As a key member of our team, you will play a pivotal role in driving innovation and operational excellence. This position requires a strong foundation in [specific field or skill], combined with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments to deliver measurable results. Your responsibilities will include [list responsibilities, e.g., analyzing data to identify trends, optimizing workflows, or leading cross-functional projects]. Ideal candidates will possess [list qualifications, e.g., a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, at least three years of hands-on experience, and proficiency in industry-standard tools]. Additionally, strong problem-solving skills, adaptability, and a results-driven mindset are essential to thrive in this dynamic environment. You will report directly to [reporting manager/title] and work closely with [other teams or stakeholders] to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
The Senior Officer, Africa, Global Partnership Development is responsible for shaping and executing the foundation’s strategic approach to philanthropy in Africa, cultivating and maintaining high-value collaborations with ultra-high-net-worth individuals (Unwise), family offices, corporations, private institutions, and foundations based in or originating from Africa. These partnerships aim to advance critical health and development initiatives across the continent. Positioned at a senior level, this role demands a forward-thinking professional capable of conceptualizing and securing large-scale, multifaceted partnerships with a diverse donor base. The ideal candidate will excel at building and nurturing relationships with prominent philanthropists, their teams, family offices, and foundations—both on the continent and within the African diaspora—thereby fostering co-funding opportunities, complementary investments, and the cultivation of advocates to champion the foundation’s mission. This position requires a sophisticated understanding of how philanthropy, commerce, and civil society converge across Sub-Saharan Africa, along with a demonstrated capacity to design and implement bold partnership strategies spanning multiple sectors and regions.
This position sits at the nexus of the foundation’s philanthropic, programmatic, and advocacy objectives, tasked with cultivating and overseeing a dynamic pipeline of philanthropic partnerships across Africa while advancing the organization’s strategic vision to expand giving on the continent. The Senior Officer will collaborate closely with the institutional philanthropy lead to design and implement engagement strategies for foundations and corporate entities, serving as a pivotal relationship manager with senior leadership, including engagements tied to the Giving Pledge.
This position operates under the supervision of the Director of the African Regional Office within Global Policy and Advocacy and maintains a secondary reporting line to the Deputy Director of Global Partnership Development, specifically within the Philanthropic Partnerships Team. Notably, this role does not encompass any supervisory or team management duties.
This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya, and candidates must possess the legal right to work in the country without requiring visa sponsorship.
What You’ll Do
You will spearhead the foundation’s strategy for African philanthropy, expanding efforts to engage ultra-high-net-worth individuals (Unwise) residing in or originating from Africa in global health and development initiatives. This involves identifying, assessing, and nurturing potential partners; overseeing a dynamic portfolio of high-value relationships; and advancing substantial annual contributions aligned with the foundation’s global health and development objectives.
You will leverage extensive knowledge of deal structuring and partnerships across Africa’s philanthropic, corporate, and civic sectors to craft strategies that are locally relevant yet globally coherent. Collaborating with PPT, program teams, and the Africa Regional Office alongside Country Offices, you will craft persuasive cases for support and design innovative partnership frameworks—including philanthropic contributions, co-investment, blended finance, and alternative capital solutions.
This position demands the ability to develop and oversee intricate collaborative arrangements involving diverse partners, program domains, and geographic regions—requiring exceptional organizational, negotiation, and strategic deal-making skills. You will seek out synergies to unite multiple stakeholders around mutual objectives, establish structured frameworks for intricate multi-party initiatives, and incorporate African viewpoints into worldwide philanthropic approaches. Depending on the portfolio’s focus and the complexity of agreements, your role may encompass leadership, facilitation, or advisory functions within specific partnerships.
Institutional philanthropy initiatives require collaborative efforts across various sectors, necessitating effective engagement and coordination to achieve shared objectives.
You will serve as the foundation’s ambassador within philanthropic networks, sector forums, and peer communities across Africa. Key responsibilities may involve engaging with stakeholders, fostering partnerships, and participating in relevant discussions to advance the foundation’s mission and strategic objectives. Your role will require active involvement in collaborative initiatives, representing the foundation’s interests while building meaningful relationships with key influencers and organizations in the region.
Cultivating meaningful connections and driving impactful engagement with key decision-makers in African corporate, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors.
Collaborating closely with communications and advocacy teams, the role involves developing culturally relevant narratives that inspire philanthropic support across diverse African communities.
The role involves cultivating and empowering influential donors to serve as vocal advocates, strategic collaborators, and passionate champions for Global Health & Development (GH&D) across Africa and among members of the African diaspora.
In collaboration with the foundation’s institutional philanthropy lead, you will develop and execute strategies for engaging African foundations and corporate foundations.
As a dedicated steward of philanthropic initiatives, you will champion the Foundation Leadership and Giving Pledge Engagement, fostering meaningful connections with donors and stakeholders to advance our mission. Your role will involve cultivating strategic partnerships, overseeing pledge fulfillment, and ensuring alignment with the foundation’s goals, while also promoting transparency and accountability in all engagements. Additionally, you will lead efforts to inspire and recognize donors, demonstrating the tangible impact of their contributions through compelling narratives and impact reports. This position requires a deep understanding of philanthropic principles, exceptional interpersonal skills, and the ability to drive engagement across diverse stakeholder groups.
As a strategic advisor to foundation leadership, you will foster and deepen relationships with prominent African philanthropists and partners, ensuring that executive engagements are meticulously planned, strategically aligned, and executed with precision. You will deliver insightful briefings, develop tailored relationship strategies, and coordinate follow-up actions to enhance the effectiveness and lasting impact of leadership interactions.
You will take a proactive role in cultivating and expanding relationships tied to the Giving Pledge, with a focus on identifying new signatories from Africa and fostering sustained engagement with current African signatories in alignment with PPT’s overarching Giving Pledge strategy.
Internal Alignment and Portfolio Management involves ensuring strategic coherence and optimizing resource allocation across initiatives to maximize organizational impact. This role requires meticulous coordination to align diverse projects with overarching business objectives, fostering collaboration among stakeholders while maintaining a balanced and high-performing portfolio. Key responsibilities include evaluating project viability, prioritizing investments, and implementing governance frameworks to mitigate risks and drive sustainable growth. Proficiency in portfolio analysis tools and methodologies, along with strong analytical and communication skills, is essential for success in this function.
This position will collaborate extensively with PPT, the Global Partnership Development team, the Africa Regional Office, program strategy teams, and the Global Policy & Advocacy division, serving as a pivotal internal liaison to synchronize cross-functional efforts. The role will ensure partner engagement is executed promptly, consistently aligned, and responsive to both donor priorities and the foundation’s strategic objectives. Close coordination with Africa country offices—especially in Nigeria and Ethiopia—will be essential, alongside strategic alignment with regional leadership across Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa.
This role involves shaping the creation of innovative philanthropic offerings while engaging in strategic content and cultivation strategies for key events such as Goalkeepers, Proponent Labs, and other Africa-focused gatherings. Additionally, you will work closely with PPT’s Shared Services team to enhance communications, deepen audience engagement, and strengthen data and insights capabilities.
You will ensure meticulous management of portfolios and pipelines within Salesforce, encompassing forecasting, performance analysis, and timely updates to partner intelligence.
Your Experience
A relevant field bachelor’s degree or higher, or an equivalent level of professional experience, is required.
With at least seven years of expertise in cultivating complex partnerships, securing major gifts, driving business expansion, mobilizing resources, facilitating investments, or managing strategic relationships, you must have a proven ability to secure substantial financial contributions or finalize high-value collaborations.
We seek a candidate with extensive expertise in African philanthropy, business, and civil society, equipped to navigate and structure partnerships and transactions across Sub-Saharan Africa. Individuals from corporate, financial, investment, international development, or nonprofit backgrounds are encouraged to apply, provided they demonstrate profound insight into African markets, a robust network of professional relationships, 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, accompanied by a strong history of securing substantial, long-term commitments.
With a proven track record in cultivating and overseeing intricate collaborations spanning diverse partners, varied issue domains, and global regions.
A solid grasp of global health and development priorities, coupled with an understanding of their convergence with African development objectives, 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.
Proven capability to collaborate effectively with various internal teams to accomplish mutual objectives.
Proven expertise in relevant technical and soft skills, coupled with the ability to apply them effectively in a professional setting, is essential. Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities are required to navigate complex challenges. Excellent communication skills are necessary to convey ideas clearly and collaborate efficiently with teams. Proficiency in industry-specific tools and methodologies is expected, along with adaptability to evolving technologies and processes. Attention to detail ensures accuracy in tasks, while a commitment to continuous learning fosters professional growth. Leadership potential or experience may also be advantageous in guiding projects or teams toward success.
A dynamic relationship developer known for establishing trust and cultivating connections across diverse organizational levels—including principals, senior executives, and program staff—to achieve targeted goals.
Dynamic professional with deep expertise in African philanthropy trends, donor behaviors, and the expansive giving landscape across the continent.
Proven expertise in structuring deals and forming strategic partnerships, with a strong grasp of blended finance, co-investment models, and innovative philanthropic capital approaches.
Crafting engaging narratives from intricate global issues, tailored to engage varied African audiences, is a demonstrated strength.
Demonstrates a comprehensive grasp of cultivating influence, championing causes, and nurturing individuals to become advocates.
Proficient in both verbal and written English communication, with a demonstrated ability to effectively engage and persuade high-net-worth individuals and senior-level stakeholders.
Proficient in collaborating effectively within varied cultural landscapes spanning Sub-Saharan Africa and global settings, demonstrating a keen understanding of and deference to local customs, power structures, and relational etiquette.
Skilled in evaluating the effectiveness and outcomes of partnerships through a rigorous, data-centric approach.
Preferred Attributes
Established connections within African philanthropic, business, or civil society networks are essential, particularly with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and corporate and institutional foundations.
Fluency in one or more African languages, or other languages prevalent in significant markets, is required.
Demonstrates a proven ability to collaborate effectively with top-tier executives, key decision-makers, and governing bodies.
Experience with or understanding of the Giving Pledge or similar philanthropic networks is required.
Proven expertise in blended finance, impact investing, or cultivating cross-sector partnerships is required.
Seasoned expertise in mobilizing resources for Global Health & Development (GH&D), gender equality, or allied development initiatives is essential.
Proficiency in regional travel across Sub-Saharan Africa, with a requirement to dedicate up to 40% of time on the road.
Qualifications
BA/BSc/HND
Experience Required
7 years
