CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3: The post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Partnership Coordinator (Consultant) will support Save the Children in identifying, assessing, and onboarding suitable local partners for the flood recovery response. Following the launch of an Expression of Interest (EOI), the consultant will lead the technical and compliance evaluations of applicant organisations — including organisational capacity, due diligence, and risk assessments — and make recommendations for partnership engagement in line with Save the Children’s Partnership Principles and localization strategy. This role will also contribute to strengthening the overall partnership framework by documenting lessons learned and supporting the development of capacity-strengthening plans for selected partners.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

• Type: Short-term Consultancy
• Level: National / Technical
• Travel: Required to field locations (Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
• Budget responsibilities: None directly; oversight of quality and completeness of partner evaluation processes
• Key internal contacts: Operations, Awards, Finance, MEAL, Supply Chain, and Technical Sector Leads
• Key external contacts: Partner organizations, local NGOs, CSOs, and relevant coordination forums

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1. Partner Identification and Evaluation

Coordinate the full evaluation process for potential partners responding to the Expression of Interest (EOI)

Conduct desk reviews and field verification of applicants’ documentation, experience, governance, and technical capacities

Facilitate organizational capacity assessments (OCAs), due diligence checks, and risk analyses for shortlisted organizations.

Prepare evaluation reports and scoring summaries to inform partnership selection decisions

Ensure transparent, fair, and compliant evaluation procedures in line with SCI’s Partnership and Sub-Award Management policies

2. Compliance and Risk Management

Coordinate with Awards, Finance, and Supply Chain teams to ensure partner vetting and due diligence are completed before contracting.

Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all partner evaluation documentation.

Identify risk areas and propose mitigation measures for each potential partnership.

Ensure all recommendations are aligned with donor and SCI compliance frameworks, safeguarding, and anti-fraud requirements.

3. Capacity Strengthening and Localization

• Identify strengths and gaps in partners’ organizational systems and propose capacity-strengthening priorities
• Contribute to the development of tailored capacity-building plans for selected partners post-selection
• Support the Partnerships & Localization team to document lessons and improve SCI’s partner engagement processes
• Promote SCI’s localization objectives by ensuring local actors’ perspectives and capacities are central to the evaluation process

4. Coordination, Learning and Reporting

• Coordinate closely with relevant technical leads and field offices to validate partner capacities and geographic relevance
• Participate in internal review and selection panel meetings
• Prepare concise progress updates, findings summaries, and final evaluation reports
• Support documentation of partnership mapping, lessons learned, and good practices for future partnership cycles

DELIVERABLES:

1. Partner Evaluation Framework: Adapted or refined tools for scoring, assessing, and verifying EOI applicants (including evaluation matrix, interview guides, and reporting templates)
2. Partner Evaluation Reports: Completed assessment and due diligence reports for each EOI respondent, including recommendations and risk classifications
3. Partner Selection Summary: Consolidated evaluation summary and partner shortlist report, including justifications and capacity analysis
4. Capacity Strengthening Inputs: Draft capacity development priorities for shortlisted partners, feeding into the Partnership Capacity Strengthening Plan
5. Final Consultancy Report: Synthesis of findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for improving partner evaluation and onboarding processes in future responses

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for save the children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

Essential:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in partnership management, due diligence, or capacity assessments in INGOs or UN settings.
• Demonstrated experience conducting organizational assessments or compliance reviews of local NGOs
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills, with ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative findings
• Good understanding of localization and risk management frameworks
• Fluency in English and Urdu; ability to conduct interviews in local languages (Punjabi or Pashto) preferred

Desirable:

• Prior experience with Save the Children’s Partner Assessment or Due Diligence (PADD) tools
• Knowledge of humanitarian coordination mechanisms and civil society networks in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Background in grant or sub-award management

Additional job responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

CONSULTANCY TERMS:

• Duration: 3–6 months (extendable based on funding and performance)
• Payment: Based on satisfactory completion of deliverables and approved timesheets
• Reporting: Reports to the Operations Manager, with technical guidance from the Head of Partnerships & Localization
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid – Islamabad-based with field visits to Punjab and KP as required

Equal Opportunities:

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety:

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Save the Children has zero tolerance towards Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Fraud, Bribery and Corruption.