Village Enterprise is a 501 non-profit organization that equips rural Africans living in extreme poverty with the resources to create sustainable businesses. They are seeking an Institutional Partnerships Manager to manage a portfolio of institutional donors across foundations, bilaterals, and multilaterals, with a strong focus on East Africa–based programs in graduation, climate resilience, gender, and systems change.
Key Responsibilities
- Portfolio Management: Manage a portfolio of institutional donors across foundations, bilaterals, and multilaterals, with a focus on East Africa–based programs in graduation, climate resilience, gender, and systems change—serving as the day-to-day relationship manager from early engagement through award.
- Donor Cultivation: Support donor cultivation and opportunity development by proactively engaging with senior leadership—preparing leaders for funder interactions, developing high-quality briefing materials, tracking follow-ups and commitments, and driving clear next steps to shape fundable program concepts.
- Fundraising Materials: Prepare core fundraising materials such as pitch decks, donor briefs, and concept notes to support proactive outreach and partnership development.
- Proposal Development: Lead proposal development—from early-stage narrative framing (EOIs, concept notes, and donor briefs) through full proposal writing, budgeting, and submission—ensuring clear roles, strong internal alignment, and high-quality, competitive proposals.
- Technical Translation: Translate technical and financial inputs into compelling, funder-ready narratives, working closely with Programs, MEL, and Finance to integrate evidence, learning, and implementation reality into every submission.
- Data Management: Track opportunities, contacts, and proposal stages in Salesforce, ensuring data quality and supporting accurate pipeline reporting and forecasting.
- Award Management: Work closely with the Senior Grants Coordinator to ensure smooth handoff from proposal to award and through reporting, maintaining continuity, compliance, and strong donor experience across the full grant lifecycle.
- Strategic Planning: Contribute to team planning and learning by flagging pipeline risks, donor feedback, and emerging funding opportunities to the Senior Director.
Requirements and Qualifications
- Experience: 5-7 years of experience in institutional fundraising, partnerships, or business development in international development, humanitarian, or social impact sectors.
- Proposal Expertise: Demonstrated experience drafting and leading proposals (concept notes, EOIs, and full proposals), not just coordinating inputs from others.
- Leadership Engagement: Proven ability to work effectively with senior leaders — managing up, anticipating needs, and supporting relationship-driven fundraising in complex environments.
- Communication Skills: Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to turn complex technical content into clear, compelling donor language.
- Technical Skills: Strong analytical and CRM skills (Salesforce or equivalent).
- Adaptability: Comfort operating in ambiguity, across time zones, and with multiple senior stakeholders.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree required.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified? Go to Village Enterprise on villageenterprise.careers.flair.hr to apply.
