Partnership Development Specialist-Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group at African Wildlife Foundation

Position Summary

The Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG) is a coalition of seven international conservation NGOs with extensive field programming in sub-Saharan Africa: African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), Conservation International (CI), the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Resources Institute (WRI), and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).  Together with their African partners, these organizations tackle complex conservation challenges by catalyzing and strengthening collaboration on the continent.

The Partnership Development Specialist fulfills a key role in supporting partnership development, engagement with key major funders and prospects and oversee progressive improvements in systems for capturing and sharing information and generating successful funding approaches.

The Partnership Development Specialist will contribute to ABCG’s resource mobilization objectives through identification of funding opportunities and in coordination with member organizations, support the development of high quality, compelling solicited and unsolicited grant applications to ABCG’s current and prospective public-private development partners. Primary objectives for the position include:  Identification of new funding opportunities to support ABCG’s work at country and regional levels; donor reports; support to the development of strategic grant applications, timely review and submission of concept notes and proposals; provision of donor intelligence and assurance of strategic alignment of ABCG objectives with donor priorities and objectives; assisting and supporting other relevant units with outreach and stewardship of major donors and prospects; and managing ABCG’s resource development knowledge and information sharing platform. This position works closely with ABCG member organizations, government, multilateral, and private donors, and other regional-global partners.

Primary Responsibilities and Scope

Partnership Outreach and Engagement

• Researches online solicited funding opportunities for potential Concept Note of proposal submission; liaises with ABCG member country office teams to coordinate resource mobilization activities.

 Reporting, Proposal Development and Coordination

• In accordance with USAID (and other donor) grant management guidelines and requirements, prepares draft reports.
• Investigation, identification, and verification of new solicited funding opportunities for relevant campaigns and/or initiatives.
• Supports member organization RM teams in all stages of ‘pre-award’ functions (concept note/proposal development, planning, drafting, editing, internal clearances and submission of high value solicitation documents) and efficient transfer of approved awards to relevant Program/Grant Management units.
• Coordinates and cultivates relationships with major funders and prospects, by hosting funding partners visits in AWF’s headquarters in Nairobi or organizing delegations to funder offices, with particular attention to funders based in Nairobi and across the Africa region  
• Working closely with ABCG’s Communications and Engagement Specialist, increases visibility of ABCG’s work and outreach to major current funders and prospects.
• Increases in the number of secured new funding

 Strategy, Analysis and Reporting

• Maintains efficient knowledge sharing and information portal in AWF SharePoint system for capturing and sharing information and managing donor intelligence to enable successful funding approaches and institutional understanding of ABCG-specific resource development activities.
• Supports the ABCG Steering Committee on reporting progress in key areas of the funding strategy and preparation of briefing materials for donor presentations and/or meetings.

Program Management

• Leads the ABCG donor reporting process for bi-annual technical reports, and preparation of annual workplans for submission to USAID in collaboration with the ABCG Director, as well as ABCG member technical staff.
• In coordination with CoE, develops templates and format technical outputs in adherence to USAID’s Graphics and Standards Manual, and Branding and Marking Plan.
• Helps ensure compliance with U.S. government policies and procedures, in collaboration with the ABCG Director and host institution grants management staff.
• Supports the ABCG Director in other relevant tasks as requested.

 Key Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in business administration, international relations, communications, or a related field. A first degree with professional experience will be considered
• 3-5 years of demonstrated and progressive experience in program management and/or resource mobilization/partnerships.
• Expert knowledge in web-based research.
• Expert knowledge and understanding of the funding landscape for international development/conservation organizations.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities across time zones where ABCG members are located (Africa, USA)
• Fluency in English; Swahili and French would be an advantage. 

Desirable Qualifications

• Project management experience
• USAID Grant Management/Reporting experience