Urmila Selvanayagam
Rajagiriya
Summary
Seasoned Programme Funding Manager with a proven track record at Amnesty International, adept in grant management and strategic partnership development. Excelled in mobilizing resources across Asia-Pacific, leveraging skills in multicultural collaboration and economic forecasting to exceed funding targets. Demonstrates exceptional ability to navigate complex environments, fostering significant stakeholder relations.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Programme Funding Manager, Asia Pacific Region (Global Fundraising Team)
Amnesty International
04.2022 - Current
- Responsible for mobilizing resources for Human Rights initiatives and management of grants across the Asia-Pacific region (Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, China and the Pacific Islands - Fiji Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu)
- Ensuring donor requirements and compliance
- Manage and oversee all Major Grants in the Asia Pacific region including projects funded by foundations such as the Open Society Foundation, Ford Foundation, Luminate, Judith Neilson Foundation and High Net Worth individuals
- OSF Grants overseen include: Enforced Disappearances Project (South Asia), Advancing the Human Rights Agenda for South Asia (Ongoing, includes Racial Justice Project, Dignity of Sanitation Workers, Youth Engagement and Mobilization to Advance the Human Rights Agenda), Asia Justice Coalition – Myanmar (Final phase), Myanmar – Responding to Human Rights Violation, Philippines – Engaging the Justice System and Protection of Human Rights Defenders
- Developed strategies for country teams such as Indonesia, Mongolia, Thailand and Korea and regional offices (the South Asia Regional Office and the East, Southeast Asia and Pacific Regional Office)
- Foster ongoing communication with internal and external stakeholders including contractors to ensure program alignment throughout the design, launch, implementation, and exit phases
- Establish and sustain networks of stakeholders, effectively fostering strategic cooperation with diverse audiences
- Cultivate and maintain strong donor/ stakeholder relationships while overseeing comprehensive grant management processes throughout Asia
- This includes ensuring effective communication, reporting, monitoring of physical & financial progress of programmes and compliance to meet donor/ stakeholder expectations and program objectives
- Oversee work portfolios by facilitating the programme and proposal development process
- This encompasses communicating with internal and external stakeholders for proposal submissions, assisting in developing comprehensive budgets, developing compelling proposals, grant documents and processing contracts while managing other related tasks
- Support country teams to strategise holistic and effective programmes with and for indigenous, environmental and land defenders and women human rights defenders
- Programmes were designed to educate and empower human rights defenders and create an enabling environment for them to exercise their ability to claim, defend and enjoy human rights
- Supported country teams to develop projects on digital rights
- Support country teams and regional offices to develop innovative human rights projects such as the Youth Engagement Project for South Asia, Racial Justice in South Asia, Dignity and Rights of Sanitation Workers, Heatwave Impact on South Asia, Women and Girls Project – Afghanistan, Just Transition - Indonesia and the Philippines, Business and Human Rights Project – Indonesia, Addressing Human Rights Violations in Thailand, Rights of Children and Youth – Thailand, Death Penalty Abolition – Malaysia, Working with Childrens Clubs and general Human Rights Education in Malaysia
- Climate Justice Project through youth mobilization – Mongolia, Human Rights Friendly Schools Project – Mongolia, Youth powered campaigns – Taiwan
- Undertake extensive field visits to working locations in Asia to provide support to Amnesty teams and partners
- To get a sound understanding of the local context and the ground reality
- Support teams and partners to review the progress of programs and revise where necessary in line with program objectives
- Analyse the political and socioeconomic developments in Asia and prepare reports
- Facilitate capacity building of country teams to ensure the sustainability of programs
- This involves providing training, resources, and ongoing support to enhance their skills and capabilities, thereby promoting long-term program effectiveness and resilience
- Regular monitoring of the progress of implementation, identifying and reporting project risks, and providing other pertinent status updates
- Ensuring stakeholders are informed of key developments, potential challenges, and any necessary adjustments to keep the project on track
- Support teams on the evaluation processes and document lessons learnt periodically to improve/ maintain programme quality in the working locations
Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs Lead
World Vision
11.2016 - 03.2022
- Provide leadership to Strategy Development for Disaster Management with a special focus on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction
- Responsible for Grant Acquisition and Management of grants funded by USAID, the Australian Government, the EC, ECHO, JICA, the Hong Kong Government, UNICEF, IOM, WFP, Startfund UK & World Vision International for Preparedness, Relief, Recovery, Rehabilitation and Long-Term Development Programmes
- Establish partnerships with multiple stakeholders such as Government Ministries, INGO/ NGOs, UN agencies, leading Corporates, Diplomatic Missions, CSOs and faith-based organizations
- Coordination between multiple stakeholders across the country
- Lead Emergency Responses for different emergencies in complex environments, including landslides, floods, drought & the current COVID-19 response in 16 Districts
- Responsible for Cash and Voucher Programming for Emergencies and Recovery Programmes
- Leading a consortium approach to anticipatory action with Save the Children, Oxfam, ACTED, Handicap International (HI), and World Vision Lanka since December 2015
- Capacity building for World Vision staff (including senior management, department leads, and the National Disaster Management Team) and external stakeholders (government officials and local entities) through capacity-building programs on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and anticipatory action
Programme Officer – Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs
World Vision Lanka
06.2015 - 10.2016
- Grants acquisition and management of projects
- Design relief, recovery and development projects
- Establish partnerships and networking with internal and external stakeholders
- Project designing and implementation
- Support Emergency Responses
Operations Coordinator
World Vision Lanka
06.2006 - 05.2015
- Resource mobilization for long term Projects (15-20 Years)
- Design development projects
- Coordinating between 38 Programmes in Sri Lanka and the County Office, reporting and periodical Monitoring
Education
Master of Business Administration -
Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India, University of Hyderabad
IndiaSkills
- Knowledge of Grant Making and Management of Grants
- Ability to conduct research
- Skilled in analysing data to draw out patterns
- Strategic Partnership Development and stakeholder relations
- Multicultural Collaboration & effective communication
- Ability to work with diverse stakeholders in a complex, fragile, and politically sensitive environment
- Skilled in navigating complex, politically sensitive environments and fostering collaboration
- Partnership building
- Fundraising strategies
- Proposal development
- Portfolio management
- Asset allocation
- Economic forecasting
- Due diligence
Disclaimer
10/18/24, I hereby declare that the above-mentioned information is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Timeline
Programme Funding Manager, Asia Pacific Region (Global Fundraising Team)
Amnesty International
04.2022 - Current
Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs Lead
World Vision
11.2016 - 03.2022
Programme Officer – Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs
World Vision Lanka
06.2015 - 10.2016
Operations Coordinator
World Vision Lanka
06.2006 - 05.2015
Master of Business Administration -
Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India, University of Hyderabad
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