Department: Donor Relations / Grant ManagementContract Type: Full-time, 1-year contract (renewable based on performance)Duty Station: East & Central Africa – Country of Operation (regional role)Reporting Line: Regional Head of ProgrammesApplication Deadline: 22 December 2025 About Solidaridad Solidaridad is an international civil society organisation with over 55 years of experience advancing sustainable and inclusive supply chains. Working across entire value chains, Solidaridad supports farmers, workers, and businesses to transition towards an economy that delivers living incomes, decent work, and production in balance with nature. Our vision is an economy that works for all—one that sustains people and planet, now and for future generations. Our mission is to enable farmers and workers to shape their own futures by making sustainability the norm across global supply chains. Role Overview The Regional Business Development Manager leads the identification, assessment, and development of high-value funding and partnership opportunities that advance Solidaridad’s strategic priorities in East and Central Africa. The role provides strategic leadership and technical oversight for resource mobilisation, donor engagement, and partnership development, ensuring funding diversification and long-term sustainability. The post-holder designs and executes a regional fundraising strategy, positioning Solidaridad as a preferred partner for donors, corporates, and foundations supporting inclusive and sustainable development. Position in the Organisation The Business Development Manager reports to the Regional Head of Programmes and works closely with: Managing Director Country Managers Country-level Business Development focal points Programme, Finance, PMEL, and Communications teams The role provides guidance, mentorship, and quality assurance across country teams, strengthening regional business development systems, donor intelligence, and proposal competitiveness. Key Result Areas 1. Market Intelligence & Pipeline Management Establish and maintain a regional market intelligence system tracking donor strategies, funding trends, and emerging opportunities Proactively identify, analyse, and monitor funding opportunities aligned with Solidaridad’s priority sectors Manage a live regional funding pipeline dashboard integrating country and global intelligence Produce quarterly funding forecasts and donor trend analyses Lead the Go/No-Go decision-making process, applying transparent, data-driven prioritisation criteria Develop and institutionalise standardised tools, templates, and processes for concept notes, budgets, and annexes 2. Country Capacity Strengthening & Coordination Strengthen country-level business development capacity through training, mentoring, and technical support Promote effective cross-functional collaboration across Programmes, Finance, PMEL, and Communications Champion the use of digital collaboration and pipeline management tools (e.g., CRM systems, Gantt boards) Provide leadership and oversight to regional BD staff and country BD focal points 3. Opportunity Prioritisation, Proposal Development & Bid Management Lead the full business development lifecycle, from early positioning to proposal submission Serve as lead writer or coordinating manager for complex, multi-country, and consortium proposals Ensure proposals are high-quality, donor-compliant, innovative, and impact-driven Coordinate technical, financial, and PMEL inputs to produce competitive bids Lead proposal reviews, after-action assessments, and lessons-learned processes 4. Strategic Partnerships & Donor Relations Build and manage strategic relationships with bilateral, multilateral, corporate, and philanthropic donors Lead partnership negotiations, including MOUs, teaming agreements, and co-creation processes Explore innovative financing approaches such as blended finance, CSR partnerships, and impact investment Conduct donor mapping and develop targeted engagement strategies for priority donors Establish structured donor stewardship, reporting, and relationship management systems 5. Learning, Performance & Continuous Improvement Conduct post-proposal win/loss analyses and integrate learning into future bids Maintain a regional knowledge repository of proposals, theories of change, and evidence materials Set, monitor, and report against annual fundraising targets and KPIs Foster a culture of learning, collaboration, and innovation within the BD function Qualifications & Experience Essential Bachelor’s degree or higher in Business Administration, Development Studies, International Relations, Economics, Agribusiness, Strategic Management, or a related field Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in business development, fundraising, or resource mobilisation At least 3 years in a senior or lead BD role managing large, multi-million-euro funding portfolios Proven experience working in development contexts, particularly in agriculture, agri-business, industry, or extractives Demonstrated success in donor engagement with EU, USAID, FCDO, DANIDA, multilateral, philanthropic, and corporate donors Strong experience managing consortia, partnerships, and complex bids Advanced experience using CRM systems, pipeline trackers, and proposal management tools Skills & Competencies Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills Strong negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder management abilities Strategic and analytical mindset with strong market intelligence skills Proven ability to meet and exceed fundraising targets Innovative thinker with experience in blended finance and public–private partnerships Highly organised, self-driven, and solution-oriented Willingness and ability to travel extensively within East and Central Africa Equal Opportunity Statement Solidaridad is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalised communities. How to Apply Interested candidates should submit their application via the Solidaridad career portal no later than 22 December 2025: VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the seeking organization. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.