Job Title: Business Development Manager
Reporting To: Country Director
Base Location: Nairobi – 80% and 20% Field
1. Background
Established in 1984 in the UK, Islamic Relief is an international NGO seeking to promote sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities through relief and development activities.
IR started operations in Kenya in 1993 on one to one orphans sponsorship programme through a local CBO in Mandera District, Northern Kenya. It opened its fully fledged office in March in 2006 at the height of drought in the Horn of Africa. Since then IR has been providing humanitarian and development assistance to vulnerable communities. Over these years it has implemented various development and relief activities in Mandera. This has remarkably changed the lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. In January 2010, IRK extended its operation to Wajir County, neighbouring Mandera, and in January 2012 expanded to Garissa and Dadaab.
IR Kenya recently developed five years strategic planning for 2017 -2021 in line with global strategy focusing on the thematic priorities of Sustainable Community Development, Disaster and Humanitarian Response, Education and Child Development sectors.
2. Overall Purpose
As part of its strategic growth, a new role has arisen within the organisation for a Business Development Manager. You will help to devise, develop and deliver a comprehensive strategic and tactical plan for business development ; use an entrepreneurial approach in working with IRK staff (including programme, Communication, finance, and MEAL) to develop and submit high quality donor proposals and tender bids that are aligned with IRK’s priorities, demonstrate impact, and offer value for money. S/he is proactive in identifying new and non-traditional sources of funding from a range of institutional, corporate and community donors and working with IRK’s country/field staff and other fundraising teams to leverage IRK’s funding prospects. S/he builds the capacity of IRK country offices to develop and manage strategic consortium partnerships with other INGOs, Local NGOs and private sector organisations where appropriate. Skills development and capacity building of IRK staff is also a key part of the role through training, mentoring, and feedback on proposal development processes, fundraising strategies and donor scoping activities.
To coordinate these activities, IRK is looking for a strong influencer and negotiator, who is self-motivated and has a proven track record of business development, marketing and communication. You should be capable of radical thinking, developing new and innovative strategies for communicating IRK”s values/strengths/achievements/lessons, all the time working in a diplomatic and practical manner to ensure that change is delivered in a sustainable way.
3. Key Responsibilities
The work to be accomplished by the selected individual shall consist of the following:
a. Strategy and Business Development (40%)
o Develop and deliver the strategy for IRK’s new business development, marketing and communication, appropriate to need and responsive to opportunity, in close collaboration with the Senior Management and Programme Technical team.
o In coordination with IRK’s Senior management and programme technical team, coordinate the establishment and operation of proposal and bid teams-at country level and field offices.
o Work with IRK staff and/or IR Regional Office (including programme, finance, fundraising, Communication and MERL) to develop and submit large scale/multi-year proposals and tender bids ensuring that applications are high quality, aligned with IRK’s priorities, demonstrate impact, and offer value for money.
o Review and provide feedback on proposals and tender bids ensuring compliance with proposal development guidelines
o Provide ongoing guidance on donor policy and focus and identify institutional funding prospects beyond IRK’s traditional donors
o Help to build the turnover of organisation to the set annual target (i.e. £10 Million).
b. Donor/Partner Liaison, relationship building, Fundraising, and influencing (40%)
o Work effectively across the organisation to identify current funding requirements to realise strategic plan. Take responsibility for contributing to an annual fundraising target.
o Support IRK programme staff to develop and manage strategic consortium partnerships with appropriate INGOs, CSOs, academic organisations and private sector firms to leverage IRK’s chances of success in competitive calls for proposals and tender bids
o Support IRK Programme unit to conduct donor scoping exercises and develop programme-led fundraising strategies
o Support IRK senior Management and programme technical teams by identifying and facilitating opportunities for relationship building with key donors and partners.
o Initiate and manage existing and potential strategic corporate and media relationships, together with the senior management team/country director.
o Review IRK’s current communication tools and re-work the communication strategy in line with key business plan principles.
o Review existing corporate and community Fundraising systems and concepts and develop appropriate plans and strategies with support from the senior management team/country director.
c. Programme Led Funding Planning (5%)
o Contribute to the development and embedding of the programme-led funding approach across all IRK’s programmes-Country Office and Field Offices.
d. Programme Quality and Information systems (5%)
o Contribute to the development and maintenance of information and contract management systems for quality assurance and to minimise risk
o Contribution to development of theory of change for programme and alignment to the proposals developed
o Coordination with the MERL unit to ensure M&E systems that help to effectively collect evidence and demonstrate impact, learning accountability and value for money to donors are in place and functioning.
e. Managing people, capacity building and organisational leadership (10%)
o Oversee and where appropriate, develop a small team of staff and interns in your area of responsibility
o Contribute to the gathering and sharing of intelligence on policies, guidelines and funding prospects, including keeping the internal intranet site up to date
o Contribute to federation-wide learning initiatives by developing and disseminating guidance on important institutional fundraising topics.
f. General
o Ensure all budgeting and follow up of project costs and negotiation of contracts is completed.
o A strong commitment to develop, promote and practice IRK’s vision, mission, values and strategy
o The role holder will from time to time be required to carry out any other duties that are within the scope of the job
4. Person Specification
a. Education, Qualification and Language
o Minimum Master’s degree in social sciences, humanities, development studies, international relation/development or other relevant discipline
o Excellent English language skills (written and spoken);
b. Essential Knowledge, skills and Experience
o Minimum of seven years’ experience with an NGO in a senior programme funding position(s) involving proposal development and donor liaison.
o Experience of developing successful proposals and tender bids to the EU, EC, USAID, SIDA, DFID and the UN as well as other institutional donors.
o Clear understanding and knowledge of the development issues, particularly those that have implications on people living in poverty or affected by disasters.
o In-depth understanding of logical frameworks as a tool to develop theory of change and intervention logic
o First class communication skills, excellent interpersonal, and negotiation skills to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment, often at a distance
o Ability to facilitate, maintain and manage good working relationships between staff, volunteers, partners, and donors.
o Excellent writing, reasoning and analytical skills
o Capacity building experience including training and skills development
o Ability to prioritise own workload and work with minimal supervision
o Ability to lead complex proposal development teams;
o Willingness and ability to travel approximately 20% of time, mostly to remote areas.
c. Desirable Knowledge, skills and Experience
o Programmatic expertise on the following themes: humanitarian interventions, DRR, gender issues, conflict, sustainable livelihoods etc.
o Experience of working in a country team and providing support from a distance
o Strong computer skills (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access, MS Power Point, MS Project, SPSS).
o Sympathetic with aims, values & objectives of Islamic Relief.
Job Title: Business Development Manager
Reporting To: Country Director
Base Location: Nairobi – 80% and 20% Field
1. Background
Established in 1984 in the UK, Islamic Relief is an international NGO seeking to promote sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities through relief and development activities.
IR started operations in Kenya in 1993 on one to one orphans sponsorship programme through a local CBO in Mandera District, Northern Kenya. It opened its fully fledged office in March in 2006 at the height of drought in the Horn of Africa. Since then IR has been providing humanitarian and development assistance to vulnerable communities. Over these years it has implemented various development and relief activities in Mandera. This has remarkably changed the lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. In January 2010, IRK extended its operation to Wajir County, neighbouring Mandera, and in January 2012 expanded to Garissa and Dadaab.
IR Kenya recently developed five years strategic planning for 2017 -2021 in line with global strategy focusing on the thematic priorities of Sustainable Community Development, Disaster and Humanitarian Response, Education and Child Development sectors.
2. Overall Purpose
As part of its strategic growth, a new role has arisen within the organisation for a Business Development Manager. You will help to devise, develop and deliver a comprehensive strategic and tactical plan for business development ; use an entrepreneurial approach in working with IRK staff (including programme, Communication, finance, and MEAL) to develop and submit high quality donor proposals and tender bids that are aligned with IRK’s priorities, demonstrate impact, and offer value for money. S/he is proactive in identifying new and non-traditional sources of funding from a range of institutional, corporate and community donors and working with IRK’s country/field staff and other fundraising teams to leverage IRK’s funding prospects. S/he builds the capacity of IRK country offices to develop and manage strategic consortium partnerships with other INGOs, Local NGOs and private sector organisations where appropriate. Skills development and capacity building of IRK staff is also a key part of the role through training, mentoring, and feedback on proposal development processes, fundraising strategies and donor scoping activities.
To coordinate these activities, IRK is looking for a strong influencer and negotiator, who is self-motivated and has a proven track record of business development, marketing and communication. You should be capable of radical thinking, developing new and innovative strategies for communicating IRK”s values/strengths/achievements/lessons, all the time working in a diplomatic and practical manner to ensure that change is delivered in a sustainable way.
3. Key Responsibilities
The work to be accomplished by the selected individual shall consist of the following:
a. Strategy and Business Development (40%)
o Develop and deliver the strategy for IRK’s new business development, marketing and communication, appropriate to need and responsive to opportunity, in close collaboration with the Senior Management and Programme Technical team.
o In coordination with IRK’s Senior management and programme technical team, coordinate the establishment and operation of proposal and bid teams-at country level and field offices.
o Work with IRK staff and/or IR Regional Office (including programme, finance, fundraising, Communication and MERL) to develop and submit large scale/multi-year proposals and tender bids ensuring that applications are high quality, aligned with IRK’s priorities, demonstrate impact, and offer value for money.
o Review and provide feedback on proposals and tender bids ensuring compliance with proposal development guidelines
o Provide ongoing guidance on donor policy and focus and identify institutional funding prospects beyond IRK’s traditional donors
o Help to build the turnover of organisation to the set annual target (i.e. £10 Million).
b. Donor/Partner Liaison, relationship building, Fundraising, and influencing (40%)
o Work effectively across the organisation to identify current funding requirements to realise strategic plan. Take responsibility for contributing to an annual fundraising target.
o Support IRK programme staff to develop and manage strategic consortium partnerships with appropriate INGOs, CSOs, academic organisations and private sector firms to leverage IRK’s chances of success in competitive calls for proposals and tender bids
o Support IRK Programme unit to conduct donor scoping exercises and develop programme-led fundraising strategies
o Support IRK senior Management and programme technical teams by identifying and facilitating opportunities for relationship building with key donors and partners.
o Initiate and manage existing and potential strategic corporate and media relationships, together with the senior management team/country director.
o Review IRK’s current communication tools and re-work the communication strategy in line with key business plan principles.
o Review existing corporate and community Fundraising systems and concepts and develop appropriate plans and strategies with support from the senior management team/country director.
c. Programme Led Funding Planning (5%)
o Contribute to the development and embedding of the programme-led funding approach across all IRK’s programmes-Country Office and Field Offices.
d. Programme Quality and Information systems (5%)
o Contribute to the development and maintenance of information and contract management systems for quality assurance and to minimise risk
o Contribution to development of theory of change for programme and alignment to the proposals developed
o Coordination with the MERL unit to ensure M&E systems that help to effectively collect evidence and demonstrate impact, learning accountability and value for money to donors are in place and functioning.
e. Managing people, capacity building and organisational leadership (10%)
o Oversee and where appropriate, develop a small team of staff and interns in your area of responsibility
o Contribute to the gathering and sharing of intelligence on policies, guidelines and funding prospects, including keeping the internal intranet site up to date
o Contribute to federation-wide learning initiatives by developing and disseminating guidance on important institutional fundraising topics.
f. General
o Ensure all budgeting and follow up of project costs and negotiation of contracts is completed.
o A strong commitment to develop, promote and practice IRK’s vision, mission, values and strategy
o The role holder will from time to time be required to carry out any other duties that are within the scope of the job
4. Person Specification
a. Education, Qualification and Language
o Minimum Master’s degree in social sciences, humanities, development studies, international relation/development or other relevant discipline
o Excellent English language skills (written and spoken);
b. Essential Knowledge, skills and Experience
o Minimum of seven years’ experience with an NGO in a senior programme funding position(s) involving proposal development and donor liaison.
o Experience of developing successful proposals and tender bids to the EU, EC, USAID, SIDA, DFID and the UN as well as other institutional donors.
o Clear understanding and knowledge of the development issues, particularly those that have implications on people living in poverty or affected by disasters.
o In-depth understanding of logical frameworks as a tool to develop theory of change and intervention logic
o First class communication skills, excellent interpersonal, and negotiation skills to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment, often at a distance
o Ability to facilitate, maintain and manage good working relationships between staff, volunteers, partners, and donors.
o Excellent writing, reasoning and analytical skills
o Capacity building experience including training and skills development
o Ability to prioritise own workload and work with minimal supervision
o Ability to lead complex proposal development teams;
o Willingness and ability to travel approximately 20% of time, mostly to remote areas.
c. Desirable Knowledge, skills and Experience
o Programmatic expertise on the following themes: humanitarian interventions, DRR, gender issues, conflict, sustainable livelihoods etc.
o Experience of working in a country team and providing support from a distance
o Strong computer skills (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access, MS Power Point, MS Project, SPSS).
o Sympathetic with aims, values & objectives of Islamic Relief.
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