Development Manager (Maternity Cover)

UBONGO is Africa's leading producer of kids' edutainment. As a non-profit social enterprise, we create fun, localized, and multi-platform educational content that helps kids learn, and leverage their learning to change their lives. Ubongo reaches over 42 million kids across Africa through accessible technologies like TV, radio, and mobile phones. Our show’s Ubongo Kids and Akili and Me currently air in 23 countries across Africa, in Swahili, English, French, Kinyarwanda, Kikuyu, Luo, Yoruba, Hausa, Chichewa, and Juba Arabic.

Job Description

We are seeking a Development Manager (Maternity Cover) to join our small but mighty Development and Communications Team. You’ll be joining a team of 70+ Ubongoers across 8 countries and growing, with the big audacious goal of meaningfully engaging 100 million kids in Africa by 2028. Working at Ubongo will challenge and excite you with lots of responsibilities and plenty of fun, and it gives you the opportunity to impact the lives of millions of kids every day.

We’re looking for a dynamic, creative, and flexible Development Manager (Maternity cover) to support our fundraising efforts. You’ll work closely with our Director of Communications and Development to support our fundraising efforts with foundations, family foundations, government grantmakers, and individuals worldwide who may be interested in funding our work. We are looking for an experienced fundraising professional, who will work closely with our team to find and apply for grant opportunities, and create and implement the strategy and content for building relationships with potential funders. A successful candidate will be a great storyteller and an even better relationship builder with a passion for the work that we do.

Candidates should expect to spend 50% of their time drafting, editing, and submitting challenge grants, award applications, proposals, and concept notes, 20% of their time prospecting funding opportunities and in team meetings, and 30% prospecting and cultivating relationships with potential funders.

Responsibilities:

• Develop High-Quality Funding Applications:
  • Write and submit nine compelling applications and proposals, targeting $9 million from new funders, challenge grants, and renewals.
  • Continue with efforts to secure $1.8 million in committed funds by June 2025.
• Strategic Fundraising Outreach:
  • Coordinate meetings and outreach efforts to maximize Ubongo’s visibility and participation at the CIES and Skoll World Forum.
  • Push along to secure six strategic introductions and meetings with potential funders by implementing targeted cultivation strategies by June 2025.
• Funder Communications and Updates:
  • Prepare and deliver four monthly and two quarterly fundraising updates by June 2025.
  • Draft comprehensive donor memos for all potential funder conversations, ensuring colleagues have all relevant information for successful engagements.
• ajiraFunder Engagement and Events:
  • Continue with efforts to support the Grants Manager in planning and executing two impactful funder webinars by June 2025.
• Database and Documentation Management:
  • Continue maintaining up-to-date and accurate records of all funding applications, communications, and transactions in the organization’s database.

Requirements: Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications

Essentials:

• 3+ years experience fundraising or grant writing for a non-profit company or social enterprise
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills: Proven grant writing and storytelling skills
• Experience in outreach and/or network-building roles
• Ability to synthesize research and produce compelling literature reviews.
• Bachelor's degree preferably in English Literature, Creative Writing, Education, Research, Marketing, Communications, Nonprofit Management, Business, or a related field
• Proven experience working in grant writing, fundraising, marketing, corporate communications, content development, writing, or project management
• Must be able to provide at least 2 professional references.
• Must love kids!
• You have the ability to work independently and to think on your feet.
• Be willing to wear many hats.

Preferred:

• Deep understanding of Africa’s education and development landscape.
• Passionate about education, storytelling, and being a changemaker.
• Loves building relationships and talking to new people.
• Great storytelling skills that come through in public speaking and writing. We tell powerful stories, and you need to be able to represent our brand well publically.

Additional Notes

Deadline: The last day to receive applications for this position will be 15th January, 2025

Please note that only online applications will be considered. Those who come directly to the office with a CV or who email their CV to us will simply be directed to apply online

Equal Employment Opportunity
UBONGO provides equal employment opportunities to all its employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by the laws of the country we are operating in.

Job Scam Warning
Our organization upholds a strict commitment to a fair, unbiased hiring process through BambooHR or very qualified recruitment agencies and shortlisting decisions are based solely on candidates' qualifications, skills and experience relevant to the position.

Beware of any individuals claiming to have influence over our hiring decisions or requesting favors in exchange for guaranteed shortlisting or employment opportunities. Such actions are against our policies and do not reflect our organization's values.