Careers at inABLE

About the Role 

inABLE seeks a commercially minded, results-driven Marketing & Business Development Manager to lead the growth of the Inclusive Africa Conference (IAC). Reporting to the Programs Director, you will own IAC’s market presence, audiences, revenue and strategic partnerships across Africa and beyond. 

You will identify and convert commercial opportunities, secure sponsors and exhibitors, open new markets and partnerships, and build sustainable revenue streams, while driving registrations and strengthening the IAC brand year after year. 

What You Will Do 

Conference marketing and continental growth 

• Lead IAC’s annual marketing and audience-growth strategy for delegates, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, media and partners.
• Build, lead and mentor the IAC marketing and business development team, and manage agencies, consultants and suppliers.
• Manage brand positioning, messaging and campaigns across web, email, social, paid media, PR and partner channels.
• Drive registrations and expand IAC’s reach through targeted campaigns and networks across Africa.
• Oversee the production of accessible campaign, delegate, media, sponsorship and exhibitor materials.
• Coordinate pre-event, on-site and post-event marketing, media relations and partner visibility.
• Use CRM and campaign analytics to track performance, manage audience data and improve return on investment. 

Strategic partnerships and business development 

• Develop and execute IAC’s business development strategy, revenue plan and annual sales targets.
• Identify new markets, customer segments and commercial opportunities for delegates, sponsors, exhibitors and partners.
• Build and convert a qualified pipeline across corporate, government, development and philanthropic sectors.
• Secure sponsorship, exhibitor, delegate, co-funding and in-kind revenue against agreed targets.
• Develop commercial packages, proposals, pitch decks and activation plans; lead negotiations and close deals.
• Manage accounts from prospecting and contracting through delivery, reporting, renewal and upselling.
• Maintain CRM records, sales forecasts, conversion data and revenue reports to inform management and board decisions.
• Represent IAC and inABLE at regional and global forums, building relationships with governments, multilaterals, corporates and funders. 

What We Are Looking For 

• 8–10 years’ experience in marketing, sponsorship sales, partnerships or event commercialisation, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven success building pipelines, meeting revenue targets and closing high-value sponsorship or partnership deals.
• Experience developing new markets, commercial offers and long-term corporate or institutional accounts.
• Strong commercial judgement and excellent prospecting, proposal writing, presentation, negotiation and closing skills.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage concurrent sales, campaigns, partnerships, budgets, deadlines and suppliers.
• Master’s degree in business, marketing, communications or a related field; a strong bachelor’s degree with substantial experience may be considered.
• A genuine commitment to disability inclusion and accessible communication. 

A strong plus 

• Experience marketing major conferences, summits or expos.
• Experience expanding a brand or event into African markets.
• Familiarity with CRM and analytics platforms. 

Education 

• A master's degree in marketing, business administration or a related field is preferred. Candidates with a strong bachelor's degree in marketing and substantial relevant experience will also be considered.
• Professional certification in marketing, sales or event management is an advantage
• Training or certification in CRM or digital marketing platforms, such as Salesforce, HubSpot or Google Analytics, is an added advantage. 

What Success Looks Like 

• Annual sponsorship, exhibitor, delegate and partnership revenue targets are met or exceeded.
• A strong, diversified pipeline delivers consistent conversion and forecast accuracy.
• New markets and strategic accounts increase IAC’s African reach and commercial sustainability.
• Sponsors and partners receive the agreed value and renew and expand their support.
• Registration, visibility, engagement and accessibility targets are met.
• IAC grows year on year in reach, reputation and financial sustainability. 

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Position Purpose 

The Partnerships Manager will serve as the primary partnerships builder for the Inclusive Africa Program (IAP) and the Inclusive Africa Conference (IAC), identifying, cultivating and bringing on board critical private-sector, corporate, public-sector, philanthropic, technical and civil-society partners required for their success. The role will lead strategic private-sector engagement by positioning IAP and IAC as platforms through which companies, industry associations, employers, financial institutions, technology firms and investors can advance disability inclusion, inclusive employment, accessible financial services, assistive technology, inclusive education, and digital accessibility. The role will ensure that private-sector actors understand and act on their critical role in making digital products, services, platforms, workplaces, financial channels, learning environments and public-facing technologies accessible across all IAP themes. The role will translate strategic relationships into visible and measurable commitments; connect partners to year-round stakeholder engagement and Working Group implementation; and ensure that the IAC functions as a high-impact convening platform that advances IAP priorities, partner commitments and inclusive disability outcomes across Africa. 

Key Responsibilities 

Partnership Strategy and Portfolio Management 

• Develop and implement an integrated partnership, stakeholder, and market-engagement strategy for IAP and IAC.
• Map, segment and prioritize corporate and cross-sector prospects based on strategic fit, value, sustainability, inclusion, and implementation capacity.
• Build and manage a qualified partnership pipeline and CRM covering engagement, due diligence, agreements, commitments, risks and renewals.
• Develop tailored value propositions, partnership briefs, concept notes, investment cases and engagement campaigns. 

Private Sector Engagement and Strategic Growth 

• Convene and engage stakeholders across Africa, including the private sector, governments, civil society, development partners and organizations of persons with disabilities, to exchange knowledge and lessons, build strategic partnerships and advance shared commitments to digital accessibility and disability inclusion.
• Engage partners to adopt and champion digital accessibility across products, services, platforms, recruitment, customer channels, workplaces and supply chains. 
• Lead targeted outreach, pitches and negotiations, positioning IAP and IAC around clear business value, including ESG, talent, customer access and innovation.
• Secure corporate partnerships, sponsorships, co-funding, in-kind support, technical assistance, and long-term strategic commitments. 
• Develop and manage a structured private sector, government, regulators, and financial institutions engagement approach for employment, innovation, procurement and market-shaping commitments.  
• Track partnership income, in-kind contributions, conversion, retention, and agreed deliverables against targets. 

Stakeholder Engagement and Ecosystem Implementation 

• Connect partners to Working Groups, IAC sessions, policy opportunities, pilots and year-round implementation pathways. 
• Mobilize private sector companies as employers, supporters, market-access partners, accessibility champions and advocates for disability-inclusive businesses. 
• Build employer relationships that expand internships, work readiness, inclusive hiring and reasonable accommodation for young persons with disabilities. 
• Engage government, regulators, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), universities, development partners, media and innovation hubs to strengthen programme adoption. 
• Convert stakeholders’ participation into measurable commitments across recruitment, procurement, finance, customer experience, standards and assistive technology. 

Inclusive Africa Conference Planning and Convening 

• Lead IAC partnership strategy, audience development and convening processes in line with IAP priorities.
• Mobilise corporate, private & public-sector, technology, financial and development-partner participation.
• Lead sponsorships, partner activations, sessions, speakers, exhibitions and follow-up across internal teams.
• Translate conference outcomes into partner commitments, Working Group actions and stakeholder engagement calendars. 

Reporting, Risk and Team Contribution 

• Identify partnership risks, facilitate resolution and escalate material issues to the Programs Director.
• Produce dashboards, pipeline forecasts, commitment trackers, briefing notes and contributions to donor and governance reports.
• Ensure agreements address accessibility, safeguarding, data protection, anti-fraud, conflicts of interest and reputational risk.
• Contribute to programme planning, budgeting, learning and risk management, and supervise assigned consultants or staff.
• Represent inABLE professionally at high-level meetings, conferences and sector platforms as delegated. 

 Education and Professional Qualifications 

• Must have a master's degree in marketing.  A strong bachelor’s degree with substantial relevant experience in marketing may be considered.
• Professional certification or training in marketing, brand management, business development, partnerships, or sales is an advantage.  
• Training in disability inclusion, safeguarding, and gender equality is an advantage. 

Required Experience 

• 8–10 years of progressive experience in private-sector marketing, corporate partnerships, business development, sponsorship, sales or strategic engagement.  
• Demonstrated success developing market-facing propositions and securing high-value corporate or cross-sector partnerships.  
• Experience managing senior relationships, pitches, negotiations, agreements, and partner deliverables.  
• Experience designing ESG, CSR, shared-value, brand, customer, market-access or inclusion initiatives. 
• Regional programmes, coordination of major convenings, digital accessibility or disability-inclusion experience is desirable. 

Technical Knowledge and Skills 

• Private sector engagement, corporate partnerships, brand positioning, and shared value design. 
• Partnership strategy, resource mobilization, sponsorship, proposal development, and pipeline management.
• Value-proposition design, pitching, negotiation, contracting, due diligence, and relationship governance.
• CRM management, forecasting, partnership analytics, budgeting, risk management, and compliance. 
• Digital accessibility and disability-inclusive employment, education and livelihoods, supported by strong writing, presentation, facilitation and executive engagement skills. 

Behavioral Competencies 

• Strategic, commercial and entrepreneurial thinking 
• Relationship building, influence and diplomacy  
• Results orientation, accountability and disciplined follow-through 
• Cross-functional collaboration and respect for lived experience  
• Cultural intelligence, adaptability and sound judgement