Senior Partnership Governance & Engagement Lead (SPGEL)

Overall Purpose of the Job

The Partnership Governance & Engagement Lead (SPGEL) provides leadership and oversight of partnership governance, partner accountability, stakeholder engagement, and partnership effectiveness across the EKN Regional Programme.

Reporting to the Senior Project Director (SPD), the role is responsible for ensuring that partnership governance structures, partnership arrangements, Country Advisory Committees, and stakeholder engagement mechanisms operate effectively and contribute to a high performing, accountable, and collaborative regional programme.

The SPGEL serves as the primary focal point for partnership coordination and partner relationship management, ensuring that partnership members, governments, civil society organisations, community representatives, and other key stakeholders remain aligned around programme objectives, governance requirements, implementation priorities, and shared results.

The role complements the responsibilities of the Senior Project Director by providing leadership and operational oversight of partnership governance, partner accountability, stakeholder engagement, and partnership effectiveness, while the SPD retains overall accountability for programme strategy, donor stewardship, strategic partnerships, executive government engagement, localisation, sustainability, executive governance, and overall partnership performance.

The role works closely with the Project Director (PD), who is accountable for programme delivery, implementation performance, country support, operational management, and delivery excellence. While the PD focuses on programme execution and achievement of results, the SPGEL ensures that governance structures, partnerships, stakeholder relationships, and partnership accountability mechanisms effectively support programme delivery and strategic objectives.

The role also collaborates closely with the Senior Project & Coordination Manager (SPCM), who leads Programme Management Office (PMO) functions, including integrated planning, reporting coordination, action tracking, governance support, work plan management, and knowledge management.

The SPGEL plays a critical role in fostering collaboration, trust, transparency, accountability, and effective decision-making across a complex regional partnership operating across multiple countries and stakeholder groups.

The position is responsible for the management, strengthening, and effectiveness of partnership and implementation partnerships and supports localisation and sustainability objectives through strong partnership practices and stakeholder engagement. The role does not hold accountability for programme delivery, operational performance, donor stewardship, strategic partnership acquisition, or executive government relations.

Key Performance Areas

KPA 1: Partnership Governance and Accountability (25%)

Purpose

Provide leadership and oversight of partnership governance structures, accountability mechanisms and partnership agreements to ensure effective partnership performance and donor compliance.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the establishment, implementation and continuous improvement of partnership governance structures.
• Coordinate Steering Committees, governance forums, technical committees and partnership coordination mechanisms.
• Ensure governance arrangements are transparent, inclusive, and effective and aligned with programme objectives and donor expectations.
• Maintain governance frameworks, policies, terms of reference and accountability mechanisms.
• Ensure governance decisions are documented, communicated, tracked and implemented.
• Monitor governance effectiveness and recommend improvements where required.
• Support the SPD in maintaining effective partnership governance and accountability structures.

KPA 2: Partnership Management, Collaboration and Partnership Effectiveness (20%)

Purpose

Promote strong, effective and accountable relationships across partnership members to ensure collaborative programme implementation and achievement of shared objectives.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead day-to-day management of partnership relationships.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, trust, transparency, accountability and shared ownership.
• Support partner on boarding, orientation and integration into programme structures.
• Facilitate collaboration, coordination and problem solving across partnership.
• Monitor partner participation and engagement within partnership structures.
• Support resolution of partnership challenges and disputes.
• Monitor partner compliance with partnership agreements, governance obligations and partnership commitments.
• Facilitate corrective actions where commitments are not being met.
• Monitor partnership health, effectiveness and collaboration quality.

KPA 3: Stakeholder Engagement, Country Advisory Committees and Community Participation (20%)

Purpose

Strengthen stakeholder engagement, community participation and external collaboration to support programme accountability, relevance and sustainability.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead stakeholder mapping, engagement planning and relationship management.
• Lead establishment, operationalisation and strengthening of Country Advisory Committees (CACs).
• Ensure CACs are representative, functional and aligned with programme objectives.
• Facilitate communication between CACs, programme leadership, partnership partners and stakeholders.
• Promote meaningful participation by government, civil society, AGYW, KP and community representatives.
• Support implementation of community-led and participatory governance approaches.
• Ensure stakeholder feedback informs governance processes and programme decision-making.
• Represent the programme in stakeholder and technical forums as delegated.

KPA 4: Localisation, Capacity Strengthening and Sustainability (15%)

Purpose

Support localisation, partner development and sustainable systems strengthening across partnership partners and stakeholder structures.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead partner capacity assessment processes.
• Identify and coordinate governance, management and organisational strengthening initiatives.
• Facilitate partner development and capacity-strengthening activities.
• Promote peer learning, knowledge exchange and collaborative learning.
• Support local partner leadership and institutional strengthening.
• Support implementation of localisation and sustainability strategies.
• Promote increasing participation and leadership of local organisations and community structures.
• Support long-term partnership sustainability and resilience.

KPA 5: Partnership Risk Management and Ethical Accountability (10%)

Purpose

Monitor and mitigate governance, partnership and stakeholder risks that may affect programme performance, reputation and accountability.

Key Accountabilities

• Maintain oversight of governance, partnership and stakeholder risks.
• Identify emerging political, partner, community and governance risks.
• Develop and monitor mitigation plans in collaboration with programme leadership.
• Escalate significant governance and partner risks appropriately.
• Support resolution of governance and partnership disputes.
• Promote safeguarding, ethical conduct, transparency and accountability across partnership relationships.

KPA 6: Partnership Communications, Coordination and Knowledge Sharing (10%)

Purpose

Promote effective communication, coordination and knowledge sharing across partnership members and programme stakeholders.

Key Accountabilities

• Ensure effective communication across governance structures and partnership.
• Coordinate dissemination of governance decisions, actions and key updates.
• Support alignment and information sharing across countries and partnership members.
• Promote knowledge exchange and collaborative learning platforms.
• Support development of partnership reports, governance updates and stakeholder communications.
• Strengthen visibility and understanding of partnership commitments and achievements.

Key Deliverables

• Effective partnership governance structures and decision-making processes.
• A cohesive and well-functioning regional partnership.

Strong partner accountability and collaboration.

High-performing Country Advisory Committees.

Strong stakeholder, government, and civil society engagement.

Effective partner capacity strengthening and partnership development.

Successful implementation of localisation and sustainability initiatives.

Effective management of partnership and governance risks.

Strong partnership communications and stakeholder coordination.

High levels of partner engagement, trust, and satisfaction.

Accountability

Owns

• Partnership governance structures
• Partnership relationships
• Partnership accountability mechanisms
• Country Advisory Committees
• Stakeholder engagement frameworks
• Community participation processes
• Localisation support initiatives
• Partner capacity strengthening
• Governance and partnership risk monitoring
• Partnership communications and coordination

Does Not Own

• Programme strategy
• Programme delivery
• Country implementation management
• Work plan management
• PMO systems
• Donor relationship management
• Resource mobilisation
• Executive government relations
• Programme budgeting and expenditure management
• Programme performance management

Qualifications, Experience and Competencies

Must-Have

• Master's degree in Public Health, International Development, Governance, Public Administration, International Relations, Social Sciences, Law, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum 10–12 years of progressively senior experience managing partnerships, partnerships, stakeholder engagement, or complex multi-stakeholder programmes.
• Demonstrated experience managing donor-funded regional or multi-country programmes.
• Experience leading partnership governance structures and partnership management processes.
• Experience working with governments, development partners, civil society organisations, and international NGOs.
• Strong experience facilitating multi-stakeholder collaboration and strategic partnerships.
• Experience supporting localisation, sustainability, and systems strengthening initiatives.
• Excellent negotiation, diplomacy, and relationship management skills.
• Experience operating within politically and culturally diverse environments.

Core Competencies

• • Partnership Governance
• • Partnership Management
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Strategic Relationship Management
• Government Relations
• Negotiation and Diplomacy
• Facilitation and Consensus Building
• Strategic Communication
• Risk Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Localisation and Sustainability
• Political Acumen
• Influence and Collaboration
• Leadership and Team Development
• Strategic Thinking
• Decision Making
• Change Management
• Cultural Intelligence

Reporting and Team Structure

Reports To: Senior Project Director (SPD)

Key Working Relationships:

• Project Director (PD)
• Donors and Development Partners

Senior Project & Coordination Manager (SPCM)

Country Leadership Teams

Partnership Partners

Government Stakeholders

Strategic Information Team

Finance Team

Grants & Compliance Team

HR Team

Advocacy Team

Technical Leadership Team

Working Conditions

• • Full‑time role
• • Regular travel required across sub‑Saharan Africa and occasionally internationally

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
• Comprehensive benefits (health, retirement, leave)
• Opportunities for growth, leadership, and professional development