Development Specialist

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You can be based in our office in Nairobi, Kigali, Kinshasa or Addis Ababa. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.









About the Program:

WRI Africa is one of the fastest growing international offices of WRI. The Africa office has operational presence in five countries including The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Republic of Congo and Rwanda, with additional presence in 11 other African countries. WRI is a trusted partner for change. To achieve its impact goals, WRI Africa focuses on four areas of work: Food Land and Water, Thriving Resilient Cities, Energy Transitions and Access, and a crosscutting pillar on Climate, Economics and Finance. WRI Africa's primary goal is to catalyze transformative, equitable, and sustainable development across the African continent through research, technical assistance, and policy support. To accomplish this, WRI Africa collaborates with governments, civil society organizations, businesses, and communities to accelerate these system shifts. 

Job Highlight:

As Development Specialist, your primary responsibility will be to originate opportunities, lead the development of high-quality technical bids and manage local and regional partnerships to improve WRI Africa’s ability to attract and deliver large-scale funding in seven and eight figure range. Working with the Director of Development, WRI Africa Programmes Teams, and other teams, you will help develop and implement strategies to achieve sustainable funding that aligns with the ambition and opportunities of WRI Africa's goals. You will oversee prospect research, lead on proposal writing, internal project framing and support on donor stewardship. You will participate in joint fundraising across the organization to produce compelling multi-faceted proposals for major awards and enhance individual project and Africa office development strategies and proposals. You will also contribute to the development of relevant fundraising strategies related to WRI Africa's portfolio, and matrix into WRI's global development team to ensure coordination with other WRI Programs, Centers, and International Offices while ensuring following WRI's development processes.  You will be responsible for integrating equity into your work.

You will report to Director of Development. Some international travel may be required.

What will you do:

Proposal Development and Internal Coordination (60%):

• Lead and coordinate competitive bid development for major government-funded, payment-by-results contracts, including defining a win strategy, partnership roadmap, and cost strategy
• Oversee bid documentation and compliance, ensuring alignment with donor requirements, quality standards, and responsiveness through structured analysis and technical and commercial validation
• Assemble and manage a bid team, engaging internal experts, external partners, and consultants as needed. Develop and negotiate partnership agreements and strengthen consortium relationships
• Develop and finalize key proposal components, including theories of change, log frames, results frameworks, and budget proposals aligned with donor expectations and value-for-money principles
• Manage a proposal calendar to ensure internal coordination, timely input from key teams, and adherence to deadlines
• Ensure adherence to fundraising guidelines, proposal vetting procedures, and internal bid development processes, including proposal planning, quality control, and compliance with donor and organizational standards
• Identify and mitigate risks in proposal development, including budget feasibility, partner alignment, and donor compliance risks
• Conduct post-bid reviews and integrate lessons learned to continuously improve proposal competitiveness and internal bid processes
• Work closely with the Director of Development and the Global Development team to enhance fundraising coordination, donor compliance, and bid development strategies
  
  

Donor Stewardship and Prospect Development (30%):

• Identify and research new major prospective donors and funding opportunities in the six and seven-figure range
• Draft strategic briefs and presentations to support key engagements and dialogues with prospective donors, ensuring clarity in funding priorities and alignment with organizational strategy
• Support the development and implementation of strategies aimed at securing sustainable funding that aligns with the ambition and priorities of WRI Africa
• Strengthen and manage external partnerships to enhance WRI’s positioning for securing and delivering large-scale multi-year funding
• Engage in direct fundraising activities, including proposal pitches, strategic partnership development meetings, and donor cultivation engagements with WRI Africa team members
• Support the Director of Development and WRI Africa programmes team in donor cultivation efforts by arranging meetings, leading preparations, and tracking donor engagement, with an emphasis on strengthening long-term relationships
• Manage and maintain a revenue and opportunity pipeline in Salesforce, ensuring regular reviews with WRI Africa leadership to support a revenue strategy
• Oversee donor relationship management by working with program teams to track donor interactions in Salesforce and ensure timely and strategic follow-ups
• Provide expert fundraising and donor engagement advice, including training and strategy development, to WRI Africa managers
  
  

Operational Excellence (10%):

• Support multi-year project planning and pipeline development, ensuring alignment with fundraising priorities, competitive positioning, and strategic donor engagement
• Conduct technical analysis on competitive positioning, bid success rates, and fundraising performance for WRI Africa
• Collaborate with the Director of Development and the Director of Finance & Operations to enhance quality assurance in fundraising and development processes
• Develop and implement tracking mechanisms to monitor progress toward revenue goals and overall fundraising effectiveness
• Conduct capacity assessments and support training and knowledge-sharing initiatives to enhance program development and fundraising capabilities
• Lead, mentor, and develop the fundraising and development team by setting clear goals, performance metrics, and professional development opportunities
• Design and facilitate training sessions for WRI Africa staff on best practices in fundraising, donor engagement, and proposal development.
  
  

What will you need:

• Education: You have a completed bachelor’s degree in environmental science, international development, public administration, social sciences or related subject
• Experience: You have 7+ years of relevant, full-time experience including 2 years of experience in a development position with major fundraising responsibilities 
• Experience working in the development field, preferably within an international NGO
• Demonstrated prospect research skills; understanding of what constitutes relevant and strategic information and how to analyze the data to support prospect development.
• Proofreading experience with ability to translate technical information into lay language
• Experience developing and organizing proposals for varying audiences
• Demonstrable knowledge of MS Office 365, SharePoint and Salesforce
• Demonstrable communication skills to guide peers and directors through strategy conception to concrete proposed deliverables focused on impact at global scale
• Languages: You are proficient in spoken and written English. French skills are desirable.
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.
  
  

Potential Salary:

Salary Is Commensurate With Experience And Other Compensable Factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter by 20 March 2025. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of qualified applications.

You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure
• Medical Coverage, Dental Coverage, Vision Coverage, retirement plan access and employer contribution
  
  

About us:

World Resources Institute works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence and Respect.

Our Culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission including equal opportunities in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status.










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