As the successful candidate, you will be responsible for executing key responsibilities that drive strategic objectives and operational excellence. This position requires a proven track record in [specific field/industry], along with the ability to manage cross-functional teams and deliver measurable results. Key tasks include [list responsibilities], ensuring adherence to best practices and company policies. Proficiency in [specific skills/tools] is essential, and strong analytical and problem-solving skills are highly valued. The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional communication abilities, a commitment to continuous improvement, and the capacity to thrive in a fast-paced environment. This role demands a minimum of [X years] of experience in [relevant field], along with [specific certifications or qualifications, if applicable].
The Senior Officer, Africa, within Global Partnership Development is tasked with spearheading the foundation’s strategy for African philanthropy, cultivating and nurturing high-value partnerships with Africa-based and Africa-originated ultra-high-net-worth individuals (Unwise), family offices, corporations, and both private and institutional foundations to advance critical health and development initiatives across the continent. This pivotal, senior-level position seeks a dynamic professional capable of envisioning, innovating, and leveraging relationship capital to design and finalize large-scale, multifaceted partnerships with a diverse array of donors—while simultaneously establishing and leading connections on behalf of the foundation with prominent philanthropists, their teams, family offices, and foundations. The successful candidate will foster collaborative funding opportunities, secure complementary investments, and cultivate key champions and advocates both within Africa and across the African diaspora. Candidates must possess an in-depth understanding of how philanthropy, business, and civil society intersect across Sub-Saharan Africa, alongside a demonstrated capacity to craft and implement bold partnership strategies spanning multiple issue areas and geographic regions.
At this pivotal juncture where philanthropic initiatives, programmatic objectives, and advocacy efforts converge, this position will cultivate and oversee a dynamic network of African philanthropic alliances while advancing the foundation’s strategic vision to expand charitable contributions across the continent. The Senior Officer will collaborate closely with the institutional philanthropy lead to design and implement strategies for engaging additional foundations and corporate entities, serving as a pivotal liaison with foundation leadership—most notably in relation to the Giving Pledge.
This position operates under the supervision of the Director of the African Regional Office within the Global Policy and Advocacy division, with a secondary reporting line to the Deputy Director of the Global Partnership Development team under Philanthropic Partnerships. The role does not involve supervisory duties or team management responsibilities.
This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya, and requires candidates who are legally authorized to work in the country without the need for visa sponsorship.
What You’ll Do
You will spearhead the foundation’s strategic direction in African philanthropy, leveraging a focused approach to engage Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (Unwise) who are based in or hail from the continent, with a priority on global health and development initiatives. This encompasses identifying, vetting, and nurturing potential partners; overseeing a dynamic portfolio of high-value relationships; and advancing ambitious annual commitments aligned with the foundation’s goals in global health and development.
You will leverage extensive knowledge of deal and partnership structuring within Africa’s varied philanthropic, corporate, and civic sectors to craft strategies that balance local relevance with global coherence. Through collaboration with PPT, program teams, and the Africa Regional Office alongside Country Offices, you will create persuasive cases for support and design innovative partnership frameworks—including philanthropic contributions, co-investment, blended finance, and alternative capital sources.
This position demands the development and oversight of intricate collaborations that transcend various partners, program domains, and geographical regions, necessitating exceptional coordination, negotiation, and deal-structuring skills. Your responsibilities will include identifying prospects to unite multiple partners around common objectives, crafting partnership frameworks for elaborate multi-stakeholder initiatives, and ensuring African viewpoints are embedded within global philanthropic strategies. Depending on the portfolio’s composition and the intricacy of the deals, you will assume a primary, supportive, or advisory function within designated partnerships.
Cross-Sector Engagement and Coordination on Institutional Philanthropy
In this role, you will facilitate strategic partnerships and collaborative initiatives across diverse sectors to advance institutional philanthropic efforts. Your responsibilities will include engaging with nonprofit organizations, corporate entities, government agencies, and academic institutions to cultivate shared objectives and maximize collective impact. Key duties involve designing and implementing coordinated programs, securing funding through collaborative grant applications, and fostering sustainable networks to strengthen philanthropic outcomes. Additionally, you will analyze trends in institutional giving, assess partnership effectiveness, and provide recommendations to enhance cross-sector alignment and resource mobilization. Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and project management skills are essential, along with a proven track record in philanthropy, fundraising, or related fields. A deep understanding of nonprofit governance, grant making processes, and stakeholder engagement is required to drive meaningful collaboration and innovation in the philanthropic landscape.
You will serve as the foundation’s ambassador within African philanthropic networks, industry forums, and peer communities. In this role, your responsibilities may encompass engaging with key stakeholders, participating in sector-wide discussions, and fostering collaborative partnerships to advance the foundation’s mission and strategic objectives.
Developing strategic partnerships and fostering influence with key decision-makers in African business, civil society, and philanthropic sectors;
Collaborating closely with communications and advocacy teams, we develop culturally relevant narratives designed to inspire philanthropic support across diverse African contexts.
As part of this role, you will cultivate and empower influential donors to serve as vocal advocates, strategic collaborators, and passionate champions for GH&D across the continent and within the African diaspora.
In collaboration with the foundation’s institutional philanthropy lead, your role involves coordinating strategies for engaging African foundations and corporate foundations.
Foundation Leadership and Giving Pledge Engagement involves spearheading strategic initiatives to foster philanthropic partnerships and enhance donor engagement. The role requires cultivating relationships with high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and corporate foundations to secure transformative gifts. Key responsibilities include coordinating with cross-functional teams to align fundraising efforts with organizational priorities, developing tailored engagement strategies, and overseeing the execution of grant-making processes. Additionally, the position demands a deep understanding of philanthropic trends, exceptional interpersonal skills, and the ability to inspire confidence in donors through compelling storytelling. Proficiency in data analysis to track engagement metrics and measure impact is essential, as is experience in managing large-scale giving campaigns or similar initiatives.
As a strategic advisor to foundation leadership, you will facilitate meaningful engagements with prominent African philanthropists and partners, ensuring all executive interactions are meticulously prepared, outcome-focused, and seamlessly followed through. Your responsibilities will include delivering insightful briefings, developing tailored relationship strategies, and coordinating follow-up actions to optimize the impact of leadership interactions.
You will take a hands-on approach to cultivating and strengthening relationships associated with the Giving Pledge, with a focus on identifying new signatories from Africa and fostering continuous engagement with current African signatories, all in accordance with PPT’s overarching Giving Pledge strategy.
We are seeking a skilled professional to oversee internal alignment and manage our portfolio with precision and strategic insight. This role involves ensuring cohesive collaboration across departments while optimizing resource allocation to drive project success. Key responsibilities include maintaining alignment with organizational goals, monitoring portfolio performance, and identifying opportunities for improvement. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical skills, experience in portfolio management, and the ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels. Proficiency in relevant tools and methodologies, along with a results-driven mindset, will be essential for excelling in this position.
You will collaborate with PPT, the Global Partnership Development team, the Africa Regional Office, program strategy teams, and the Global Policy & Advocacy division as a critical internal relationship manager, ensuring seamless coordination to align partner engagement with donor interests and foundation priorities. This position involves close collaboration with Africa country offices, with a particular focus on Nigeria and Ethiopia, and requires coordination with regional leads across Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa.
The role involves shaping the creation of innovative philanthropic initiatives, engaging in strategic content and cultivation planning for events such as Goalkeepers, Proponent Labs, and other Africa-focused gatherings, and partnering with PPT’s Shared Services team to enhance communications, audience engagement, and data-driven insights capabilities.
You will oversee meticulous tracking of portfolios and pipelines within Salesforce, encompassing forecasting, performance analytics, and regular updates to partner intelligence.
Your Experience
A relevant field bachelor’s degree or higher—or commensurate professional experience—is required.
With at least seven years of experience in intricate partnership development, major gifts fundraising, business development, resource mobilization, investment, or strategic relationship management, you have a proven history of securing substantial financial contributions or finalizing high-value partnerships.
Seeking professionals with extensive expertise in African philanthropy, business dynamics, and civil society, along with a deep understanding of partnership and deal structuring across Sub-Saharan Africa. Ideal candidates will have a background in business, finance, investment, international development, or the NGO sector—prioritizing those who demonstrate strong African market knowledge, a robust network of relationships, and a proven history in business development or resource mobilization.
Proven ability to cultivate and oversee relationships with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional partners, consistently delivering substantial multi-year commitments.
With a proven track record in cultivating and overseeing intricate collaborations involving diverse partners, multifaceted issue domains, and varied geographic regions.
A solid grasp of global health and development priorities, along with an understanding of their alignment with African development agendas, is essential. While specialized expertise in global health and development is not mandatory, intellectual curiosity, rapid learning capabilities, and a sincere dedication to the mission are critical.
Collaborative experience in uniting internal teams to accomplish common objectives is essential.
Proven expertise and essential capabilities that drive performance and excellence in the role, encompassing both technical proficiencies and interpersonal strengths. Demonstrated ability to apply specialized knowledge effectively while collaborating across teams to achieve organizational objectives. Strong analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills to navigate complex challenges, coupled with adaptability to evolving industry demands. Excellent communication and organizational talents to articulate ideas clearly, prioritize tasks efficiently, and maintain high productivity standards. A commitment to continuous learning and professional growth to stay ahead of emerging trends and best practices in the field.
Results-driven relationship builder with a demonstrated capacity to foster trust and cultivate connections across diverse organizational levels—from executive leadership to frontline staff—to achieve targeted outcomes.
Seasoned professional who demonstrates strategic insight into African philanthropy trends, donor motivations, and the expansive landscape of giving across the continent.
Proven expertise in designing transactions and structuring partnerships, with a solid grasp of blended finance mechanisms, co-investment frameworks, and innovative philanthropic funding strategies.
Accomplished in crafting engaging stories from intricate global issues, tailored to captivate and connect with varied African audiences.
Demonstrates a keen ability to cultivate influence, advocate effectively, and mentor individuals to become passionate advocates themselves.
Proven ability to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively in English, both verbally and in writing, with a talent for connecting with ultra-high-net-worth individuals and key stakeholders to drive meaningful engagement and influence critical decisions.
Proven ability to operate effectively within a variety of cultural settings across Sub-Saharan Africa and globally, demonstrating a strong appreciation for local customs, power structures, and relational practices.
Skilled in evaluating the effectiveness and outcomes of partnerships through a data-centric approach.
Preferred Attributes
Extensive existing relationships across African philanthropic, business, and civil society networks are essential, with a particular emphasis on connecting with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, corporate entities, and institutional foundations.
Fluency in one or more African languages, or other languages prevalent in strategic markets, is required.
Skilled in collaborating effectively with senior leadership teams, key influencers, and board members.
Experience with or awareness of the Giving Pledge or similar philanthropic networks is preferred.
Blended finance, impact investing, or cross-sector partnership development experience is required.
Proven expertise in mobilizing resources for global health and development initiatives, gender equality, and other relevant thematic areas is required.
Capable of traveling up to 40% of the time, which may include trips throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
Qualifications
BA/BSc/HND
Experience Required
7 years
