Director Business Development and Strategic Partnership

Organization Background The African Initiatives for Relief and Development (AIRD) is a non-political, non-religious and non-profit making NGO with Country Programme Offices in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda. AIRD’s objective is to offer operational technical support, including but not limited to supply chain, logistics and infrastructure in partnership with relief and development organisations that focus on disaster-affected, poverty stricken and development-oriented areas. AIRD delivers for and through partners including but not limited to UN Agencies, international and national donor organisations and governments. AIRD is unique and top tier African home grown and based organisation with more than 1,500 talents delivering first class service to the most vulnerable across the continent. The organisation has grown tremendously since its creation in 2006. In 2023, AIRD set the ambition to be a USD$100 million organisation. Despite the challenges in the operating landscape and context, AIRD has huge opportunities and potential to exceed that ambition. AIRD is looking for an exceptional, bold and ambitious team member to lead its growth. Summary of the Role: The Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships will lead AIRD efforts to obtain new and innovative partnerships and resources. He/she will be responsible for significantly growing and managing high-value relationships with global corporations, brands, and foundations. This senior executive role will drive organizational growth, building high-value partnerships, and leading growth through innovative income generation strategies—including grants, philanthropy, private sector partnerships, and social enterprise initiatives. The Director will play a key role in building partnerships, aligning fundraising efforts with programmatic priorities, and ensuring long-term financial sustainability for the organisation. This role calls for a seasoned professional with a proven track record in high yield grant proposals, multi-year strategic planning, revenue diversification, and leadership of business development functions across multiple countries. The successful candidate will develop and execute strategies through leadership and oversight of the Business Development and Strategic Partnership team, work across AIRD’s humanitarian-development spectrum, delivering innovations and high impact collaborations. Core Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership and Vision Build and lead Business Development and Strategic Partnership function, defining the vision, structure and roadmap for global engagement with corporations, institutional donors, foundations and high-net-worth individuals in alignment with AIRD’s long-term mission and financial sustainability goals. Design and lead a comprehensive global fundraising strategy to secure diversified and sustainable funding Develop and implement a multi-year growth strategy for institutional partnership, social enterprises with clear revenue goals and relationship milestones, and qualitative KPIs. Lead and mentor the department team; fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, quality and high performance. Mentor and grow a dynamic team across AIRD’s Head Office and Country Programs, fostering a high-performance, learning-oriented culture Model AIRD’s core values, championing bold decision-making, accountability, and results orientation. Fundraising and Resource Development Serve as AIRD’s chief resource development strategist , ensuring high-value proposal development for institutional donors, foundations, corporates, and individual philanthropists. Maintain a high harvest ratio by managing the end-to-end grant acquisition cycle—from pipeline development to proposal writing, submission, follow-up, continued reflection and learning. Monitor global funding trends and donor priorities to anticipate opportunities, inform strategic positioning, and ensure the organisation remains competitive and relevant. Identify emerging global funders including multinational corporations, global foundations and purpose driven enterprises with high alignment and revenue potential. Set and track measurable fundraising targets aligned with AIRD’s mission and growth goals Social Enterprise and Income Generation Design and oversee social enterprise models and income-generating initiatives, including multi-purpose skilling and vocational projects, logistics value chain, construction and AIRD Academy/Institute Design and oversee an end-to-end business planning cycle i.e. (a) relief/emergency/humanitarian response/logistics, (b) Rehabilitation, coping and resilience building, and (c) Long term sustainable development Integrate entrepreneurial thinking into project design to drive sustainability in humanitarian and development interventions. Donor Relations, Advocacy, and High-value Partnership Development Build and maintain strong relationships with key donors and partners, ensuring effective communication and long-term engagement Forge strategic alliances with peer organisations, consortia and networks to co-develop joint funding proposals and collaborative initiatives that align with shared goals. Represent AIRD at high-level donor meetings, global conferences, inter-agency meetings, coalitions and sectoral forums to raise visibility, advocate for the mission and position of AIRD as a trusted partner. Lead the design of innovative partnership models including unrestricted funding, cause-marketing campaigns, strategic grants, employee engagement and shared value initiatives Cultivate and sustain funding relationships with C-level executives, high-net-worth individuals, and key donor partners. Act as a key spokesperson and ambassador for AIRD’s fundraising, partnership, and innovation agenda. Marketing and Communications Oversee AIRD global communication and marketing strategy to increase visibility and engagement Guide internal and external communications, marketing, and donor-focussed messaging to enhance AIRD’s visibility, reputation, identity and branding. Develop and implement brand guidelines and communication protocols Ensure consistence messaging, visuals and values while allowing for contextual flexibility Oversee development of marketing tools, social and print media campaigns, and storytelling to support donor engagement and partner organisations Support marketing and communication capacity building across AIRD country programs Operational Excellence and Internal Alignment Develop systems and standards for partnership prospecting, due diligence, proposal development and relationship management. Develop partnership frameworks that ensure brand consistency, governance and operational autonomy Strengthen donor management and reporting processes to improve compliance, visibility, and trust. Collaborate closely with Programs, Finance and country programs to ensure cohesive messaging, budgeting and program delivery Ensure compliance with AIRD Code of Conduct with a focus on contractual rigour, global mission and policy alignment across all partnerships Lead the design and roll out of tools to enable data driven decision making and reporting Essential Qualifications and Competencies: Minimum of 10 years of leadership experience in business development, strategic partnerships, and fundraising , ideally in international NGOs or social enterprises. Demonstrated track record of securing multi-million-dollar funding from foundations, corporates, HNWIs, and institutional donors through both leadership and individual contribution Demonstrated capacity to build and reorganize departments , manage multi-country teams, and deliver targets. Experience with social enterprise design and implementation of sustainable skilling and livelihood programs. Deep understanding of humanitarian, and development programming cycles. Expert in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, negotiation with C-level leaders , and donor influence. Strong network and experience working with major funders and partners across sectors Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to interpret internal and external trends and guide decision-making. The ability to read, write and speak fluently in English and French is required . Other Required Competencies and Attributes Entrepreneurial mindset and extrinsic motivation; enjoys challenge and pursuing new opportunities. Strong organisational and strategic planning skills; with the ability to work effectively in global technologically enabled environment Culture of Continuous Learning and Improvement: Have a learning mindset that continuously develops skills that support their roles and the team’s goals. Encourage Proactivity and Personal Accountability: Prospective team members are self-starters who actively seek ways to contribute and improve. Collaboration and Teamwork: The ability to work effectively and collaborate with others; values and respects individual differences. Resilience and Adaptability: thrives and grows in a rapidly changing, demanding and complex environment Result-Oriented Communication: demonstrates empathy and tact when communicating with others. Ensure communication is clear, purposeful, and focused on achieving results. Innovation and Value Creation: Ability to identify and capitalize on opportunities to drive growth, efficiency or differentiation. Encourages creative thinking, transforms ideas into tangible outcomes that generates organizational value Change Management: Adjusts thinking and behaviours to remain relevant, resilient and responsive to internal and external environment.

Interested candidates should apply using this link: [Aird Careers – AIRD](https://airdinternational.org/aird-careers/)