We are seeking a motivated professional to join our team in this critical role, where you will be responsible for executing key duties and initiatives integral to our success. The ideal candidate will possess a proven track record in their field, along with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments to achieve organizational objectives. This position requires strong analytical skills, adaptability to evolving priorities, and a commitment to delivering high-quality results. Additionally, the role demands proficiency in industry-specific tools and methodologies, as well as excellent communication abilities to liaise with stakeholders at all levels.
The Senior Officer for Africa within Global Partnership Development will spearhead the foundation’s strategic approach to philanthropy across the continent, cultivating and nurturing high-value collaborations with ultra-high-net-worth individuals (Unwise), family offices, corporate entities, private funders, and institutional foundations based in or originating from Africa. These partnerships will be instrumental in advancing the foundation’s core health and development initiatives throughout the region. This senior-level position demands a dynamic professional capable of envisioning innovative solutions, fostering meaningful relationships, and leveraging existing networks to secure substantial, multifaceted partnerships with a wide spectrum of donors. The successful candidate will excel at establishing and leading engagements with prominent philanthropists, their teams, family offices, and foundations—both on the continent and within the African diaspora—to generate co-funding opportunities, complementary investments, and cultivate influential champions and advocates. A deep understanding of the interplay between philanthropy, business, and civil society in Sub-Saharan Africa is essential, along with a track record of designing and implementing bold, cross-sectoral partnership strategies that span diverse issue areas and geographic regions.
This position sits at the confluence of the foundation’s three core pillars—philanthropy, programming, and advocacy—tasked with cultivating and overseeing a dynamic pipeline of partnerships with African philanthropic organizations while advancing the foundation’s overarching strategy to expand charitable giving across the continent. The Senior Officer will collaborate closely with the institutional philanthropy lead to design and implement engagement strategies targeting foundations and corporate entities, serving as a pivotal liaison with foundation leadership, including in matters pertaining to the Giving Pledge.
This position is accountable to the Director of the African Regional Office within Global Policy and Advocacy, while maintaining a secondary reporting line to the Deputy Director of the Global Partnership Development team under Philanthropic Partnerships. The role does not encompass direct supervision or management of staff.
This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya, and candidates must possess the legal authorization to work in the country without requiring visa sponsorship.
What You’ll Do
You will spearhead the foundation’s strategy for African philanthropy, leveraging an approach designed to engage ultra-high-net-worth individuals based in or with origins on the continent in global health and development initiatives. This involves identifying, evaluating, and nurturing potential partners; overseeing a dynamic portfolio of high-value relationships; and advancing substantial annual commitments aligned with the foundation’s goals in global health and development.
With a profound grasp of deal and partnership structures across Africa’s varied philanthropic, corporate, and civic sectors, you will leverage this knowledge to craft strategies that harmonize local relevance with global coherence. Collaborating with PPT, program teams, and the Africa Regional and Country Offices, you will devise persuasive cases for support and design innovative partnership frameworks—potentially integrating philanthropic contributions, co-investment models, blended finance solutions, and alternative capital structures.
This position demands the development and oversight of intricate partnerships across diverse collaborators, program domains, and geographic regions—necessitating exceptional coordination, negotiation, and strategic deal-making skills. Your responsibilities will include identifying synergies to unite multiple stakeholders around shared objectives, crafting partnership frameworks for multifaceted engagements, and ensuring African viewpoints influence global philanthropic strategies. Depending on the portfolio’s scope and the intricacy of agreements, you may serve as a primary leader, facilitator, or advisor in key partnerships.
Facilitating collaboration and alignment across diverse sectors to advance institutional philanthropy represents a key focus of this role. It involves orchestrating strategic partnerships and ensuring cohesive coordination among stakeholders to maximize philanthropic impact. The position demands a deep understanding of cross-sector dynamics, robust stakeholder management skills, and the ability to drive collective initiatives that support institutional goals.
You will serve as the foundation’s ambassador within African philanthropic networks, sector forums, and peer communities, fostering strategic relationships and representing organizational interests with professionalism and diplomacy. Responsibilities may encompass active participation in high-level discussions, collaborative initiatives, and knowledge-sharing platforms to advance the foundation’s mission and strategic objectives.
Cultivating strategic partnerships and fostering meaningful engagement with key decision-makers in African business, civil society, and philanthropic sectors;
Collaborating closely with communications and advocacy groups to develop culturally relevant stories that inspire philanthropic support across diverse African settings.
Identifying and cultivating influential donors who can serve as spokespeople, strategic advisors, and advocates for Global Health & Development (GH&D) across the continent and within the African diaspora.
In collaboration with the foundation’s institutional philanthropy lead, you will develop and implement strategies to foster engagement with African foundations and corporate foundations.
Foundation Leadership and Giving Pledge Engagement involves spearheading strategic initiatives to amplify philanthropic impact, fostering donor relationships, and ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission. The role demands expertise in foundation management, including grant making, stewardship, and compliance with ethical standards. Responsibilities encompass cultivating high-net-worth donors, designing impactful giving programs, and overseeing pledge fulfillment while maintaining transparency and accountability. Candidates must possess a proven track record in nonprofit leadership, exceptional interpersonal skills, and a deep understanding of philanthropic trends. A master’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, or a related field is preferred, complemented by at least five years of relevant experience in foundation operations or charitable giving initiatives.
You will act as a trusted strategic advisor to foundation leadership, cultivating and sustaining relationships with prominent African philanthropists and partners to ensure meaningful, well-executed executive engagements. By developing tailored briefings, strategic relationship plans, and follow-up frameworks, you will enhance the effectiveness of leadership interactions and drive greater impact from these critical touchpoints.
You will take a proactive role in nurturing and expanding relationships tied to the Giving Pledge, focusing on identifying potential signatories from Africa as well as maintaining strong engagement with current African signatories. This work will be conducted in accordance with PPT’s broader strategic objectives for the Giving Pledge.
Internal Coordination and Strategic Portfolio Oversight ensures cohesive organizational direction and optimal asset utilization. This role involves evaluating and aligning projects with strategic goals while maintaining a balanced portfolio to maximize efficiency and impact. Key responsibilities include assessing project performance, prioritizing initiatives, and allocating resources to drive organizational success.
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 partner engagement is executed promptly, consistently, and in alignment with both donor interests and foundation priorities. This position will maintain close partnerships with Africa country offices—especially in Nigeria and Ethiopia—and work in tandem with regional leads across Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa.
This role involves helping to design innovative philanthropic products, engaging in strategic content and cultivation efforts for key events such as Goalkeepers, Proponent Labs, and other Africa-focused gatherings, while also partnering with PPT’s Shared Services team to enhance communications, audience engagement, and data-driven insights capabilities.
You will be responsible for managing comprehensive portfolio and pipeline tracking using Salesforce, encompassing forecasting, performance reporting, and regular updates to partner intelligence.
Your Experience
A relevant bachelor’s degree or higher, or equivalent practical experience, is required.
A minimum of seven years of experience in partnership development, major gifts fundraising, business development, resource mobilization, investment, or strategic relationship management is required. Candidates must demonstrate a proven ability to secure substantial financial commitments or finalize high-value partnerships.
Proficiency in the African philanthropic, business, and civil society sectors is essential, coupled with a deep understanding of partnership and deal structuring methodologies across Sub-Saharan Africa. Candidates from diverse professional backgrounds—including business, finance, investment, international development, or NGOs—are encouraged to apply, provided they demonstrate substantial expertise in the African market, robust relationship networks, and a proven history in business development or resource mobilization.
Proven expertise in cultivating and overseeing relationships with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional partners, consistently delivering substantial multi-year commitments.
Accomplished in cultivating and overseeing intricate collaborations involving diverse partners, varied issue domains, and global regions.
A solid understanding of global health and development priorities, along with an awareness of their relevance to African development initiatives, 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 hold greater significance.
Skilled in fostering cross-functional collaboration to successfully accomplish unified objectives within internal teams.
A strong candidate for this role will demonstrate a comprehensive set of skills and proficiencies, along with the ability to apply them effectively in a professional setting. Essential competencies include analytical thinking, problem-solving, and a keen attention to detail, all of which are critical for navigating complex challenges. Proficiency in relevant technical tools, software, or methodologies is required, as is the capacity to communicate clearly and collaborate efficiently with cross-functional teams. Additionally, the ability to adapt to evolving priorities, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and maintain a results-driven mindset will be vital to success in this position.
Dynamic relationship architect with a demonstrated proficiency in cultivating trust and fostering meaningful connections across diverse organizational levels—spanning principals, senior executives, and program staff—to achieve targeted objectives.
Adept strategic thinker with deep fluency in African philanthropy trends, donor motivations, and the expansive landscape of continental giving.
Proficiency in crafting deals and structuring partnerships, with demonstrated expertise in blended finance, co-investment strategies, and alternative philanthropic capital models.
Demonstrated ability to convert intricate global issues into engaging stories that effectively connect with varied African demographics.
Demonstrates a keen ability to cultivate influence, advocate effectively, and mentor individuals to become advocates themselves.
Exceptional proficiency in both verbal and written English is required, with the demonstrated capacity to captivate and persuade ultra-high-net-worth individuals and top-tier executives.
Proficient in operating within a wide range of cultural settings spanning Sub-Saharan Africa and global contexts, demonstrating a profound appreciation for indigenous traditions, social hierarchies, and established relationship-building practices.
Skilled in evaluating the effectiveness and outcomes of partnerships through a data-oriented approach.
Preferred Attributes
Leverage established connections within Africa’s philanthropic, corporate, and civil society sectors, with a strong emphasis on engaging ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and both corporate and institutional foundations.
Fluency in one or more African languages or other languages prevalent in essential markets is required.
Collaborative experience with senior leadership teams, key decision-makers, and board members is essential.
Familiarity with or prior involvement in the Giving Pledge or similar philanthropic networks is required.
Seeking professionals with a proven track record in blended finance, impact investing, or the cultivation of cross-sector partnerships.
Proven expertise in securing resources for Global Health and Development (GH&D), gender equality, or similar development initiatives is essential.
Capable of traveling up to 40% of the time, with potential regional coverage across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Qualifications
BA/BSc/HND
Experience Required
7 years
