Fauna & Flora

At Fauna & Flora, our shared purpose is to protect the diversity of life on Earth, for the survival of the planet and its people. We work closely with local conservation partners around the world to save nature, together. We harness this collective expertise to inspire positive change globally.

Africa Team

The Africa Programme protects threatened species and ecosystems across 14 countries by working with and through local people, institutions, and partner organisations. We currently have staff based in seven of these countries.

We focus on large landscapes that contain globally important species and ecosystems, enabling and supporting a multi-stakeholder approach that promotes local ownership and decision making. We strive to bring sustainable outcomes for both biodiversity and local people and we play a critical role in influencing the step changes required to address global threats such as climate change or the spread of zoonotic diseases. Within the Africa region, our sites can be anything from a nationally protected area such as a National Park, to a Community Forest or Community Conservancy and our longstanding presence and reputation means we are often requested to support these sites in places that can include active conflict zones or areas that have recently come out of conflict.

Regardless of the challenge, we work with those who live and work closest to these globally important sites and species, usually the people who rely most heavily upon them to survive, and we commit to engaging at our project sites for the long term, to bring about positive change.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced fundraiser with proven success to lead our fundraising work in the Africa region. The role will work closely with Africa team colleagues, central fundraising teams (Institutional Funding, Individuals, and Trusts and Foundations) and with our cross-cutting teams based both in the UK and in region. Key external relationships are with multilateral and bilateral government agencies, intergovernmental bodies and other funding organisations. The role will be key to building capacity in fundraising and donor related skillsets, both within the Africa team and with partner organisations, whilst at the same time playing a critical role in securing the funding we need to enable conservation impact and ensuring that nature underpins development and well-being across the region.

The successful candidate will have a Proven track record in leading successful large scale funding proposals, from overall design and writing of content through to logframe and budget development as well as proven ability to secure funding from multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies (including statutory donors) and the private sector.

With fluency in English, you will have excellent communication and presentation skills to both technical and non-technical audiences and a proven ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a diverse group of individuals and organisations.

A good technical background and understanding of a range of conservation issues is essential as is proven experience of influencing donor priorities, negotiating and approving statutory donor grant agreements.

You will have a commitment to building the capacity of local teams and experience in mentoring individual and in developing and delivering training materials.

In return, the role offers the opportunity to work within an international, impactful and ground- breaking organisation, at the forefront of global conservation

Terms and Conditions

Start Date: As soon as possible

Duration of Contract: Permanent

Probation Period: 6 months

Gross Annual Salary: Kenya: USD 65,186

UK: GBP 50,775

Location: Fauna & Flora Office in Nairobi (for candidates with right to work in Kenya) or we will consider the Fauna & Flora Office in Cambridge, UK

Benefits: 25 working days’ annual leave entitlement plus national public holidays observed in Kenya / UK and any normal working days that fall between 24 December to 1 January inclusive, during which time Fauna & Flora Kenya and UK offices are closed.

For employees on Kenya-based contracts: Medical Insurance

For employees on UK-based contracts: FFI currently provides a pension contribution of 8% of salary after 3 months’ continuous employment and Group Life insurance, currently set at a benefit of 4 x basic salary.

Hours of Work: This is a full-time position.

For employees on Kenya-based contracts working 40 hours Monday to Friday inclusive. These hours may vary depending on the requirements of the job.

For employees on UK-based contracts working 37.5 hours Monday to Friday inclusive. These hours may vary depending on the requirements of the job.

N.B. This is an unaccompanied position.

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Development Manager, Africa

Reports to: Regional Director, Africa

Matrix Management to: Director, Institutional Funding

Key working relationships: Senior Programme Managers West & Central Africa and Eastern & Southern Africa (SPMW&CA and E&SA)

Director of Philanthropy and team Africa Country Leads

Africa Finance Business Partners (FBPs)

Purpose: To work closely with the Africa and Fundraising teams to secure significant restricted and semi-restricted funding from government and other donors, trusts and foundations for ongoing and new conservation interventions in the Africa region, in line with strategic priorities and approved projects, and to create a coherent, consolidated and sustained portfolio that achieves significant conservation outcomes. The Senior Development Manager, Africa will support the Regional Director, Africa, and senior members of the Africa team by identifying, leading participatory development processes, and ultimately securing a robust pipeline of funding to support Fauna & Flora priorities and funding gaps in the region.

Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Regional Director, Africa, and working in close collaboration with the West & Central and Eastern & Southern SPM, Country Programme Leads and Fundraising teams, the Senior Development Manager will be responsible for the following:

Donor Research & Strategy Development

• Work with the Fundraising teams to develop, seek approval for and implement an Africa regional funding plan that:
  • responds to project and donor priorities in the region, and ensures a robust pipeline of funding
  • identifies the links between government funding calls and international agreements and commitments
  • aligns language describing our projects with these agreements to make our strategic relevance clearer at multiple levels
  • identifies opportunities for large-scale funding opportunities with institutional donors in and across the Africa region (individually and/or with co-creation partners)
• Conduct research into key multilateral and bilateral donor agency strategies in Africa and identify opportunities for appropriate Fauna & Flora staff to influence them

Proposal Development

• Lead the high-quality design and development of proposals, ensuring that concepts follow the approved project Theory of Change and indicators, that there is clarity of roles and responsibilities (including with partners) and timelines throughout the process, timely input from the relevant technical and operational specialists (both regionally and UK based), and compliance with Fauna & Flora’s project cycle and sign off processes

• Ensure proposals consider accurate budgeting, staff and overhead charging and cost recovery, and that impact monitoring activities and indicators, analysis and dissemination of learnings are included along with start-up planning and costs from both a technical and operational perspective

• Ensure that funding proposals and funder compliance are appropriate to, and comply with, Fauna

  & Flora’s institutional and in-country operating standards

• Ensure that funding proposals include all required donor documentation, and ensure these go through the relevant Fauna & Flora sign-off processes

Donor Contract Negotiations

• Lead on negotiation of donor terms & conditions as necessary, with a view to aligning with Fauna & Flora’s policies and procedures where possible and facilitating the appropriate teams within Fauna & Flora to respond to donor requests

Award Management & Donor Compliance

• Where proposals are successful, lead the process of transitioning the lead role of fund management to the implementation team, ensuring all fund conditions and donor considerations are clearly communicated
• Where required, ensure that donor reports and other donor project outputs produced by

programme staff and partner organisations are of a high standard and reflect Fauna & Flora’s philosophy

• Guide donor communications on live funds where appropriate, such as no cost extensions, donor

compliance etc

Capacity Strengthening

• Where other Africa team members take on proposal lead role, ensure they are guided through these proposal development processes and provide backstopping and guidance to the different aspects as outlined above
• Where required, provide direct technical support to partner organisations with project

development and proposal writing

• Run training programmes and mentor staff to improve fundraising success in project design and proposal writing, donor compliance, donor relationship management, and donor report writing, with input from experts from other relevant teams

• Mentor senior Fauna & Flora Africa team staff to establish mission and delegation relationships

  in Fauna & Flora countries of operation, in order to create conducive conditions for funding programme development

Donor engagement & relationship building

• Identify, develop and maintain positive relationships and partnerships with donors at regional and international level, to maximise the effective support for and delivery of Fauna & Flora’s programme and projects in the Africa region, in line with global Fauna & Flora priorities
• As required, act as main focal-point with donors and ensure a positive relationship between organisations
• Represent Fauna & Flora at external working groups, events and meetings relevant to Fauna & Flora’s Africa funding strategy and create opportunities for Fauna & Flora Africa staff to do the same.

Other

• Undertake any other activities that you may, from time-to-time, be asked to perform by your line manager, commensurate with your skills and experience

Person Specification

Essential

Desirable

Knowledge and Experience

• A relevant, higher degree or equivalent level qualification or equivalent experience in a conservation related subject
• Proven track record in leading successful large scale (>USD 1m) funding proposals, from overall design and writing of content through to log frame and budget development
• Proven ability to secure funding from multi- lateral and bi-lateral agencies (including statutory donors) and the private sector
• Experience of working with remote teams who have competing priorities, to create proposals of high quality and to deadlines
• Proven experience of influencing donor priorities, negotiating and approving statutory donor grant agreements
• A good technical background and understanding of a range of conservation issues
• Experience working within a multi-cultural environment
• Experience in mentoring individuals
• Experience in developing and delivering training materials
• Experience either leading or in a senior position operating within a complex conservation or development project, within a developing country
• Experience working in sub- Saharan Africa in a conservation or development context
• Experience working with local partners, government agencies and communities in varied cultural contexts
• Experience of securing funding from agencies such as FCDO, EU, IKI, AFD Knowledge of Environmental and Social Safeguards and GEDSI approaches in conservation
• Line management experience

Skills

• Excellent writing skills including for technical proposal and report writing
• Highly organised and able to effectively define and deliver to timelines for and with a wider team
• Highly skilled in successful delegation of tasks without line management accountability
• Ability to assess and prioritise tasks effectively to accomplish within deadlines
• Proven ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a diverse group of individuals and organisations
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Proficiency in French, both verbal and written

Behavioural qualities

• Ability to deal with challenges in a pragmatic and diplomatic way
• Builds positive personal and organisational relationships
• Considerate and culturally sensitive team player
• Works independently and is pro-active in supporting others
• Commitment to building capacity of local teams
• Commitment to conservation
• Commitment to organisational and legal compliance and to responsible management of donor funds

Other

• Commitment to FFI’s mission and values.
• Ability to travel within the Africa region
• Pre- existing right to work in Kenya (if Nairobi based)

Fauna & Flora Values

Values underpin who we are and how we act. Just as values shape who we are as individuals, they define us as an organisation, creating the culture of success for which Fauna & Flora is renowned. Our people exemplify our shared values, which are interconnected and interdependent:

• We act with integrity
• We are collaborative
• We are committed
• We are inclusive, supportive & respectful
• We get things done

How to Apply:

How to Apply

Applications should consist of the following:

• Covering letter:
  • Clearly identify your preferred location and if you have the right to work
  • Explain why you are applying, relating your experience and skills to the role
• Full CV
• Contact details for two referees (who will not be approached without your permission) Applications should be submitted electronically to africajobs@fauna-flora.org

Please mark your application ‘Senior Development Manager, Africa’ and indicate in your covering letter where you saw the position advertised.

The closing date for applications is Sunday, 11 May 2025. First interviews are likely to take place during the week commencing Monday,19 May 2025 with a written assessment and second interviews planned for the week commencing 26 May 2025.

No agencies please.

Regrettably, due to limited resources and the high number of applications we receive, we are only able to contact short-listed candidates. If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

Applicants with Disabilities

Fauna & Flora encourages applications from individuals with a disability who are able to carry out the duties of the post. If you have special needs in relation to your application, please contact Jade Bedwell: jade.bedwell@fauna-flora.org

Fauna & Flora values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity