National Programmes Partnerships & Quality Assurance Coordinator

Position Identification

Position Title   :  National Programmes Partnerships & Quality Assurance Coordinator (PQA)

Organization       :  Islamic Relief South Africa ‘IRSA’

Location               :  South Africa – Cape Town, Johannesburg OR KwaZulu – Natal

Reports to           : Head of Programmes.

Job Purpose:

The National Programmes Partnerships & Quality Assurance Coordinator (PQA) plays a critical role in supporting the strategic objectives of Islamic Relief South Africa’s Programmes Department by strengthening programme quality, compliance, partnerships, advocacy coherence, and digitalisation of programme systems.

The role is responsible for ensuring that IRSA’s programmes and partnerships are designed, implemented, and monitored in line with organisational standards, donor requirements, humanitarian principles, and IRW frameworks. The position provides national-level coordination, technical guidance, and oversight to ensure consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement across all programme areas.

Success in this role will be measured through strengthened programme quality, effective partnerships, improved compliance, and the integration of digital and evidence-based approaches across the department.

This role holds primary responsibility for programme quality assurance, compliance, and partnership oversight, ensuring that standards, governance requirements, and partner coordination are consistently applied across all programme areas. Together with the complementary DI role, this position ensures a clear division between quality and compliance oversight (PQA) and delivery and impact oversight (DI), enabling an integrated and balanced approach to programme excellence under the leadership of the Head of Programmes.

Key Roles & Responsibilities:

Programme Quality Assurance:

• Develop, implement, and oversee programme quality assurance frameworks, tools, SOPs, and checklists across all programmes.
• Ensure programme designs, proposals, implementation plans, and reports comply with IRSA, IRW, and donor quality standards.
• Conduct quality reviews of programme documentation and implementation practices, and support corrective actions where gaps are identified.
• Support Programme Managers in embedding quality standards throughout the programme cycle.
• Coordinate internal programme reviews, evaluations, and learning processes from a quality perspective.

Partnerships Coordination & Management:

• Coordinate the identification, assessment, onboarding, and management of implementing and strategic partners.
• Lead or support partner capacity assessments, due diligence processes, and risk profiling in collaboration with MEAL, Grants, and Safeguarding teams.
• Support the development and review of partnership agreements, MOUs, and SLAs, ensuring alignment with organizational and donor requirements.
• Strengthen localization and sustainable partnerships by supporting partner capacity development and compliance.

Compliance, Risk & Governance:

• Ensure programme and partnership compliance with donor regulations, contractual obligations, and internal governance frameworks.
• Work closely with Safeguarding, Finance, MEAL, and Grants teams to identify, escalate, and mitigate programme and partnership risks.
• Support audits, donor reviews, and compliance checks related to programme quality and partnerships.
• Maintain accurate and accessible documentation related to quality assurance and partnerships for audits and reporting.

Advocacy Oversight & Strategic Engagement:

• Provide technical oversight and coordination of programme-related advocacy initiatives, ensuring alignment with IRSA strategy and programme evidence.
• Work with The National Programs Delivery & Impact Coordinator- DI and the Communications & Advocacy Team to ensure advocacy messaging is rights-based, evidence-informed, and quality assured.
• Support the identification of priority advocacy themes emerging from programme implementation, partner engagement, and quality reviews.
• Ensure advocacy initiatives are aligned with donor, national, and IRW advocacy frameworks and governance processes.

Digitalization & Systems Strengthening:

• Provide strategic oversight of the digitalization of programme quality, partnership, and compliance systems within the Programmes Department.
• Coordinate with the National Programmes Delivery & Impact Coordinator (DI), MEAL, IT, and Communications teams to ensure digital tools support quality, accountability, and learning.
• Support the rollout and use of digital tracking tools, dashboards, and systems for partnerships, quality assurance, and documentation.
• Promote digital solutions that enhance transparency, efficiency, and evidence-based decision-making.

Coordination & Internal Support:

• Work closely with the National Programmes Delivery & Impact Coordinator (DI) to ensure quality assurance frameworks are integrated into programme delivery and performance monitoring.
• Provide technical guidance and support to Regional Projects & Partnerships Coordinators and Programme Managers.
• Contribute to internal capacity building through training, mentoring, and development of guidance materials related to quality, partnerships, advocacy, and digitalization.

Reporting & Monitoring:

• Provide regular quality assurance and partnership updates to the Head of Programmes.
• Contribute to programme and donor reporting from a quality, partnerships, and compliance perspective.
• Support the documentation of lessons learned, best practices, and improvement actions across programmes.

Other:

• Travel Requirements: Willingness to travel and spend time in the field as required by the needs of the grant-funded projects,
• Ad Hoc Duties: Perform any other duties as required by the line manager, in line with the job purpose.

Key Interfaces:

• Internally: Chief Executive Officer, Head of Programmes, National Programmes Delivery & Impact Coordinator, National MEAL Manager, National Grants Manager, Regional RPPCs, Finance& support services, Safeguarding, Communications, and HR.
• Externally: Implementing Partners, NGOs, Institutional Donors, Government Stakeholders, Community Structures, Technical Consultants.

Educational Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Project Management, International Relations, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree will be an advantage.

Professional Competencies:

• Minimum 5–7 years’ experience in programme quality assurance, partnerships, compliance, or programme coordination within the NGO / humanitarian sector.
• Strong understanding of humanitarian quality standards, donor compliance, and partnership management.
• Experience working with institutional donors and implementing partners.
• Strong coordination, analytical, communication, and facilitation skills.
• Experience supporting advocacy initiatives and digital systems is an advantage.

Skills, knowledge & experience required:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong organisational and planning skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, and accountability.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and digital programme management tools.
• Willingness to travel and conduct field visits as required.

Key Islamic Relief Qualities Required:

• Excellence (Ihsan): Our actions in tackling poverty are marked by excellence in our operations and conduct which are deserving of the people we serve.
• Sincerity (Ikhlas): In responding to poverty and suffering our efforts are driven by sincerity to God and the need to fulfil our obligations to humanity
• Social Justice (Adl): Our work is founded on enabling people and institutions to fulfil the rights of the poor and vulnerable. We work to empower the dispossessed towards realising their God-given human potential and developing their capabilities and resources.
• Compassion (Rahma): We believe the protection and well-being of every life is of paramount importance and we shall join with other humanitarian actors to act as one in responding to suffering brought on by disasters, poverty and injustice.
• Custodianship (Amana): We uphold our duty of custodianship over the earth, its resources and the trust people place in us as humanitarian and development practitioners to be transparent and accountable.