Organization Unit: Donor Relations & Business Development

Reports to: Practice Lead, Donor Relations

Location: Please note: This position will be based in a duty station to be determined in line with the regional scope of the role. Montpellier, shown above, is a default system setting and not the confirmed duty station.

Grade: SO5 / CG10

Date Published: 17 January 2025

Closing Date for Applications: 10 February at 9am CET

About CGIAR

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. CGIAR science is dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services. Its research is conducted closely with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations, and the private sector.

About the position

The Resource Mobilization & Business Development (DR&BD) unit is responsible for driving strategic initiatives to engage with new and existing funders, secure sustainable funding, and diversify funding sources across the CGIAR. This involves identifying and cultivating both traditional and innovative funding opportunities, as well as managing and enhancing existing funding mechanisms critical in ensuring a reliable and continuous flow of financial resources that support CGIAR’s research, enabling the system to sustain its programs and operations.

The Manager, Donor Relations, reporting to the Practice Lead, Donor Relations, oversees the development and implementation of donor relations and engagement strategies focused on a specific regional portfolio of donors for CGIAR. The role entails the development of strategies that maximize overall investment from key donors and expand CGIAR’s donor portfolio while adjusting to the evolving operational environments and donor interests. Keen political awareness and adaptive approaches will be critical in ensuring that CGIAR effectively advances its research and innovation mission to address global development challenges.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and lead funder specific donor relation strategies for the assigned regional portfolio of donors.
• Lead the implementation of the donor relations strategies and stewardship activities aligned to regional priorities, sensitive to political landscape, cultural nuances, and familiar with the local funding landscapes to achieve ambitious funding targets.
• Stay abreast of the regional and market-level political landscapes, and ODA and private funding trends.
• Actively engage with key stakeholders in the region and its markets, including governments, parliaments, civil society, foundations and other relevant public and private organizations.
• Cultivate a network of champions and advocates in the region,
• Track funding outlook for the regional portfolio, activating new opportunities and mitigating downside risk to CGIAR funding.
• Source and assess potential funding opportunities in the region to expand the funding base for CGIAR research and operations.
• Advise management on emerging opportunities and challenges related to donor funding to inform resource development and planning.
• Collaborate with CGIAR centers, research and innovation programs, and other internal stakeholders to share information and insights on donor interests, funding opportunities, and emerging research activities/projects to align research with funding.
• Engage with existing donors, governmental bodies, and other sources of funding to strengthen coordination, reporting, and disbursement practices to reinforce their commitment and ensure alignment.
• Present the impact and opportunity of CGIAR’s work with prospective donors, philanthropists, and other sources of funding in the region to identify areas of common interest to encourage support.
• Optimize engagement processes, capacities, and work plans to align with established donor priorities and requirements, integrating new strategies to address evolving funding requirements and respond to changes in the donor landscape.
• Create opportunities for growth in selected markets that meet or exceed target outcomes set by the CGIAR and demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of adaptive approaches to secure funding across the region.Sustain a pipeline of funding prospects that meets or exceeds target outcomes set by the CGIAR and demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of adaptive approaches to secure funding across the region.
• Consolidate learning and data on funding opportunities and effective practices across the partnership to build a knowledge base that supports strategic development and capacity building.

Requirements

Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree in public policy, social sciences, finance, international relations, or a related discipline.

• Specialized experience in external/donor relations, fundraising, and resource mobilization for a public and/or non-profit organization, philanthropic, financial, or international organization.
• Proven track record implementing Government Relation strategies and unlocking ODA channels in support of bilateral and multilateral funding mechanisms.

Key Competences

• Substantive knowledge: Demonstrated capacity gained through experience in resource mobilization, donor engagement, for large government / ODA strategies.

• Communication skills: Demonstrated skill gained through exposure/experience in resource mobilization and relationship management.

• Execution skills: Demonstrated achievement in the consistent delivery of successful resource mobilization strategies.

Languages

Fluency in English essential to communicate in writing and speaking. Knowledge of at least one additional language from a major donor market in the region is highly desirable.

Benefits

The selected staff member will be offered terms and conditions commensurate with the grade of the position.

Submitting Your Application

If you face challenges in submitting your application, please email recruitment@cgiar.org with the position title in the subject line.