Grants Development Specialist

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Grants Development Specialist

Reports to: Technology & Grant Development Manager

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Overview

By advancing youth skills and building social investment through multifaceted programs, Shaqodoon organization has strong and complementary experiences working with the IDPs, Refugee Returnees, and Host Communities, underprivileged youth, and women in Somalia/Somaliland.

Shaqodoon Organization has been operational in Somalia/Somaliland since 2011, implementing programs in entrepreneurship development, SME development, business development services (BDS), mentoring, and creating sustainable livelihoods development initiatives. Over the last years, Shaqodoon Organization engaged in social mobilization and economic development for communities and taken approaches for state-buildings that leverages local mobilization processes to build social cohesion and trust between citizens and government authorities. To deliver on its mandate and achieve its mission goals, Shaqodoon Organization is taking new development strategies to create new partnerships, new approaches to serve its clients, and exploring various resource mobilization opportunities.

Job Summary

Shaqodoon Organization is seeking a dynamic and committed individual in the role of Grants development specialist. He/she will engage in all aspects of the Organization’s grant opportunities, including managing the scanning of funding opportunities, developing, and submitting grant proposals and concepts. He/she will also provide additional support through report writing, composing correspondences, and coordinating fundraising events. The Grants Development specialist will work closely with Shaqodoon Organization’s Technology & Business for Development Manager, Executive Director, Program Manager, and Board of directors to identify funding needs, develop grant-seeking strategy, identify funding sources to support existing and planned program activities, and formulate approaches to new and existing funders and Donors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are those considered to be essential but do not represent all job functions that may be required to be performed by this position. Other comparable duties and responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

Fundraising

• Research potential new sources of funding through grant sources and donor funding opportunities.
• Responsible for the writing and timely submitting well-researched grant proposals and concept notes to comply with grant guidelines.
• The specialist will cultivate, solicit, and steward current and prospective corporate, foundation, and government funders and individual donors.
• Assist with the planning, development, and implementation of a strategic plan of action with objectives, timelines, and evaluation measures for the fund program that includes identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of constituents.
• Maintain donor database for all donor information.
• Assist with the production of donor acknowledgments and other donor correspondence, including invitations, cultivation, and solicitation emails.
• Develops and disseminates written material for brochures, newsletters, and other documents used for outreach and marketing.
• Maintain Resource Development files; organize, update and purge regularly.
• Development of networking fundraising opportunities through Facebook, Twitter, etc.
• Analyze social media analytics to evaluate targeted marketing and messaging campaigns.
• Provide research and administrative support for special fundraising events as needed.
• Cultivate relationships and partnership opportunities with staff from other local organizations doing complementary work.
• Answer inquiries from donors and make updates to the donor database as requested.

General

• Work with the Executive Director and board members to determine annual priorities and action plans for cultivating existing donor relationships and pursuing new streams of funding.
• Provide targeted monthly funding updates to stakeholder groups (staff, board, other)
• Represent Shaqodoon Organization at conferences and meetings organized by the Government, INGOs, UN, and the private sector.
• Compile the Organization’s Monthly, quarterly, and Annual narrative reports and submit them to donors as appropriate.
• Lead in developing and preparing monitoring, evaluation, lessons learned reports, and other relevant organization-related documents.
• Participate in both online and offline donor, government meetings.
• Attend all group and program staff meetings and training.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are a must.
• Exceptional research skills are a must.
• Demonstrates ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and produce high-quality written material under tight deadlines.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and proactive. Ability to manage a portfolio of work independently with minimal supervision.
• Possess the ability to conceptualize and describe funding needs in a manner that is compelling to various types of donors.
• Has Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to cultivate productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders and work collaboratively with diverse groups of people.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google.
• Being proficient in research and interpreting and analyzing diverse data, must possess sound critical thinking and independent judgment skills.
• Manage sensitive and confidential information with integrity.

Education and Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree in PR/Communications, Writing, Journalism, or related field along with at least five years of work experience in grant writing and fundraising activities is acceptable.
• A non-degreed professional with six years or more experience may be considered.
• Proven success in developing grant proposals and applications to both private foundations and government funding is required.
• Experience preparing government grant, UN, EU, USAID, and World Bank applications is preferred.

Language and Communication Skills

• Strong written and oral communication skills are a must.
• Must have the ability to read, analyze, and interpret an array of data and procedures.
• The candidate must have the ability to write reports and business correspondence.
• Must have the ability to effectively and persuasively present information.
• The candidate must have excellent social skills with an ability to quickly build rapport with existing and potential funders and any other target audiences.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Must have the ability to interpret and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Working Conditions

This position will be based at Shaqodoon Organizations office in Nairobi, Kenya. The work location might change if deemed fit by Shaqodoon Organization. The incumbent can also work from home during the Convid-19 period.