Senior Manager, Program Design, West/Central Africa

DRS (DevelopmentAid Recruitment Solutions) is looking for a Senior Manager, Program Design, West/Central Africa, for an International NGO to oversee a portfolio of research projects and support new project development.

The Senior Program Design Manager (SPDM) contributes to INGOS’s engagement with and fundraising from bi- and multi-lateral donors in Central and West Africa with a focus initially on DR Congo and Cameroon with the aim of building and maintaining multi-donor portfolios of at least $10 million for each of the landscapes in those two countries. The work of the SPDM involves cultivating relationships that are key to programming overseas development assistance (ODA), advising country land landscape leadership teams on host government engagement strategies that deliver integrated conservation and development policies and programs, making the case for increased financing to biodiversity conservation nationally, and leading the development of proposals to finance our work. The SPDM is a member of a global team that manages public donor relationships, prepares complex proposals in response to identified opportunities, tracks and ensures quality in project reporting to donors, and informs the company leadership of developments in donor strategies and priorities. The SPDM may also support policy functions that are a priority to INGO’s DRC and Cameroon country strategies.

The SPDM position will be based in Kinshasa and embedded within DRC country program. The SPDM will be responsible for identifying, defining, and developing funding proposals in coordination with country, landscape, thematic, program, and finance teams to raise public funds for existing and planned program activities in DRC and Cameroon in particular, and other West and Central African countries as deemed relevant. This includes prospecting, researching, process management, writing, and submitting grant applications to public donors. The SPDM will also be responsible for representing the INGO to public sector partners and supporting the management of relationships with government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), and other important stakeholders. In this respect, the PDO will support identifying and promoting policies that support biodiversity conservation and sustainable development including engaging with CSOs to articulate and promote effective policies and engagement with platforms at all levels in strengthening capacities on effective policies and policy processes.

Working closely with the Director of Program Design (DPD), Country Directors/Coordinators, the Africa Policy lead, donor Account Managers, and the company leadership team, the SPDM will work to win support for the company’s strategy, cultivate existing and new donor and partner relationships, and elevate the conservation agenda in development cooperation and policy dialogues in DRC, Cameroon, and possibly other countries in West/Central Africa.

Job Title: Senior Manager, Program Design, West/Central Africa

Location: Kinshasa, DRC

Reports to: Director Program Design

Matrix Management: Country Director/Lead

Duration of contract: permanent position

Starting date: As soon as possible

Areas of responsibilities:

The SPDM will have an annual fundraising target that contributes to the company’s institution-wide balanced scorecard measures and annual targets. The SPDM’s core responsibilities are designed to enable the incumbent to deliver on these targets.

Donor and Partner Cultivation and Management & Policy Support (~50%)

In collaboration with the DPD and Country Director/lead in DRC and Cameroon, the SPDM leads and supports INGO’s cultivation of opportunities for program development with bi- and multi-lateral development partners and donors in DRC and Cameroon and supports the country director/lead and team with other key relationships with important stakeholders such as Governmental, civil society, or private sector partners as needed. These functions include, but are not limited to:

• Lead DRC and Cameroon Country Program’s fundraising targets and grow the company’s relationships with bi- and multi-lateral donors in DRC and Cameroon, with a primary focus on DRC and a more supporting role for the Cameroon Country Program.
• Collaborate with leadership to establish and maintain relationships with key donors, government institutions, and stakeholders in DRC, Cameroon, and the West and Central Africa region. Track and analyse donor and governmental priorities and strategies in relation to the company conservation, policy, and fundraising objectives in DRC, Cameroon, and West/Central Africa and develop strategic interventions to secure funding.
• Track the agendas of DRC’s and Cameroon’s development partners to brief the Country Director/leads, leadership team, donor account managers, and International Policy & Government Relations (Global Leadership) team and provide technical advice on programming priorities in DRC, Cameroon, and West/Central Africa.
• Develop funding plans and strategies for DRC’s and Cameroon’s country, landscapes, thematic programmes, and emerging issues in the West/Central Africa region.
• Support Country and Landscape teams in effective donor servicing by soliciting, preparing for, and participating in donor field visits to landscapes and projects in DRC, Cameroon, and West/Central Africa.
• Provide specific grant management support upon request with management and donor relations of existing grants; review project reports; donor compliance support to management of grants, grant planning and financial tracking of ongoing grants.
• Work with the Country Directors/leads, Africa policy lead, and other key thematic and landscape leads to support the development of clear, innovative, consistent, and coherent messaging for donors.
• Promote increased financing for biodiversity conservation in DRC, Cameroon, and West/Central Africa.

Proposal Development and Writing (~40%)

As part of the Program Design (PD) team, conducts the full range of activities required to prepare, submit, and manage grant proposals to secure public funding for DRC, Cameroon, and other countries in West and Central Africa as needed. Working under the leadership of DPD and Account Managers on the PD team, the SPDM takes primary responsibility as “proposal lead” in searching for and responding to public donor funding opportunities:

• Surface opportunities through donor engagement and networking in DRC, Cameroon, and the West and Central Africa region.
• Analyze and review funding opportunities and calls for proposals and their fit with the company’s present projects, programs, and strategies.
• Manage project proposal development processes.
• Solicit and coordinate technical inputs from country and landscape teams and technical experts, as well as from other departments, co-applicants, and implementing partners.
• Ensure that supporting documents from the Government and co-applicants are in a timely manner.
• Write professional and compelling log frames, concepts, proposals, budgets, etc.
• Work with PD/finance to present professional cost applications to secure public funding and ensure synergy in donor budgeting, contract development with partners and consortia, management, and reporting.
• Ensure that new proposals incorporate rights-based standards and are aligned with donor requirements.

Other key roles (~10%)

• Liaise with account managers and PD team members to support proposal development and cultivation activities as needed across the company’s fundraising portfolio.
• Coordinate with and assist the Philanthropy and Foundations & Corporations teams’ fundraising efforts for DRC, Cameroon, and West/Central Africa. Highlight local funding needs and priorities to these teams, function as a resource person, and ensure fundraising synergies are created.
• Support the rest of the PD, grants, and Program teams in implementing actions in their portfolios, adhering to donor conditions, and submitting reports in a timely manner.
• Represent the company in relevant meetings, conferences, and donor and partner events in DRC, Cameroon, and West/Central Africa.
• Collaborate with communications and marketing teams to support the visibility of projects in DRC, Cameroon, and West/Central Africa.
• Support filing, tracking, and reporting on PD grant and donor metrics and pipeline on a monthly and quarterly basis.
• Support preparation of supporting materials for meetings, trips, presentations, and other events/occasions.
• Assists with other tasks as assigned.

Qualification Experience:

• Reputable master’s degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience) in relevant fields, including conservation, natural resource management, rural/international development, economics, political science, or similar.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in fundraising, proposal design, and donor engagement and relationship management, preferably in the field of conservation or environmental management.
• Experience in proposal design with demonstrated ability to develop high-quality Logical frameworks and results chains, design technical and cost proposals, and concept papers.
• Experience working with major public donor agencies such as USAID, EU, the GEF, France, and Germany.
• Track record of successfully writing proposals to and securing funding from bilateral and/or multilateral institutions.
• Good understanding of DRC’s and Cameroon’s public donor environment and government’s development agenda, as well as of issues faced by the INGO in delivering its mission in DRC, Cameroon, and across Africa. Similar understanding of West and Central Africa in general and Niger is an additional advantage.
• Experience in policy making and engagement in the Government of DRC’s policy and strategy development processes is highly desired.
• Experience in partnership management with government and civil society stakeholders is an advantage. Highly skilled in conceptualizing project design and writing project documents (including budgets, log frames, and work plans) and reports.
• Existing relationships with donors in DRC and up-to-date understanding of bilateral and multilateral donor agencies’ priorities in DRC. Similar existing relationships for Cameroon and Niger are an additional advantage.
• Strong interpersonal skills, as demonstrated by the ability to work as a team member and the ability to negotiate and manage donor relationships.
• Well-developed emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-motivation, self-regulation, and empathy. This is a job that requires both independence and collaboration and an ability to sense when to take leadership in a situation and when to put others forward.
• Have a logical perspective on things and the ability to reduce mechanisms, processes, proposals, ideas, or formulas to their basic parts and understand and explain how they interrelate in a project or contribute to the fulfillment of higher agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals, national development plans, and company’s mission, strategies, and plans.
• Excellent writing skills are necessary, including the ability to shift writing style and purpose to appeal and persuade the designated target audience.
• Fluency in speaking and writing both English and French is required, as demonstrated by an ability to produce technical documents in both French and English.
• Must possess strong editing skills and pay attention to detail.
• Comprehensive knowledge of contemporary conservation and development issues in Africa, including a good understanding of sustainable development, adaptive project management, MEAL, and knowledge management concepts and applications.
• Demonstrate a commitment to and a good understanding of the company’s Rights-Based Conservation approaches, values, and principles.
• High degree of responsibility and accountability for tasks, projects, assignments, and commitments, including meeting strict deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide group of colleagues and partners, including proactive sharing of information and reporting.
• Proven ability to work independently, effectively, and collaboratively in cross-functional teams.
• Advanced computer and internet skills.