Business Development Lead

Job Purpose – Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

The Business Development Lead is responsible for overseeing the country development and humanitarian project pipeline, lead facilitation of pro-active resource acquisition from donors, and ensuring active grant compliance throughout the implementation of externally funded projects. The Business Development Lead reports to the Country Director.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy

• Establish and maintain up-to-date funding strategies and donor engagement strategies
• Ensure quality and timely information is fed back to governing bodies, affiliate HQs and other stakeholders for budget and income planning
• Oversee overall coherence and quality of donor relationships in the country
• Research and analyze changing donor environment and strategies and advise on effective influencing of donors, linking in with affiliate HQ (donor leads) as appropriate

Fundraising for restricted funding

• Support the development and implementation of program funding strategies and donor engagement strategies
• Assist program teams in planning, coordinating, developing and submitting competitive, high quality concept papers, donor proposals, and budgets which are successfully funded by a variety of donors.
• Provide quality control on all donor solicitations, reports and communications
• Identify, assess and approach new donors or funding sources and represent Oxfam as required with donors together with relevant program staff
• Represent Oxfam to the donor community and maintain positive working relationships with donor agencies

Contract management/ Managing Restricted funding

• Lead responsibility for negotiating donor contracts favorably in line with Oxfam standards and coordinate the management of donor relationships for the Senegal office
• Support the effective management of the existing donor portfolio to ensure compliance; ensure quality and timely information; assess and advise staff on donor funding policies and requirements, seek advice and input from affiliate HQ (donor leads) for high risk donors.
• Ensure sign-off of donor proposals, reports and contracts according to agreed Oxfam processes.
• Support preparation for audits of donor funded programs as required.
• Obtain any donor approvals, extensions and amendments in line with Oxfam standards

Capacity building

• Ensure sufficient capacity and skills of staff and partners to manage their funding portfolio to recognized Oxfam and donor standards
• Assess and support capacity of colleagues and partner staff in the planning, securing and managing of restricted funds by identifying of a range of approaches ranging from formal training delivery, coaching, web-based resources to accompaniment

Coordination and information sharing

• Help ensure effective co-ordination and information flows between Affiliate HQs, Country and Regional Governing Bodies, Managing Affiliates and Implementing Affiliates
• Ensure the overall co-ordination of Senegal’s funding
• Co-ordinate and manage processes for key funding opportunities in the country
• Co-ordinate donor visits and facilitate reasonable requests from funding affiliates and governing bodies.
• Engage in peer networks of other country fundraising staff within the region, between regions and globally as appropriate.

Information management

Help develop information for induction, funding manuals/country funding strategies and other resources
Maintain and advise on the maintenance of restricted funding information systems and records on donor contracts both manually and electronically (Oxfam systems/tools)

Qualifications

Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Essential:

• 5 years of relevant experience in managing donor contracts and fundraising activities, in particular from bilateral and multilateral donors
• Sound understanding of Program Cycle Management.
• Strong numeracy and financial skills, particularly in developing budgets, financial management/monitoring and reporting.
• Good written skills with proven ability to develop and present proposals and donor reports, for both internal and external audiences.
• High level of analytical skills and critical thinking.
• Ability to research, analyze, and report (e.g. researching donor priorities, evaluating proposals and reports, determining match between external funding opportunities and Oxfam objectives).
• Experience in capacity building; coaching and delivering training at an individual and group level.
• Ability to network and represent Oxfam to donors and external institutions.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication and relationship skills with ability to influence external organizations and individuals.
• Ability to manage his/her time effectively. Willing and able to adapt priorities in order to respond to changing demands.
• Self-motivated, target driven and an entrepreneurial approach to fundraising.
• Excellent social skills and ability to be a team player
• Good administrative skills and ability to follow departmental procedures.
• Educated to degree level.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and French

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of Oxfam’s program work and systems
• Willingness to travel

Additional Information

Oxfam America is a Gender Just organization and an equal opportunity employer. We have a zero tolerance policy for any sexual harassment, exploitation, and/or abuse. We welcome all persons to apply and do not discriminate. We take measures to prevent discrimination against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

We are an E-Verify employer.