CAFOD is seeking an experienced Senior Business Development Lead (Africa) to strengthen institutional fundraising, donor engagement and resource mobilisation across its Africa programmes. The position offers an opportunity for a senior international development professional to support large-scale programmes that aim to create positive and lasting change for communities affected by poverty, humanitarian crises and development challenges. The role is based in Abuja, Harare, Kinshasa or Nairobi, with candidates required to have the legal right to work in one of these locations. The position is full-time and involves significant collaboration with programme teams, funding specialists, institutional donors and partners. Senior Business Development Lead Job Details Position: Senior Business Development Lead (Africa) Organisation: CAFOD Location: Abuja, Nigeria; Harare, Zimbabwe; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; or Nairobi, Kenya Contract: Fixed-term, two years Work Pattern: Full-time Closing Date: 31 August 2026 Salary in DRC: USD 52,141 starting salary Salary in Zimbabwe: USD 55,706 starting salary Salary in Kenya: KES 7,621,509 starting salary Salary in Nigeria: NGN 32,760,664 starting salary Salary and employment terms depend on the candidate’s country of registration. CAFOD will pay salaries in USD in Kinshasa and Harare and in the equivalent local currency in Abuja and Nairobi. Role and Responsibilities The Senior Business Development Lead will work within CAFOD’s Integrated Funding & Business Innovation team and report to the International Development Funding Team Leader. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with programme and funding colleagues to develop high-quality projects and proposals designed to increase institutional donor income and expand CAFOD’s development impact. A major part of the position involves leading or supporting complex, large-scale and multi-country funding opportunities. The post holder will contribute to programme design, proposal development, donor engagement, contract management and institutional fundraising strategies. The successful candidate will also serve as a donor lead for an allocated portfolio of institutional donors. These may include UK government institutions, United Nations agencies, the European Union, START, the Disasters Emergency Committee and other government donors. Donor Engagement and Resource Mobilisation Approximately 60% of the role will focus on donor engagement, proposal development and contract management. Responsibilities will include identifying major funding opportunities, leading bid-development processes, providing donor-specific technical advice and supporting programme teams to meet institutional donor requirements. The post holder will establish and maintain strategic relationships with priority donors and represent CAFOD in relevant external forums. They may also support donor registration, due diligence processes, framework agreements and contract negotiations. Contract management responsibilities may include overseeing financial and narrative reporting, coordinating evaluations and ensuring compliance with donor standards. The role will also involve collaboration with finance, operations and programme teams on financial management, supply chains, audits, documentation, transparency and accountability. New Business Development and Innovation Around 25% of the position will focus on identifying new donors, developing funding pipelines and exploring innovative resource mobilisation opportunities. The successful candidate will research donor priorities, monitor sector trends and share relevant funding intelligence with CAFOD colleagues and partners. They will also contribute to the Institutional Funding Community of Practice and help strengthen organisational learning around successful proposal development and donor engagement. The role may include supporting partner-direct funding, institutional funding, crowdfunding and community-based fundraising opportunities. Strategy, Planning and Monitoring The remaining 15% of the position will support CAFOD’s institutional funding strategy and organisation-wide planning processes. The Senior Business Development Lead will contribute donor analysis, income projections, cost-recovery information and country resource-development planning. The post holder will also help monitor institutionally funded contracts and ensure funding information systems remain accurate, current and accessible. International travel may be required to support country programmes, develop proposals, manage contracts, meet donors and collaborate with international NGO and Caritas partners. Candidate Eligibility and Requirements CAFOD is looking for a senior professional with substantial experience in NGO resource mobilisation and institutional fundraising. Candidates should demonstrate: Excellent written and spoken English communication skills. Significant experience securing institutional funding, including seven-figure contracts. Experience leading major resource mobilisation initiatives within an NGO environment. Strong proposal-development and institutional donor reporting experience. Experience leading complex and multi-country bids. Experience working across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding contexts. Experience engaging donors at embassy or mission level. Strong project and process management capabilities. Experience with programme cycle management, monitoring and evaluation. Experience developing budgets for institutionally funded programmes. Experience leading bid-development teams. Experience supervising or task-managing staff. Demonstrated ability to build effective relationships across organisations and geographical locations. Experience strengthening staff capacity in theories of change, proposal development and project cycle management. Ability to manage professional relationships remotely and influence colleagues without direct authority. Desirable Experience Experience with commercial contracting involving institutional donors, large consortia, partnership-based international development or humanitarian programmes will be advantageous. French-language proficiency is also desirable, particularly for candidates working across Francophone Africa. CAFOD also expects candidates to understand international development funding and demonstrate alignment with its values and approach, including an understanding of the role of the Catholic Church in development. Safeguarding and Inclusion CAFOD is committed to maintaining a safe, inclusive and respectful working environment. The organisation has safeguarding responsibilities towards children, young people and vulnerable adults, and successful candidates must comply with CAFOD safeguarding policies and its Code of Behaviour. Appointment is subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Depending on the location and role, these may include criminal-record and terrorism-finance checks as well as other safeguarding-related procedures. CAFOD states that reasonable adjustments will be made throughout recruitment to support candidates with disabilities or individual needs. How to Apply Qualified candidates interested in the CAFOD Senior Business Development Lead (Africa) opportunity should submit their applications through CAFOD’s official recruitment platform before the 31 August 2026 deadline. The opportunity is particularly relevant to experienced NGO fundraising, institutional partnerships, business development and resource mobilisation professionals seeking a senior Africa-focused role with international responsibilities. CAFOD is seeking candidates who can combine strategic donor relationship management with strong technical expertise in proposal development, programme design, contract management and institutional funding. Successful applicants will play an important role in expanding CAFOD’s ability to secure resources and deliver sustainable development, humanitarian and peacebuilding programmes across Africa. 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