as donor lead and / or thematic lead within the team for selected donor/s and thematic areas, including on thematic working groups and driving forward donor engagement strategies.
• To support the implementation of the Humanitarian Funding Action Plan, the Humanitarian Strategy and the CAFOD Institutional Funding Strategy.
• To be available for short term surge deployments if necessary, in support of proposal development and grant management. 

Programme quality, systems and standards

• Support the implementation and maintenance of internal systems and processes to ensure accurate data capture.
• Promote compliance with sectoral and humanitarian standards on accountability and programme quality, including the Red Cross Code of Conduct, SPHERE standards and compliance with CHS on accountability.
• Engage with the External Communications team on new institutionally funded projects, ensuring that communication materials are accurate and compliant with donor requirements/restrictions.
• To collaborate with other staff in promoting systems and standards of Programme Cycle Management. 

Representation, communication and teamwork

• To keep abreast of donor policy developments and represent CAFOD in relevant funding groups / networks. This includes working closely with the Head of Humanitarian Policy and engaging Humanitarian Financing groups /networks.
• To liaise with and if relevant, coordinate, country-based programme development and funding officers, and country offices regarding possible regional or joint programme funding opportunities.
• To collaborate with other staff in sharing and promoting effective communication channels for information and learning across the international programme. This will include all members of the Humanitarian Funding Team and the Institutional Funding Community of Practice.
• As prioritised by the Humanitarian Funding Team Leader, represent CAFOD at interagency fora and build, strengthen relationships with donors, Caritas Internationalis sister agencies and non-Caritas partner organisations, to promote and support coordinated humanitarian responses. 

This list of duties and responsibilities is by no means exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as required. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification. 

Safeguarding

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

Your role is responsible for ensuring that the programming work you are accountable for is safe, accessible, dignified and inclusive, providing ongoing support and follow-up to our partners in this area. 

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. This post involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, or has responsibility for people who will do, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues.  If based in the UK the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).  If the post is based outside the UK the post holder will be subject to a different checking process. 

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 his/her understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures. 

Person Specification 

Essential Criteria 

Understanding our context

A Understanding Catholic identity: knowledge and understanding of the role, life and culture of the Catholic Church in relief and Development work

B Understanding CAFOD: Understanding CAFOD’s vision, mission and values and how they work

C Understanding international development and humanitarian aid; substantial experiences working in overseas development and the humanitarian sector; Experience of working with and/or commitment to humanitarian standards.       

Working together

D Managing ourselves: able to work proactively on own initiative and supportively within a team. Willingness to learn. 

E Working with others: supports a culture of mutual respect and able to work comfortably with national and international partners; Experience of supporting and building the capacity of partners and other staff

F Communicating: fluent written and spoken English. Ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels. 

G Looking outwards: builds cooperative, professional relationships with donors. 

Making change happen

H Managing resources: ability to prepare and monitor budgets, assess the appropriateness of financial systems and ensure compliance, knowledge and understanding of financial management tools.

I Achieve results: experience of developing successful funding applications for institutional donors; particularly humanitarian donors; Experience of participatory project design and use of analytical tools

J Managing our performance: experience of developing and implementing monitoring systems to track the effectiveness of programmes

K Taking the lead: experience of leading processes such as proposal development, guiding people and leading discussions. 

Job-specific competencies

1. Flexibility and ability and willingness to travel (up to 30-40% of the time) sometimes at short notice
2. Have a sound understanding of humanitarian funding, trends and best practice in the sector
3. Experience of writing proposals and reporting for institutional donors including budget development and analysis
4. Experience of compliance and contract management for institutionally funded humanitarian projects.
5. Experience of reviewing and analysing financial reports
6. Understanding of the principles of Project Cycle Management and logframes 

Desirable Criteria

1. Knowledge of French
2. Understanding and experience in at least one of these sectors; WASH, Shelter, Protection, Cash
3. Experience of Cash Programming
4. Experience of supporting and building the capacity of partners and other staff

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to child protection.

This role will be recruited on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to close it prior to the closing date. Previous candidates need not apply