The Northern Rangelands Trust is a non-profit umbrella organization supporting 33 community conservancies across northern Kenya. Its mission is to develop resilient community conservancies, which transform lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources.

Job Purpose:

The Fundraising and Partnerships Officer will manage a portfolio of significant multi-lateral and bi-lateral funders. This involves identifying and evaluating potential funding opportunity, cultivating relationships with targeted funders (formal and informal reporting), leading and writing proposals and bids, coordinating internally across NRT’s cross-functional departments (finance, programmes, communications, M&E) to develop compelling proposals that help fill funding gaps, report on status of the grants. The Account Manager is also responsible for monitoring and tracking opportunities throughout the funding cycle, helping mitigate any risks or challenges that arise and working as a high performing team member.

The Key focus of this position will be: 

• Manage a portfolio of bilateral, multi-lateral donors and/or foundation donors – ensuring both compliance and engagement plans to build strong, long-term partnerships.
• Lead on the development of grant proposals and bids – getting inputs and content from the regional implementers
• Support relationships with funders and donors to help deepen relationships by explaining the context and promoting mutual accountability.
• Manage ad hoc teams and coordinate grant project planning and reporting – with ability to initiate internal teams of peers around an agreed timeline and set of deliverables.
• Support basic proposal budgeting and reporting, helping review and explain financial reports and monitor burn rates.
• Demonstrate sensitivity in handling confidential information.
• Ensure compliance with NRT policies and procedures and external (donor/legal/IRS) requirements.
• Manage or participate in complex or sensitive negotiations with implementing partners, conservancy members and boards, and funders
• Convey the mission of NRT to diverse groups who are important stakeholders.
• Travel frequently and on short notice, work long and flexible hours as needed.
• Coordinate reporting and providing information needed by partners/donors/stakeholders; ensuring financial, MERL and Program reports align.
• Any other duties that may be assigned, including dedicated special initiatives.

Knowledge, experience, and qualifications required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, business administration, finance, accounting, project management, development studies or a relevant field of study.
• A master’s degree or relevant professional certification and membership to a relevant professional body would be an added advantage.
• At least 5-7 years relevant experience in managing large grants for Bilateral and Multilateral agencies.
• Experience in convening proposal development workshops and leading process of developing grant proposals.
• Interest in environment, climate, community based natural resource management, marine and terrestrial conservation, peace-building and development.
• Deep familiarity with Kenyan or Ugandan conservation and development issues.
• Experience in building and maintaining long-term relationships with external stakeholders.
• Experience in managing and tracking multiple prospects of donors in a donor tracking or CRM system.
• Conversant in monitoring, evaluation, adaptation and learning frameworks – comfortable creating and reporting against logframes or result-based management indicators.
• Experience in working with diverse, fast paced cross functional teams.
• Experience, coursework, or other training in fundraising principles and practices