Senior Partnerships Manager at Girl Effect

Key responsibilities

Proposal Development & Program Design

• Support country teams in developing high-quality, competitive proposals by offering strategic input on program design, budgeting, and donor alignment
• Work closely with programme leads and technical experts to ensure program concepts are aligned with donor priorities and Girl Effect’s strategic goals
• Ensure timely coordination and submission of concept notes, proposals, and supporting documentation

Donor Intelligence and Engagement

• Provide deep insight into donor trends and priorities, particularly local and regional funders
• Build and maintain a knowledge base of donor strategies, funding windows, and partnership models, ensuring internal teams are well-informed
• Represent Girl Effect at donor meetings, funding forums, and sector events to advocate for our work and identify collaborative opportunities

New Business Development

• Lead or contribute to donor cultivation efforts, including pitch decks and briefings
• Collaborate with the communications and programme’s team to support donor visibility

Internal Coordination 

• Serve as a connector across departments to align fundraising efforts with programmatic capacity, implementation timelines, and country-specific contexts
• Support the Chief Partnerships Officer and senior leadership in preparing for key donor engagements, strategic meetings, and thought leadership events

Donor Stewardship

• Support ongoing donor engagement through updates, case studies, success stories, and results communication
• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions, proposal statuses, and grant timelines

Travel and In-Country Collaboration

• Travel occasionally (anticipated to be less than 5% of time) to collaborate with in-country teams on opportunity development and donor engagement

This list should not be considered exhaustive; you will be expected to deliver other duties relevant and appropriate to this position

Organisation Accountabilities  

• Lead by example as a role model for GE’s values and professional standards
• Supports the delivery of organisational and team goals
• Seek continuous improvement within your own areas of responsibility
• Maintain full awareness of and active compliance with GE’s policies and procedures relevant to your own responsibilities and to broader policies including (but not limited to) equality, health and safety, confidentiality, and data protection

Who you are

• An already established network of partners and donors 
• Knowledge of the Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) sector, including Health, Gender, and Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC)
• Proven experience in leading or contributing to program design 
• Prior experience working with key donors such as CIFF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Mastercard Foundation, and similar institutions
• Demonstrated ability to independently develop high-quality concept notes and proposals 
• Prior engagement with donors, including personal direct interaction and representation at meetings or strategy sessions
• Willingness to learn, adapt quickly, and thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Comfortable with a hands-on role that requires both strategic thinking and execution
• Excellent communication skills verbal and written
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines 
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with an ability to manage conflict and handle sensitive issues, particularly in cross-cultural and cross-departmental contexts
• Based in Kenya or the UK to ensure alignment with our global operational time zones