Overall Purpose of the Job

• The overall purpose of the position is to strengthen icipe’s resource mobilisation, fundraising and business development efforts by providing strategic and technical support to Management, scientists, programmes and thematic research teams in identifying, developing and securing funding opportunities and strategic partnerships.

Specific Duties

• Exercise professional judgement in identifying, assessing and prioritising resource mobilisation and business development opportunities.
• Analyse donor calls, funding priorities, strategic plans and investment opportunities and determine their relevance to icipe’s mandate, scientific priorities and institutional capabilities.
• Advise Management and scientists on appropriate positioning of icipe’s expertise and value proposition in response to funding opportunities.
• Make recommendations on proposal strategies, partnership approaches and donor positioning within established icipe policies and procedures.
• Resolve complex proposal development and coordination issues through consultation with relevant internal stakeholders.
• Provide technical guidance and leadership to scientists, programme teams and staff involved in resource mobilisation and proposal development.
• Guide and mentor staff and scientists on proposal development, donor requirements, theories of change, logical frameworks, budgeting and donor positioning.
• Build institutional capacity in the preparation of high-quality, competitive and donor-compliant proposals.
• Support the development and strengthening of strategic partnerships that contribute to icipe’s resource mobilisation and institutional objectives.

Requirements/Qualifications

• A degree in Project Management or related field.
• Master’s degree in a relevant area such as social sciences, international development/relations, project management or a related field is an added advantage.
• 15 years of progressive experience in resource mobilisation, fundraising, proposal development, business development, programme/project management or a related field.

Core Competencies

• Experience in developing successful proposals and concept notes for institutional, development, philanthropic, private-sector or other funding partners
• Experience reviewing grant calls and aligning institutional capabilities and priorities with donor requirements. Experience in quality assurance and compliance review of proposals before submission
• Experience in donor relations.
• Experience in partnership building.
• Understanding of systematic tools and approaches to deliver successfully funded projects.