Grants, Business Development, and Partnership Specialist at LEAP Africa

Job Summary:

• The Grants, Business Development, and Partnership Specialist will be responsible for identifying, developing, and managing funding opportunities, strategic partnerships, and business development efforts to support the growth and sustainability of the organization.
• This role will focus on securing grants, building relationships with potential donors, and fostering relationships and partnerships that align with the organization’s mission, vision and objectives.

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Report to and work closely with the Director of Programmes and the leadership team in developing and implementing the organisational strategy, with a strong focus on cultivating new, and leveraging existing relationships and partnerships with local and international partners to ensure the sustainability of the organization.
• Responsible for managing the life cycle of grants from prospecting through reporting phases; Grants applications, proposals, and concept note development and maintaining a pipeline of multiyear grants and partnerships to increase funding streams and networks globally.
• Analyse and make recommendations regarding emerging industry trends, expansion opportunities, internal business opportunities, and business process improvement; Prepare strategic frameworks, analyses, and storylines to support leadership and management decisions.
• Responsible for managing the life cycle of grants from prospecting through reporting phases; Grants applications, proposals, and concept note development and maintaining a pipeline of multiyear grants and partnerships to increase funding streams and networks globally.
• Attend partnership and sponsorship meetings; Prepare high-quality and engaging pitch documents for these meetings.
• Plan and operationalize robust relationship-building activities with partners; Maintain relationships with decision-makers at high levels; Develop and maintain an extensive data bank of all partners and funders; liaise and expand networks with current and potential donors and stakeholders.
• Support the creation and implementation of fundraising strategy, marketing campaigns, community outreach events, and other PR activities.
• Work with leadership in coordinating business development activities, leveraging the organization's assets, core competencies, and resources to support income generation.
• Identify and disseminate information on new funding opportunities from bilateral, multilateral, government agencies, foundations, corporations, other institutional donors, private sector, and non-traditional donors.
• Lead the development and submission of high-quality grant proposals, including writing, budget preparation, and coordinating with relevant departments.
• Participate in key donor meetings, and initiate donor contacts, when necessary, to foster long-term collaboration and engagement. Proactively seek donor intelligence on prospective new opportunities or partnerships.
• Cultivate business relationships with external stakeholders and potential partners for large-scale or strategic funding opportunities, either as a prime or sub-recipient in joint ventures.
• Ensure compliance with all grant requirements, including timely and accurate reporting to funders.
• Manage grant agreements, track grant performance, and maintain comprehensive records of all grant activities.
• Develop and implement business development strategies to achieve targets and support organizational growth.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities, including contracts, sponsorships, and strategic initiatives.
• Develop proposals, negotiate contracts, and close deals to generate funds and support programmatic activities.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive partnership strategy to enhance organizational reach and impact.
• Identify and engage potential partners, including corporations, non-profits, educational institutions, and government agencies.
• Build and maintain strong, mutually beneficial relationships with partners, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Lead collaborative projects with partners, including joint initiatives, team members, co-branded programs, and shared resource arrangements.
• Ensure all grants, business development activities, and partnerships align with the organization's strategic goals and mission.
• Collaborate with internal teams to support the successful implementation of funded
• projects and initiatives.
• Develop metrics to assess the effectiveness of grants, business development efforts, and partnerships, and report on progress to executive management.

The required candidate should possess the following:

• 4-7 years experience with Msc/MBA/PhD or 7-9 years experience with a Bachelor's degree with relevant experience as a business development professional skilled in strategy development and implementation.
• Experience in grants management and philanthropy in the social sector will be an added value.
• Track record of success in creating businesses, grant writing, partnership and relationship building, leading marketing, fundraising, and high-level stakeholder management.
• High level of creativity, pitch expert and problem solving and conceptualization.
• Possess very good interpersonal skills, negotiation skills, sound judgement, and strong work ethics.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to think holistically about the organization’s mission and bottom lines.
• A keen eye for details and an insightful analyzer.
• Excellent communication and speaking skills with the ability to deliver presentations at major industry events and conduct interviews with the media.
• Very strong proposal and grant writing skills
• Aligned in thought and actions with LEAP Africa‘s values (ARIISE - Audacity, Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Synergy, and Excellence)

Key Competencies required to succeed in this role

• Stakeholder Management Skills
• Pitching Expert
• Grant Writing Expert Skills
• Strategic Expertise Skills
• Financial Management Skills
• Budget Management Skills.
• Organizational Skills
• Program and Project Management Skills
• Training Facilitation Skills
• Networking Skills
• Risk Management Skills

KPI

• 5 concept notes identified and completed monthly
• 3 concept note approved and submitted to potential donor monthly
• Quarterly implementation of business development strategies
• 5 connections/partnerships identified for LEAP Africa per quarter in alignment with thematic areas
• Coordinate high level partnership meetings; at least 3 per quarter
• Total grants secured and funds mobilized