Pearl Initiative
The Programme Associate will provide grant and report writing, programmatic and administrative support to the programmes team.
The Programme Associate will report to the Programme Manager and is also expected to contribute to PI’s overall program development and contribute to and/or manage special projects outside the programme-specific scope of their responsibilities as needed. The Programme Associate will also collaborate with the remaining Programme team and together, work as a team to ensure the achievement of the programmatic objectives of the PI Vision 2025.
The Programme Associate should have the ability to professionally engage and work with key PI stakeholders in various settings, including corporate business leaders, peer organisations, and other key stakeholders across the Gulf region (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, UAE).
By joining PI at this stage, the Programme Associate will have a unique opportunity to make a real difference and take part in a game-changing private sector-led effort with a mission to advance corporate governance in the Gulf region.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
Grant writing and business development
Contribute to grant application process for government, foundation and corporate donors. • Draft concept notes, proposals, project work plans, and other supporting documentation for grant applications
Perform research on government, foundation, corporate and individual grant programs in order to evaluate potential grant opportunities.
Perform targeted research on country sectors, development initiatives and statistics to strengthen grant proposals.
Draft and edit programmatic reports and updates for donors as required by grant agreements.
Collaborate with the Program Team and Manager of Communications and Partnerships to provide stewardship to current donors by providing regular written updates, success stories and photos.
Manage and update PI’s database of partners and donors on Salesforce.
Programmatic Support
Support the Program Manager and Officer in managing programs/projects and partnerships in accordance with PI’s annual work plan and project requirements.
Provide support in key areas including report writing, compliance with grant requirements, communications, and proposal development, among others.
Coordinate and organize program-related meetings and events.
Develop PowerPoint presentations and other meeting prep materials and take notes during meetings.
Review programmatic expense reports and track budget-to-actual expenditures.
Coordinate check-in calls with affiliates and partners, draft correspondence, manage contacts, etc.
Coordinate larger projects and processes under the supervision of the Program Manager.
Administrative, Financial and Logical Support
Submission of proper supporting documents and requests for payments to finance department and filling of documents in the required formats and standards.
Support travel arrangements for PI staff, consultants and beneficiaries including making flight and hotel reservations, preparing travel authorizations, securing visas and other documents.
Administrative and logistical support to conduct meetings, conferences, workshops and training programs.
Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of project and administrative documents.
Organizational Strategy
Tasks and projects with the intent of supporting the PI Vision 2025 strategy. This includes: thank you notes, organizing board meetings, policy development, event planning, and meeting prep.
Essential Professional Qualifications, Experience and Skills
University degree required
2+ years of experience in progressively responsible administrative or programme experience related initiatives in the private sector, small businesses and entrepreneurial environments in the Gulf region.
Knowledge of corporate governance trends across the Gulf and the ability to identify new opportunities.
Excellent writing skills and a proven ability to draft proposals, reports, research results or other organisational documents with minimal supervision;
Fluent in English, including perfect ability to write content in clear, structured and compelling English
Arabic language skills preferred
Outstanding project management skills;
Strong communications and interpersonal skills.
Ability to be flexible, well organized, and work effectively on a team
Personal Attributes
To be successful in this role, you must possess the following qualities:
High energy individual who demonstrates flexibility in work priorities, capable of multi-tasking and operating efficiently and effectively across multiple areas of responsibility;
Proven ability to set priorities, work independently, be proactive, manage multiple projects and meet deadlines;
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and has a “do what it takes” mentality in order to achieve PI’s objectives;
Demonstrated capacity to exercise independent judgment and sound decision-making in the midst of diverse and complex organisational environments;
Strong team orientation, relationship-building, and negotiation skills, and ability to collaborate with diverse groups of people;
Highly organised, able to work independently, and thrives under the pressure of deadlines.
Excellent networking, communications, presentation, persuading and community building skills;
Business-focused research, data collection and analytical skills.