We are seeking a motivated individual to join our dynamic team in a well-defined organizational role. The successful applicant will collaborate with cross-functional departments to achieve strategic objectives, ensuring alignment with company policies and industry standards. Key responsibilities include executing assigned tasks with precision, contributing to project planning and implementation, and maintaining high standards of professionalism and accountability. Candidates must possess relevant qualifications and experience, along with strong communication skills and the ability to adapt to evolving priorities. This position offers opportunities for professional growth and development within a supportive and innovative work environment.
The Regional Business Development Manager is accountable to the Regional Head of Programs at Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa Expertise Centre, collaborating closely with the Managing Director, Country Managers, designated country BD focal points, and country-level teams. This role entails offering strategic direction and mentorship to country-level teams, enhancing business development frameworks, donor intelligence capabilities, and the standard of proposals throughout the region.
Key Result Areas
Market intelligence and pipeline management professionals play a pivotal role in driving strategic decision-making by gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data on market trends, competitive landscapes, and customer insights. They oversee the development and maintenance of robust pipelines to identify, evaluate, and prioritize opportunities that align with organizational goals. Responsibilities include conducting comprehensive market research, assessing industry dynamics, and forecasting demand to inform business strategies. Additionally, they collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure accurate pipeline forecasting, optimize resource allocation, and enhance overall operational efficiency. Strong analytical skills, proficiency in data-driven tools, and a keen understanding of market dynamics are essential for success in this role.
Develop and manage a robust market intelligence framework to systematically monitor donor strategies, funding patterns, and new prospects within Solidaridad’s key sectors.
Identify, evaluate, and monitor suitable upcoming funding opportunities by collecting proactive intelligence, leveraging partner relationships, and utilizing internal resources.
Develop and oversee a dynamic funding pipeline dashboard that consolidates insights from country teams and global platforms, facilitating immediate decision-making and accurate forecasting.
Develop quarterly funding projections and donor trend analyses to guide strategic decision-making and resource distribution across regions.
Coordinate the Go/No-Go evaluation process to identify, select, and monitor opportunities, leveraging data-driven decision-making while maintaining clear transparency in prioritizing high-impact initiatives.
Design uniform templates, tools, and workflows for concept notes, budgets, and annexes to reinforce efficiency, maintain high standards, and uphold consistency throughout all proposals.
Country capacity strengthening and cross-functional coordination are essential for achieving sustainable development goals and enhancing organizational effectiveness. This role involves fostering collaboration across diverse teams, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives, and building the capabilities of local partners. Key responsibilities include designing and implementing capacity-building initiatives, facilitating knowledge-sharing platforms, and monitoring progress to measure impact. Strong interpersonal skills, project management expertise, and a commitment to inclusive practices are required to engage stakeholders effectively and drive meaningful change. Prior experience in international development or related fields is highly desirable.
Establish and enhance country-level business development capabilities by implementing tailored training programs, mentorship initiatives, and resource tools designed to optimize donor engagement, facilitate systematic opportunity identification, and refine proposal development processes.
To ensure alignment with regional strategic objectives and timely contributions, cultivate cross-functional collaboration among the Programs, Finance, PMEL, and Communications teams.
Drive the adoption and optimization of collaborative digital platforms—such as CRM systems and Gantt boards—to improve operational transparency, strengthen accountability, and streamline workflow efficiency across teams.
Deliver strategic direction and supervision to a compact regional business development team and designated country-level business development representatives, guaranteeing uniform implementation of the business development framework and cohesive regional alignment.
Opportunity Prioritization, Proposal Development, and Bid Management form the core of this role. It involves systematically evaluating and ranking potential opportunities to ensure alignment with strategic objectives, meticulously crafting compelling proposals that highlight value propositions and competitive advantages, and overseeing the end-to-end process of bid submissions to enhance win rates and secure new business.
Spearhead the entire business development process—from initial market positioning and bid strategy to the submission of final proposals—encompassing opportunity evaluation, alliance formulation, and management of technical and financial frameworks.
As the principal writer or coordinating manager, oversee complex, multi-country, or consortium proposals, guaranteeing adherence to donor and organizational standards while maintaining quality and coherence.
Collaborate with technical, finance, and PMEL teams to develop proposals that align with donor priorities, showcasing measurable impact, long-term sustainability, and innovative solutions.
Lead the creation of concept notes and proposals, crafting essential narrative components while ensuring alignment with Solidaridad ECA’s strategic value proposition and donor-specific priorities.
Conduct structured after-action reviews and lessons-learned sessions aimed at enhancing the organization’s proposal development capabilities and preserving institutional knowledge.
We cultivate and nurture strategic alliances while fostering strong, lasting connections with donors to advance organizational goals and secure essential funding.
Develop and sustain high-impact strategic alliances with bilateral, multilateral, and corporate donors, foundations, and networks to drive forward Solidaridad’s regional funding priorities.
Facilitate the negotiation of strategic partnerships by overseeing the development and execution of key agreements, such as Memorandums of Understanding (Mouse), teaming arrangements, and collaborative co-creation initiatives.
Investigate creative financial strategies, including blended finance, impact investing, and corporate social responsibility partnerships, to expand funding sources.
Perform in-depth research to identify and analyze potential donors, then design customized engagement initiatives specifically tailored to top-tier donors and high-net-worth individuals.
Develop a comprehensive donor stewardship and reporting framework to cultivate enduring, trust-driven partnerships with essential funders and stakeholders.
We are seeking a dynamic individual to oversee learning initiatives, enhance performance standards, and drive ongoing improvements within our organization. The ideal candidate will develop and implement training programs, assess skill gaps, and measure the impact of learning interventions. Strong project management, analytical, and communication skills are essential, along with the ability to collaborate across departments. Experience in designing scalable learning solutions and fostering a culture of continuous improvement is highly desirable. This role requires a proactive approach to identifying trends, optimizing processes, and aligning development efforts with strategic goals.
Conduct comprehensive post-proposal evaluations, including win/loss reviews, to identify key insights and systematically incorporate proven strategies into upcoming proposals.
Maintain a centralized repository of proven proposals, change theories, and evidence-based resources for consultation and reuse.
Create annual fundraising targets, KPIs, and performance dashboards, then track progress against them while delivering consistent updates to both regional and global leadership teams.
Drive a culture of ongoing learning, innovation, and collaboration within the Business Development function, while ensuring full alignment with Solidaridad’s strategic and thematic priorities.
Seasoned professionals with proven expertise in the specified field are sought, bringing a minimum of five years of hands-on experience alongside a comprehensive understanding of industry best practices. Candidates must demonstrate a strong command of core principles and demonstrate the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios effectively. Additionally, familiarity with emerging trends and technologies relevant to the role is essential for success.
A Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant discipline, including Business Administration, Development Studies, International Relations, Strategic Management, Project Management, Marketing and Communications, Agribusiness, Economics, or closely related fields, is required.
With a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in business development, resource mobilization, fundraising, and partnership development—including at least three years in a leadership role overseeing comparable functions and multi-million-Euro funding initiatives—comes the capability to drive strategic growth and secure critical resources.
Experienced in the development sector, with a strong background in agriculture, agribusiness, industry, and extractives, specifically within developing country contexts.
Experienced in designing programs, fostering business growth, and developing compelling proposals, with a strong ability to articulate technical concepts in ways that align with donor priorities and requirements.
Skilled in cultivating and managing relationships with a diverse range of international donors, encompassing bilateral organizations such as the European Union, USAID, FCDO, and DANICA, as well as multilateral, philanthropic, and corporate partners.
Seasoned in spearheading or participating in consortia and collaborative multipartner proposals, adept at drafting Memorandums of Understanding (Mouse) and expertly negotiating partnership or teaming arrangements.
Proven expertise in managing pipeline systems through digital solutions, including customer relationship management platforms, proposal tracking tools, and collaborative software.
Experienced in coordinating efforts across program, finance, PMEL, and communications teams to facilitate seamless and timely proposal delivery.
Seeking a candidate who meets the following professional criteria. The ideal applicant will possess the necessary qualifications and experience to fulfill the role effectively. Key responsibilities include performing essential duties while adhering to established standards and protocols. Additionally, the position demands strong interpersonal and organizational skills to ensure seamless collaboration and productivity. Familiarity with industry-specific tools and practices is highly advantageous.
Proven ability to communicate effectively, deliver compelling presentations, and establish strong interpersonal connections is essential.
Proven capabilities in stakeholder management and networking are essential, accompanied by a track record of effective negotiation and influencing skills.
Skilled in consistently achieving and surpassing established fundraising objectives with measurable impact.
Proven expertise in analytical thinking and strategic planning, with a demonstrated capacity to convert market intelligence into practical and effective fundraising strategies.
Proven expertise in utilizing fundraising tools and donor management platforms, including but not limited to CRM systems and pipeline trackers, is essential.
Proven ability to cultivate and structure innovative financing partnerships, encompassing social impact investments, blended finance models, and strategic public-private collaborations.
Proven ability to work independently, solve problems effectively, and take initiative while collaborating seamlessly with team members.
Capable of undertaking frequent travel throughout Eastern and Central Africa, with occasional international assignments.
Qualifications
BA/BSc/HND
Experience Required
7 years
