Director of Strategic Engagements – Europe (M/F) – Overview
We are currently recruiting a Director of Strategic Engagements – Europe (M/F) to join our resource development team.
This position, based in our offices in Montrouge, France , is a permanent contract and pays approximately €80,000 per year, depending on your profile.
In addition, regular travel to Europe, Switzerland and Relief International country offices will be required as needed.
This position is subject to enhanced pre-employment checks.
About Relief International
Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that works alongside communities affected by conflict, climate change and disasters, in order to save lives, build resilience and promote long-term health and well-being.
Our team, made up of more than 6,000 local staff and volunteers, operates in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, through Health and Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Education and Livelihoods programs, which lay the foundations for community resilience.
To achieve this, we work with local stakeholders to develop safe and inclusive programs, based on evidence, sensitive to conflict issues, adapted to the climate and meeting the needs of the populations concerned.
Relief International is a network of three organizations sharing a common mission: Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, and Relief International-UK.
About this opportunity
This is a highly strategic and influential leadership position that will help shape Relief International’s future funding direction.
The Director of Strategic Engagements is, within Relief International, the key person responsible for expanding access to funding from European institutional donors, United Nations agencies, Swiss donors and new European funding mechanisms.
Unlike traditional business development roles, which are primarily focused on proposal development, this position aims to identify and open new sources of funding, strengthen the organization’s capacity to respond to opportunities, develop strategic partnerships, and position Relief International for long-term growth in the European landscape of humanitarian, development, and global health funding.
Reporting to the Global Director of Resource Development, the post holder will collaborate with headquarters teams, country offices and support functions globally to ensure that Relief International has the systems, compliance mechanisms, partnerships, donor relations and internal capabilities necessary to position itself competitively on significant European funding opportunities.
You will regularly interact with high-level representatives from donor agencies, UN agencies, European institutions, strategic partners, management, and program teams in the countries where we operate. You will play a key role in developing the institutional funding strategy and ensuring that Relief International remains competitive in an increasingly complex funding environment.
Your responsibilities
This position includes the following responsibilities:
- Lead the development and implementation of Relief International’s European institutional fundraising strategy, identifying new funding opportunities from donors, emerging funding mechanisms and strategic growth areas.
- Establish and strengthen relationships with European institutions, bilateral donors, United Nations agencies, Swiss donors, strategic partners and key decision-makers in the humanitarian and development sectors.
- Evaluate and strengthen the organization’s capacity to respond to European funding opportunities, particularly with regard to compliance requirements, accreditation procedures, donor eligibility criteria and internal systems.
- To guide the strategic positioning and preparation of priority funding opportunities, by coordinating donor relations, analyzing the funding environment, developing partnerships and strategies to maximize the chances of success with different stakeholders.
- To be Relief International’s internal expert on European institutional donors, developing tools and guidelines, as well as training and knowledge-sharing initiatives aimed at strengthening fundraising capacity within the organization.
- Promote collaboration between the different functions of the organization, including resource development teams, country offices, technical teams, as well as teams in charge of finance, awards management, compliance, legal affairs and operations, in order to ensure good coordination and prepare the organization for funding opportunities.
- Advise senior management on donor trends, funding risks, strategic opportunities and investments needed to promote long-term portfolio diversification and growth.
- Represent Relief International at high-level consultations with donors, conferences, humanitarian forums and discussions on strategic partnerships.
About you
You possess the following experience and skills:
- Master’s degree in international development, humanitarian affairs, international relations, public policy, business administration or another relevant discipline.
- Significant experience, at a high level of responsibility, in international resource development, institutional fundraising, business development, donor relations or strategic partnerships.
- Proven experience in obtaining and managing complex institutional funding, including multi-million dollar multinational grants.
- Solid experience in relations with European Union institutions, European bilateral donors, United Nations agencies, Swiss donors and other major institutional funders.
- Proven expertise in donor relations, strategic positioning, advance preparation for funding opportunities and strategies for diversifying funding sources.
- Experience in strengthening internal systems, the organization’s capacity to meet institutional requirements, compliance mechanisms with donor requirements, and fundraising capacities.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills and strong ability to influence, with the capacity to establish credibility and foster collaboration within diverse international teams and with high-level governing bodies.
- Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, coupled with a solid understanding of strategic and organizational issues, and a proven ability to transform donor information into sustainable funding opportunities.
- Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship management skills, as well as experience representing organizations to high-level external stakeholders.
- A strong commitment to humanitarian principles as well as to the mission, values and approach of Relief International.
How to apply
To apply for this position, click the Apply button on the job posting page.
- You will be asked to upload a CV and a cover letter.
- The cover letter should be one page long and explain why this position at Relief International interests you and how your skills and experience make you a strong candidate for this role.
Closing date: October 19, 2026.
Due to the nature of this position, we will review applications as they are received, and the position may be filled and the offer closed before the deadline. Applications submitted promptly are therefore encouraged.
Director of Strategic Engagements – Europe – Overview
We are currently recruiting a Director of Strategic Engagements – Europe to join our Resource Development team.
This is an office-based position based in Montrouge, France, offering a salary of circa. €80,000 Euro per annum. The role requires regular travel across Europe, Switzerland and Relief International country offices as required.
At Relief International, we are committed to building a representative, inclusive and authentic workplace. We strongly encourage applications from candidates from minoritized backgrounds and those who bring lived experience of the contexts in which we work.
This role is classified as requiring enhanced pre-employment checks.
About Relief International
Relief International is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing. We work across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, delivering Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience.
As Relief International continues to diversify its funding base and strengthen its institutional fundraising capacity, we are investing in senior leadership dedicated to expanding access to European institutional financing mechanisms and building sustainable partnerships that support long-term organizational growth.
About the Opportunity
This is a highly strategic and influential leadership role that will shape Relief International’s future funding landscape.
The Director of Strategic Engagements serves as Relief International’s organizational lead for expanding access to European institutional donors, United Nations agencies, Swiss donors and emerging European financing mechanisms. Unlike traditional business development roles that focus primarily on proposal development, this position is responsible for identifying and opening new funding pathways, strengthening organizational readiness, developing strategic partnerships and positioning Relief International for long-term growth across the European humanitarian, development and global health funding landscape.
Reporting to the Global Director of Resource Development, the postholder will work across headquarters, country offices and global support functions to ensure Relief International has the systems, compliance structures, partnerships, donor relationships and organizational capabilities needed to compete successfully for major European funding opportunities.
You will engage regularly with senior donor representatives, UN agencies, European institutions, strategic partners, executive leadership and country programmes, playing a pivotal role in shaping institutional funding strategy and ensuring Relief International remains competitive in an increasingly complex funding environment.
Your Responsibilities
This role includes the following responsibilities.
- Lead the development and implementation of Relief International’s European institutional fundraising strategy, identifying new donor opportunities, emerging financing mechanisms and strategic growth areas.
- Build and strengthen relationships with European institutions, bilateral donors, United Nations agencies, Swiss donors, strategic partners and key decision-makers across the humanitarian and development sector.
- Assess and strengthen organizational readiness for European funding opportunities, including compliance requirements, accreditation processes, donor eligibility standards and institutional systems.
- Lead strategic positioning and capture efforts for high-priority funding opportunities, coordinating donor engagement, market analysis, partnership development and win strategies across multiple stakeholders.
- Serve as Relief International’s internal subject matter expert on European institutional donors, developing tools, guidance, training and learning initiatives that strengthen fundraising capacity across the organization.
- Drive cross-functional collaboration between Resource Development, Country Offices, Technical Teams, Finance, Awards Management, Compliance, Legal and Operations teams to ensure organizational alignment and readiness.
- Advise senior leadership on donor trends, funding risks, strategic opportunities and investments required to support long-term portfolio diversification and growth.
- Represent Relief International at senior-level donor consultations, conferences, humanitarian forums and strategic partnership discussions.
About You
You will bring the following experience and skills.
- Master’s degree in International Development, Humanitarian Affairs, International Relations, Public Policy, Business Administration or another relevant discipline.
- Significant experience in international resource development, institutional fundraising, business development, donor relations or strategic partnerships at a senior level.
- Demonstrated success securing and managing complex institutional funding opportunities, including multi-country and multi-million-dollar awards.
- Strong experience engaging with European Union institutions, European bilateral donors, United Nations agencies, Swiss donors and other major institutional funding partners.
- Proven expertise in donor engagement, strategic positioning, capture management and funding diversification strategies.
- Experience strengthening organizational systems, institutional readiness, donor compliance frameworks and fundraising capacity.
- Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility and drive collaboration across diverse global teams and senior leadership groups.
- Strong strategic thinking, analytical ability and business acumen, with a track record of translating donor intelligence into sustainable funding opportunities.
- Outstanding communication, negotiation and relationship-management skills, with experience representing organizations at senior external levels.
- A strong commitment to humanitarian principles and Relief International’s mission, values and approach.
How to apply
To apply for this post, click on the Apply button on the job advert page.
- You will be asked to upload a CV and Cover Letter.
- The cover letter should be one page and explain why you are interested in this post with Relief International and how your skills and experience make you a strong fit for the role.
Closing Date: 19 October, 2026.
Due to the nature of this role, we will be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis and the role might be filled and closed before the closing date. Early applications are encouraged.