Program Development Officer

Key Responsibilities

Program Development Officer, you will be responsible for designing winning grant proposals, ensuring they are strategically aligned to our regional program, and are responsive to our donors and are technically sound. Recognising the breadth of work RACIDA’s regional program including Good governance, Nutrition, livelihoods, and food security,as well as Emergency humanitarian assistance you will coordinate and lead work across departments, especially with technical leads, to develop innovative proposals. You will also be required to build and maintain positive working relationships with the different country office. You will be directly answerable to Executive Director work closely with Kenya program coordinator and other line managers.

Proposal Development

• Partnerships and Program Design, Supports the coordination process for development and humanitarian proposals, the competitive bidding processes, including preparing/presenting cost-benefit and opportunity analysis to inform ‘go -no go’ decision,
• Act as focal point for proposal development for consortia (where RACIDA is the lead), providing necessary support and inputs as required and representation as meetings/workshops
• Supports in identify and establish Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with potential partners (consortiums), facilitate information sharing,
• Follow and closely monitor funding trends and policies for proposals and funding updates from new and existing donors.
• Adopt organization’s programs, goals, and financial needs to develop compelling proposals, seek new funding opportunities.
• Work closely with program teams to synthesize program activities, data, and financials for proposals and reports.
• Cultivate, maintain, and develop strategic relationships with potential and existing donors, agencies, business contacts and other INGO partners.
• Develop donor engagement strategies, prioritizing institutional donors and design and update a donor mapping database. Ensure that a project tracker is updated regularly and shared with the management team.
• Lead the design and development of concept notes and proposals, setting realistic and measurable targets, and developing narrative proposals & budgets.
• Ensure compliance with all funder guidelines in grant submission and reporting.
• Attend coordination and/or donor meetings and teleconferences when necessary.
• Lead in the production of humanitarian need assessments and other advocacy documents for fundraising.
• Ensure all expressions of interest, concept notes and proposals are reviewed for quality assurance, are approved according to internal RACIDA processes, and are submitted to donors in the required format and in a timely manner
• Identify and produce evidence of innovation and impact within RACIDA programming.
• Undertakes research on gender equality good practices and the gender equality programming environment in preparation for related bids and proposals.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in International Development or a related field or equivalent combination of education and work experience
• Strong knowledge of financial program management
• Genuine interest in and commitment to RACIDA mission and values
• Minimum of 5-9 years of experience in non-profit fundraising grant writing especially to institutional donors.
• Experience writing successful proposals for highly competitive grants; technical writing experience preferred
• Sense of initiative and the ability to undertake and successfully conclude grant proposals with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work both independently and as a flexible and supportive member of a team
• Excellent oral, written and listening communication and organizational skills
• Strong knowledge of development and humanitarian issues in low and middle income countries
• Knowledge of basic gender equality concepts
• Familiarity with climate change, women’s economic empowerment, health, nutrition, humanitarian, and/or food security programming
• Strong knowledge of Windows Office Suite
• Capacity to work collaboratively in a team as well as a self-manage
• Well organized, and strong attention to detail
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Willingness and ability to travel