Fundraising and Partnerships Manager

About the role

NIRAS International, part of NIRAS Architecture, is looking for a Fundraising and Partnerships Manager in Nairobi (Westlands). The post reports to the Head of Business Development, UK, and sits at Business Development Manager Level 2. The main focus is building client relationships and winning new work for the East African countries covered by the Nairobi office (Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and Rwanda), with possible involvement in other parts of Africa.

Key responsibilities

• Market engagement (35%): build relationships with regional bodies, foundations, development finance institutions and clients, maintain a client/partner/expert database, and represent NIRAS at conferences and events in Kenya and neighbouring countries.
• Bid leadership (35%): lead positioning for priority bids, support scoping missions and market intelligence, prepare go/no-go materials, and act as Bid Manager, Recruitment Lead, Budgeting and Bid Writer, while ensuring BD processes are followed.
• Pipeline management (10%): review the East Africa opportunities pipeline, attend weekly meetings, monitor bids and keep revenue forecasts accurate.
• Project management and consultancy (up to 20%): coordinate project delivery, quality assurance, subcontracts, risk matrices and budgets, and provide billable technical input to clients.
• Support NIC-wide reforms, system improvements and capacity-building, and occasionally manage a small number of projects run from the Kenya office.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, International Development or a related field; a Master's degree is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in a similar role at a comparable level in the international development sector, with a track record of winning new business.
• Proven experience building relationships with key donors in East Africa; experience with DFIs and foundations is valuable.
• Experience working with international teams and in multicultural settings, and excellent written and oral English.
• Availability to travel within Kenya and across East Africa up to 30% of the time.

Required skills

• Business development best practices: proposal development, client relationship management and contract negotiation.
• Technical expertise in one or more sectors such as climate, infrastructure, clean energy, agriculture, private sector development, governance, education, blue economy, gender and human rights, peace and stability.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and strategic thinking skills, with a commercial focus.