Job Description

Position Title:

Orphans Officer

Organisation:

Islamic Relief South Africa

Location:

Cape Town, South Africa

Reports to:

Donor Care and Orphans Co-ordinator

Line Management Responsibilities:

None

Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief South Africa (IRSA) is an independently registered NGO affiliated to Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), the world's largest, independent Muslim humanitarian organisation. Islamic Relief's mission is to help the poor and those in need regardless of race, colour, political affiliation, gender or belief to live sustainable, self-reliant lives within safe and caring communities.

Purpose of Department

To develop and implement strategies to increase the funding income of Islamic Relief through a range of fundraising initiatives and through acquisition and retention of donors, volunteers and supporters.

Purpose of Position

This is a vital supporter-facing role, providing an excellent level of service to Islamic Relief's donors in line with the standard defined. This involves handling both general and orphans related enquiries (in all formats), the administration of South Africa orphans one to one sponsorship program and maintaining donor records on the database, ensuring that information held is accurate, securely, appropriate and up-to-date.

Key Interfaces

Regular liaison with line manager and colleagues in the donor care and finance team to ensure that the duties of the department are fulfilled effectively

Working closely with the Orphans and Child Welfare Dept at Islamic Relief Worldwide and Child Welfare Officers in the field offices to ensure support of OCW program

Regular liaison within all departments to ensure One to One Orphans Sponsorship program is being promoted to agreed standards

Communicate effectively with donors on Orphans related work

Communicate with all fund development team.

Scope and Authority :

Reporting to the Donor Care and Orphans Co-ordinator the Orphans Officer has the responsibility for the administration of the One to One Orphans Sponsorship program in the South Africa office, maintaining and updating accurate donor records on the relationship management database software and Al Yateem database, supporting the implementation of processes agreed within the Fund Development Department and progressing with activities assigned by the Donor Care and Orphans Co-ordinator within agreed criteria but without further reference.

This role is responsible for ensuring that data on relationship management database software and AlYateem is accurate, updated and accessible. The job holder also has responsibility for maintaining email, paper and electronic filing system relating to Orphans related work.

Key Accountabilities

The job holder is accountable for fulfilling his or her roles and responsibilities in line with Islamic values and principles of fairness, humanity, honesty, respect and fair treatment of his/her colleagues and staff. The following are the main responsibilities that the role holder will be accountable for:

One-to-One Orphan Sponsorship Administration - Key Responsibilities

1. Sponsorship Administration

Edit and authorise orphan biodatas and progress reports in line with Orphans & Child Welfare Department policies and procedures. Ensure biodatas and progress reports are delivered in the approved format and within set timeframes. Administer new sponsorships through all income streams. Manage orphan cancellations by donors via the AlYateem system. Administer orphan terminations received from field officers, securing donor consent to replace terminated orphans. Contact donors three months prior to sponsorship end date to offer renewal options. Maintain oversight of the full One-to-One Sponsorship (OSP) Donor and Orphan database. Update Finance Income Controller when there are changes in orphan IDs across income streams.

Generate and monitor monthly regular giving and annual sponsorship payment notifications,

donor payment cycles, identifying missed contributions, and follow-ups with donors accordingly.

2. Donor Relationship Management & Enquiries

Act as the first point of contact for all orphan/child welfare-related issues, handling internal and external enquiries professionally and promptly. Capture donor details and enquiry specifics into the relationship management system and AlYateem. Respond to donor enquiries via telephone, email, letter, or in-person with tailored or standardised responses as appropriate. Dispatch relevant materials such as leaflets, information packs, and acknowledgement letters. Ensure all donor interactions are logged and resolved within agreed timeframes and service levels.

3. Data & Reporting

Ensure data accuracy on relationship management software and the AlYateem database, including regular data entry, cleaning, and updates. Provide regular and ad-hoc reports to internal departments based on requests, adhering to the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act and organisational policies. Track monthly and annual donations; update the payment tracker daily. Submit the completed monthly payment tracker to the Finance Department and Line Manager. Verify that sponsorship payments are current and initiate follow-ups where necessary. Generate and support monthly finance reports using AlYateem and IRW systems for internal auditing purposes.

4. Communications & Collaboration

Work closely with internal teams (e.g., Fund Development, Finance, Field Offices) to ensure coordinated donor service and consistent delivery of sponsorship duties. Communicate regularly with the Line Manager on performance and issues requiring escalation. Attend and contribute to relevant internal meetings as requested by your Line Manager ensure alignment and timely follow-up on decisions. Liaise with external organisations as needed to support child welfare or sponsorship operations. Stay informed about organisational campaigns, appeals, and updates relevant to sponsorship activities.

5. Administrative Support & Compliance

Maintain email, paper, and electronic filing systems for current and archived orphan and child welfare information. Assist with on boarding, induction, and training of new staff as required. Working closely with the OSP Admin Assistant on tasks related to the Orphan Sponsorship Programme. Facilitate new, amended, or cancelled monthly debit orders and Pay Fast transactions in collaboration with the Finance Income Controller. Review and update process documentation under your remit in accordance with the Fund Development Department's requirements. Ensure adherence to Islamic Relief's policies including the POPI Act, Child Protection Policy, and Safeguarding Policy.

Other

Undertake any other tasks deemed appropriate by the Line Manager to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness within Islamic Relief.

General Duties of Islamic Relief Staff Member

Contribute to the effective and efficient running of Islamic Relief as appropriate

Participate, as appropriate, in Staff forums and Meetings

Adhere to Islamic Relief's Policies and Procedures

Represent Islamic Relief to the wider community as appropriate

Treat all colleagues, volunteers and members of the public with dignity and work within and adhere to Islamic Relief's equal opportunities statement and polices.

Ensure professionalism and credibility at all times

Any other tasks deemed appropriate by manager within the scope of the role

Educational Qualification:

Tertiary qualification/s in relevant & related discipline

Experience in administrative role Experience in customer service

Skills & Knowledge Required

It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and empathy with the Islamic Values and principles as well as commitment to IRSA's vision and mission.

Essential criteria

Good levels of computer skills with experience of working with databases and competent in Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel and Power Point.

Experience of working in customer service environment

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Good standard of numeracy

Ability to work unsupervised and as part of a team

Ability to work in a methodical manner with attention to detail

Ability to plan, prioritise and deliver on tight timescales and work under pressure

Ability to input data accurately and efficiently

Willingness to work longer hours, including weekends, during peak campaigns

Strong empathy for the aims and work of Islamic Relief

Key Islamic Relief Qualities Required

It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and sympathy with Islamic values and principles as well as commitment to IR's vision and mission as per below:

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.

Closing date: 1 July 2025

Please forward a copy of the completed application form (available on the website), 1-page motivational letter and your CV along with a certified copy of your ID & salary expectation to before the 1 July 2025.

Dearest applicant, kindly consider the following:

If the requirements of the application as above, is not met, we will consider the application as incomplete, and this will therefore not be accepted.

Please consider your application as unsuccessful if you are not contacted within a month after the closing date.

Over and above operational requirements Islamic Relief South Africa will take into account the country's and organizational employment equity imperatives.

Job Type: Full-time

Application Question(s):

Kindly stipulate your salary expectations.
Work Location: In person

Application Deadline: 2025/07/01