INTRODUCTION TO GIRLS NOT BRIDES

Girls Not Brides is the only global organisation uniquely focused on creating and sustaining a worldwide movement to end child marriage and ensuring that this movement leads to tangible change for the girls at risk or affected by the practice. We are a network of more than 1,400 civil society organisations in over 100 countries working in partnership to end child marriage.

Our vision is a world without child marriage, where girls and women enjoy equal status with boys and men and are able to achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives. Our vision challenges deeply embedded social norms that harm the lives of girls, women, and their communities.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ROLE

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and creative Head of Development who will manage a small team to deliver our donor engagement and fundraising strategy, maintain strong existing relationships, forge new strategic partnerships, and collaborate across the Girls Not Brides secretariat to meet funding targets, in line with our strategy.

In service of the fundraising strategy, the work of the Head of Development and team contributes and aligns to the work of the wider External Engagement directorate, including relationship management, influencing, thought leadership, and organisational positioning. This includes shaping and supporting influencing that aims to mobilise funding commitments to the wider ‘adolescent girls’ and ‘ending child marriage’ movements, including and beyond Girls Not Brides members.

ABOUT YOU

We are seeking an experienced donor liaison and fundraising professional with an established track record of growing revenue streams, diversifying income, and pioneering innovative funding models and collaborations. You will have your finger on the pulse of funder priorities, approaches, and trends in the development sector, especially in relation to gender equality and girls’ rights.

You will bring calm pragmatism combined with creative agility to know when to seize an opportunity or to let one pass. You will have strong experience leading multi-cultural teams and embedding instinctive collaboration across departments, time zones, and projects. You will be a leader and a doer, crafting strategy and delivering key relationships and activities within a small, committed team.

Job location

Nairobi, Kenya.

The successful candidate must already have the right to work in Kenya at the time of applying and for a minimum of two years.

Working as a global team, all Girls Not Brides’ team members may from time to time be expected to work outside normal working hours (e.g. early morning or early evening); this is not a regular occurrence and is only to accommodate collaboration of teams across different time zones.

May include international travel.

Fluency in English is essential for this role.

Accountable to

Director of External Engagement

Salary range

Market competitive based on a detailed survey by the Birches Group of comparable national NGO salaries in selected location. Payments will be made in local currency of where it is located.

Contract

Two-year fixed term full-time role. The successful candidate will work from home for much of the time, with IT and communication equipment provided by Girls Not Brides. They must already have the right to work in Kenya.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership of fundraising and funder/prospect relations

• Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of Girls Not Brides’ multi-year fundraising strategy to establish, nurture, and sustain partnerships with a diverse range of funders to meet funding targets.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of a strategic funding pipeline, including identification, cultivation, prospecting, and relationship stewardship.
• Oversee ethical checks and due diligence on prospective funders.
• Working closely with other teams, guide and oversee the development of compelling funding concepts and investment cases, based on a deep understanding of Girls Not Brides’ unique value proposition and organisational strategy.
• In collaboration with the CEO and Director of External Engagement, lead donor relations strategy and management, including monitoring key institutions, opportunities, and trends.
• Serve as an external representative of Girls Not Brides with existing and potential funders and in priority spaces and opportunities.
• Strategise on funder and prospect engagement with the wider External Engagement directorate, including contributing to planning for strategic events, thought leadership, and influencing collaborations.
• Work with the Advocacy and Communications teams to contribute to influencing strategies aiming to increase financing to end child marriage across the ecosystem.

Management of fundraising and Development department

• Develop and deliver departmental annual workplans and budgets to meet funding targets and KPIs, in line with the Girls Not Brides strategy.
• Lead and direct a high-performing, motivated Development team including direct reports, matrixed roles in other teams, consultants, and vendors.
• Oversee team members’ work planning, performance management, and professional development.
• Work collaboratively and proactively with External Engagement directorate leadership, other relevant internal leadership groups, and with colleagues across geographies to ensure effective fundraising and delivery of donor commitments.
• Contribute fundraising content and metrics to organisational monitoring, evaluation, and impact reporting efforts.
• Prepare quarterly fundraising presentations to the Senior Leadership Team, providing analysis and strategic recommendations on go/no-go opportunities.
• Prepare quarterly income projections and insights for the Board to support strategic oversight and decision-making.
• Support the CEO, Director of External Engagement, and wider Senior Leadership Team in monitoring and mitigating risks on matters pertaining to fundraising and development.

Grant management, reporting, and internal coordination

• Foster a culture of shared accountability for funder and grant commitments across the organisation.
• Oversee support to internal teams to understand and meet donor commitments, requirements, and best practices, including those related to project management, grant management, monitoring, and reporting systems and structures.
• Collaborate with the Head of Finance to build financial projections and develop targets for financial sustainability.

Wider responsibilities of Girls Not Brides team members

• Commit to the mission and vision of Girls Not Brides, putting these at the forefront of all planning, work, and actions.
• Uphold the core values of Girls Not Brides in all areas of work and interactions with colleagues, members, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Comply with Girls Not Brides’ policies and processes, with note for safeguarding, diversity and inclusion, the code of conduct, and data protection.
• Fulfil any other reasonable requests for the advancement Girls Not Brides.
• Commit to ongoing personal development and learning.
• Fulful any other reasonable requests for the advancement of Girls Not Brides.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential experience

• A minimum of 10 years’ professional experience in development and fundraising roles in the not-for-profit sector, an international/intergovernmental organisation, a social movement, or social enterprise.
• A proven track record cultivating, securing, and stewarding successful partnerships with governments, trusts, foundations, and high-net worth individuals, achieving annual income targets of at least £4 million per year.
• Significant and demonstrable experience overseeing, planning, writing, and submitting successful restricted and unrestricted funding proposals and securing multi-year renewals.
• Experience diversifying funding streams, including identifying and piloting innovative approaches.
• Experience building and engaging with efficient and effective programme and grant management, monitoring, and reporting systems and tools to support donor management.

Essential skills and knowledge

• Exceptional resource mobilisation and development skills, with excellent strategic thinking and an ability to appraise and seize opportunities nimbly.
• Deep understanding of the global context, landscape, and trends related to funding for gender equality, girls’ rights, and women’s rights.
• Excellent work planning, budget, and time management skills.
• Strong cross-cultural people management skills, with an ability to lead, coach, and delegate to remote-working team members.
• Impeccable English written and verbal communication skills, including with diverse and high-level audiences.
• Confident networking and diplomacy skills to persuade and inspire audiences.
• Knowledge of influencing and engagement tactics that lead to strategic, two-way relationships with funders, including on behalf of a wider ecosystem and issue.

Essential values and attributes

• Strong commitment to the mission and values of Girls Not Brides and our vision in relation to addressing child marriage and gender justice.
• Instinctive collaborative approaches, drawing on a highly developed cultural awareness, humility, and an ability to work well cross-culturally in an international environment.
• Team player spirit and able to confidently take initiative and make appropriate decisions
• Nimble and proactive, able to identify and respond to external opportunities and threats confidently and calmly.
• Willingness to work flexibly and regularly travel internationally, as necessary.

Desirable

• Experience working within thematic areas of child marriage, girls’ education, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and related fields.
• Proficiency in additional languages, especially French and Spanish.
• Experience working with corporate fundraising and high-net-worth individuals.
• Experience living and/or working in Asia, Africa, and/or Latin America and the Caribbean.

Safeguarding

Girls Not Brides is committed to safeguarding all children, young people, and adults at risk with whom our staff and representatives work and interface. Any employment with Girls Not Brides may be subject to the satisfactory completion of a background check and criminal records check which can include but is not limited to; an overseas police record check, a Disclosure and Barring Service Check (for those based in the UK) or an International Criminal Record Check (if applicable).

Diversity

Girls Not Brides is an equal opportunities employer. We embrace diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusion in a serious way. We are committed to building a staff body that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

How to Apply:

The closing date for this role is 23:59 EAT on Sunday 18 May 2025.

Interviews will commence from 28 May 2025.

To apply, please click on the ‘Apply now‘ button on the job page and submit your CV and a brief cover letter (no more than two pages) clearly demonstrating how you meet the criteria.

We regret that due to the large number of applications anticipated, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please note: There is only one Head of Development position available, advertised across three locations: London, Nairobi, and Mexico City. Candidates applying for the position must already have the right to work in the location for which they apply and for a minimum of two years.