POSITION: Senior Desk Officer
DEPARTMENT: International Development Foundation, ILCU
REPORTING TO: Programmes Director
The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) International Department seeks to recruit a Senior Desk Officer based in Dublin.
We offer a competitive salary and benefits including opportunities for additional training and career progression. This position includes a hybrid working environment, where there is the requirement to attend our office in Dublin at least two days per week after initial training and based on our business requirements. This is a permanent position.
Main purpose of Job:
The Senior Desk Officer will be responsible for providing programme coordination and support for the Foundation’s major programme in Sierra Leone, the Credit Union Growth & Sustainability programme. This role serves as the primary link between international country partners and Dublin Head Office and our donors.
Background:
Our Vision: Financial inclusion for all
Our Purpose: To reduce poverty by supporting an environment where financial cooperatives and their members thrive.
Our Mission: To support the sustainable development of financial cooperatives from the local to national level through collaborating internationally.
Our Values: Community – Sustainability – Partnership
Where We Came FromIn the 1950s and 1960s, financial cooperatives in the US and Canada supported the development of the credit union movement in Ireland. The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) established the Foundation in the late 1980s, as a conduit for Irish credit unions to support the development of strong, sustainable financial cooperatives movements that provide access to affordable financial services - embodying the principle of cooperation among cooperatives.
What We DoWe share the Irish Credit Union experience to support the development of financial cooperative movements. We provide financial and technical expertise, we create structures and frameworks that allow financial cooperatives to grow and thrive, and to build financial inclusion. We work closely with local partners and key stakeholders, collaborating to support strong sustainable financial cooperatives that meet local needs. We provide a hand-up rather than a handout.
What Makes Us Distinctive As the international development arm of the ILCU, our unique story and lifelong engagement with the credit union family sets us apart from other charities. We know the important role credit unions play providing access to affordable financial services within communities and workplaces. We use the vast expertise and skills within the Irish movement and share this knowledge to help others. We stand apart as a trusted and community-driven organisation, we are people helping people.
Sierra Leone: Credit Union Growth and Sustainability programme
ILCUF has supported the Sierra Leonean movement since 2010 and Irish Aid have been providing funding since 2015. Over this period, two substantial 3-year programmes funded by Irish Aid and the Irish credit unions, have taken the credit union movement from a very low base from the end of the Ebola crisis to a more performant movement, despite the headwinds of Covid and the cost-of-living crisis arising from the Ukraine war. To-date, as part of the aid programme, ILCUF Ltd in Sierra Leone provides most of the credit union support services which would typically be provided by a Credit Union Apex body.
ILCUF recently secured Irish Aid funding for the next phase of the development of the Sierra Leonean credit union movement. The Irish Credit Unions are also funding this next phase. This new strategic programme is called Credit Union Growth & Sustainability and runs for 5 years through to 2029. It is focused on 3 outcomes: (i) Safe & Sound CUs, (ii) Growth, (iii) CU Movement Capacity Building. The new programme has a strong focus on transitioning service delivery from ILCUF Ltd to NaCCUA (the representative Apex body for CUs in Sierra Leone) and supporting NaCCUA to raise funds from its member credit unions and other funding sources. The programme recognises the importance of local commitment and ownership, underpinned by a sustainable financial model. The programme is now mobilised with extensive planning and engagement of the local Sierra Leonean teams (including local ILCUF Ltd staff and staff of NACCUA).
Main duties
Programme Coordination:
Coordinate all aspects of the Credit Union Growth & Sustainability programme, working with local Sierra Leonean partners to help ensure that all programme elements and components are delivered on time, within scope and budget. This includes aspects such as general coordination, quality control, planning, resourcing, financial reporting, monitoring and evaluation, identification and management of issues, risks, dependencies.
Support and facilitate the ongoing localisation of the programme and the transition from ILCUF Ltd to NaCCUA; yearly planning and budgeting, regular programme and project reporting and reviews to be led by the Sierra Leonean team with guidance from the Dublin team.
Develop partnership agreements with local partners in Sierra Leone and oversee their delivery.
Support capacity building initiatives for NaCCUA in areas such as Organisational Management (e.g., Governance, HR Management), Programme Planning & Delivery, Financial Management (e.g., Procurement, Financial Reporting), Marketing & Communications, leveraging other experts in the Foundation or wider Irish or International credit union movement as needed.
Support monthly and quarterly meetings with country partners to track progress against plans (and results frameworks) and budgets (actual v. planned expenditure).
Ensure minutes of meetings record agreed time-bound actions and decisions, shared with all relevant stakeholders.
Conduct overseas monitoring visits to key Foundation projects if/when required.
Oversee programme impact assessments, engaging and retaining 3rd parties as needed.
Own and manage the development of donor Results Frameworks and Budgets, coordinating with Sierra Leonean partners to ensure strong alignment with programme and project plans.
Lead and manage donor reporting and liaison requirements to a high standard, including ensuring that an effective monitoring and evaluation system is in place; this includes annual donor reporting and periodic updates and exchanges to accommodate needed programme changes.
Liaise with and support partners on a regular basis, facilitating the flow of accurate and timely information, including the completion of reporting templates, between country partners and Foundation HQ.
Monitoring of programme expenditure on a monthly basis, using information from the country partners and Dublin-based Finance & Compliance Officer to monitor spend, and review cost forecasts.
Support colleagues in ensuring that partners are delivering in compliance with contractual terms and conditions (e.g., procurements, movements across budget lines and also delivering in compliance with policies (e.g., safeguarding, fraud etc.)).
Ensure all expenditure by country partners is pre-approved and fully accounted for with the necessary documentation, as per the Foundation’s and donor policies and procedures and based on guidance from the Finance & Compliance Officer.
Ensure all programme documentation is recorded and filed, with individual Donor files (including proposal applications, contracts, submitted reports and donor email communications) maintained for co-funded projects.
Develop a calendar of key dates (e.g., report due dates etc.) and share this with the country partners and the Foundation team; this will include allocation of responsibilities and ‘lead-in’ times for report development.
Proposal development:
· Lead development of new project proposals through analysis of results and wider desk research, coordinating input from key stakeholders,
· Proposal writing (logic models, results frameworks) and editing.
Administration:
· Ensure adherence with ILCUF policies, processes and systems.
· Lead procurements for 3rd party support where needed (including development of Terms of Reference, Calls for Expressions of Interests / Tenders as required, selection and contracting).
· Support the development and revision of key Foundation policies.
· Attend internal ILCUF monthly programme meetings and quarterly staff meetings.
· Represent ILCUF at external meetings as required.
· Undertake other tasks related to the ILCUF’s activities as required.
· Supporting colleagues to conduct due diligence assessments with partners (when necessary)
Essential:
A third level qualification in a relevant discipline such as Development Studies, Law, Sociology, Business Administration, Finance or Economics. A Master’s degree would be an asset.
Significant experience with an international development organisation, ideally overseas.
Proven project management experience, preferably in a non-profit, credit union and / or development-focused organization.
Experience in monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
Proficient in preparing budgets and tracking actual expenditure against plans & budgets.
Proficient in reviewing financial information (expenditure reports, cost projections etc.) and programme and project financial analysis using Microsoft Excel.
Experience in proposal development, report writing and grant management.
Research experience with a demonstrated ability to turn research findings into actionable project components.
Experience in stakeholder management and development.
Enthusiastic and flexible work attitude; an ability to work productively in a multi-cultural, team and independently; prepared to work outside normal working hours if needed.
Strong organisational and administrative skills, with excellent attention to detail.
An ability to multi-task and work proactively.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written).
Familiar with full suite of MS Office apps: Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint etc.
Willingness to travel overseas to developing countries for short visits if/when required.
Desirable:
· Past experience working in international microfinance/credit union development.
· Commitment to and familiarity with the principles and ethos of the credit union movement.
To apply for this role please submit your CV and cover letter detailing your suitability and interest in the role
Closing date for applications is 14th June 2025
First Round Interviews will take place on 19th / 20th June, subject to candidate availability
The Irish League of Credit Unions Foundation is an equal opportunities employer.
The ILCU International Development Foundation is registered in Ireland, registered charity number 20024314.