Partnership Manager

ZOA is an international humanitarian organization, based in the Netherlands, providing emergency relief to people who are affected by conflicts and natural disasters. In 2026, ZOA is operating in 12 countries.

In March 2022, ZOA started an emergency program in Ukraine for Internally Displaced Persons, in Zakarpattia region, providing Multi-Purpose Cash assistance. Currently, ZOA operates in northern Ukraine (Chernihiv and Sumy regions) and southern Ukraine (Mykolaiv and Kherson regions), providing cash assistance to affected and vulnerable populations in the Shelter, WASH and Livelihood Sectors, as well as Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance/Group cash transfer.

You can learn more about us on our website https://www.zoa-international.com/ukraine

Objective of the position

The Partnership Manager is responsible for supporting and strengthening ZOA Ukraine’s national partnerships through effective partnership mapping, relationship and partnership agreement management, collaborative and partner-led organisational capacity strengthening, and compliance oversight.

The Partnerships Manager will conduct organisational capacity assessments, develop and implement tailored capacity strengthening plans, and systematically follow up on agreed support actions. The position aims to enhance the effectiveness, accountability, and sustainability of local and national partners while contributing to ZOA’s approach to locally delivered aid, and ensuring adherence to ZOA policies and back-donor requirements. The role requires a professional with proven experience in developing training materials and delivering capacity-building initiatives, as well as strong facilitation, negotiation, coaching, and training skills to effectively support partners across a wide range of organisational, programmatic, and compliance-related areas.

Main activities

Tasks, responsibilities, results

1.Partnership Strategy, Localisation and Technical Leadership

• Provide technical vision and strategic direction for partnership programming within the Ukraine humanitarian response, in line with ZOA’s Partnership Framework and localisation strategy.
• Contribute to the development, review, and implementation of ZOA’s partnership strategy, ensuring coherence across humanitarian and development programming.
• Review past partnership management approaches and integrate learning into future‑oriented partnership strategies.
• Contribute to organisational learning, advocacy priorities, and positioning related to partnerships and locally led humanitarian assistance.
• Identify and incorporate best practices and lessons learned into partnership approaches, program design, and capacity strengthening initiatives.

• Advise and train ZOA staff on partnership policies, localisation principles, and effective capacity building of local partners.

2. Partner Identification, Onboarding and Relationship Management

• Support the identification, selection, onboarding, and management of national and local partners in line with ZOA policies and donor requirements.
• Maintain effective working relationships with partners, CSOs, and volunteer groups based on transparency, accountability, and mutual trust.
• Act as the focal point for day‑to‑day partnership support, communication, and follow‑up.
• Facilitate communication, coordination, and collaboration among partners and between partners and ZOA teams.
• Represent ZOA in relevant coordination meetings, reviews, and partnership‑related forums, as required.

3. Partner Capacity Strengthening and Organisational Development

• Coordinate and conduct organisational capacity assessments for all partners using ZOA‑approved tools.
• Support partners to lead their own assessments and co‑develop tailored capacity strengthening plans with clear objectives, milestones, and deliverables.
• Coach, mentor, and support partners throughout the design, implementation, and monitoring of capacity strengthening initiatives.
• Provide technical assistance to partners on organisational development, governance, financial management, safeguarding, MEAL, compliance, and donor requirements.
• Support partners to develop, improve, or update policies, procedures, and systems.
• Identify, facilitate, and support partner training and learning initiatives linked to capacity development plans, humanitarian programming, and safety and security.
• Design, review, and assess evaluations of training activities and capacity building outcomes.

4. Partnership Oversight, Quality, Compliance and Risk Management

• Monitor partner compliance with partnership agreements, ZOA policies, procedures, and back‑donor regulations.
• Coordinate closely with program management and technical advisors, Finance and operational teams to ensure quality, accountability, and compliance.
• Support partners in meeting reporting, documentation, safeguarding, and accountability standards.
• Contribute to partnership risk analysis and mitigation planning, and escalate risks, compliance issues, and safeguarding concerns in line with ZOA procedures.
• Collaborate with civil society, governance, and development programs to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication across programming.

5. Monitoring, Reporting, Learning and Knowledge Management

• Develop partnership‑specific monitoring plans in collaboration with the MEAL team.
• In coordination with Program Managers / Manager of Programme Quality, ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of partner performance against organisational development objectives and capacity strengthening deliverables.
• Support partners in monitoring, documenting, and using data for learning and improvement.
• Facilitate learning, reflection, and experience‑sharing among partners.
• Contribute to internal and external reporting, including inputs to proposals, donor reports, periodic program reports, and success stories.
• Maintain accurate partnership records, capacity strengthening documentation, and organisational development tracking.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Line Manager, in line with the role.

Authority

• Act as the focal point for day-to-day partnership support and follow-up.
• Recommend capacity strengthening priorities and actions for local partners.

• Escalate partnership risks, compliance issues, and safeguarding concerns.

Competencies

Knowledge & Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years' experience working with local partners in humanitarian or development contexts.

• University degree in development studies, social sciences, organisational development, or a related field.

• Demonstrated experience working on civil society and governance programming and working directly with partners in Ukraine.

• Demonstrated experience in organisational capacity assessments and capacity strengthening, and training facilitation

• Ability to set targets and objectives for local partners, and being able to report on these objectives periodically.

• Strong understanding of donor compliance and partnership management.

• Professional command of spoken and written command of English. Professional command of spoken and written Ukrainian is preferred

• Excellent communication skills, approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

• Basic knowledge on M&E

• Knowledge on basic financial systems

• Excellent computer skills (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, etc)

• Experience working in complex or fragile contexts

Skills:

• Strong facilitation, training, coaching, and mentoring skills.

• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills.

• Strong analytical and documentation skills.

• Ability to work pro-actively, independently, and collaboratively with diverse stakeholders;

• Strong management skills, technical & supervisory skills and experience required;

• Managing diverse and multi-disciplinary teams, including managing at distance/remotely;

• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is required;

• Experience in sub-grant design, negotiation, and administration is required;

• Adequate understanding of donor requirements and regulations is required;

Attitude:

• Flexibility and adaptability;

• Interpersonal and cross-cultural sensitivity;

• Able to work under pressures and meet deadlines;

• Able to work in a sometimes fluid and insecure environment.

Special requirements

• Based in ZOA Ukraine’s head office in Kyiv.

• Regular field travel throughout Ukraine (ZOA and partner field offices and operations) required.