Program Development Advisor, East Africa

About the role

The International Rescue Committee is seeking a Program Development Advisor for East Africa to strengthen its business development and proposal processes. Based in Nairobi, you will work closely with country teams and global partners to secure funding for humanitarian and development programmes.

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate with country offices to identify priorities, gather donor intelligence, and support donor engagement.
• Lead or assist in tracking, analysing, and positioning new funding opportunities across multiple technical sectors.
• Manage the full proposal lifecycle: assess opportunities, coordinate Go/No‑Go decisions, develop timelines, draft sections, review budgets, and ensure timely submission.
• Facilitate technical brainstorming, partner and competitor analysis, and win‑theme development for high‑value bids.
• Provide quality assurance, compliance checks, and coordinate consultants or partners needed for proposal development.

Required profile

• Proven experience developing and supporting humanitarian or development proposals for NGOs.
• Familiarity with donor strategies and processes of major government and statutory donors (UK, EU, German, French, Scandinavian, US, etc.).
• Experience collaborating with national and community‑based partners and handling proposal budgeting.
• Excellent written English, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and ability to work with remote, multicultural teams.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and travel internationally as needed.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to influence strategic funding decisions for a leading humanitarian organisation.
• Collaborative, multicultural work environment with regional impact.
• Professional development and exposure to a wide network of donors and partners.