Strategic Business Development Officer At REPSSI

The position is based in Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.

REPSSI (the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative) is a renowned pan African organisation that has been supporting governments and non-governmental organisations to provide holistic psychosocial care and support to children and their families in East and Southern Africa for 18 years now. REPSSI works in 13 countries and aims to enhance the psychosocial and mental wellbeing of girls, boys, youth their families and communities to be able to respond to challenges such as HIV and AIDS, conflict, poverty, climate change, environmental disasters and social strife.

REPSSI’s strategy is underpinned by four strategic outcomes:

1. Enhanced health, SRHR, and HIV outcomes for children, adolescents & mothers through MHPSS
2. Enhanced protection and sustainable livelihoods through MHPSS
3. Education and Early Childhood Development is enhanced through MHPSS
4. Disaster risk reduction and enhanced humanitarian response through MHPSS

Job Summary

REPSSI seeks to appoint an experienced Strategic Business Development Officer. The successful candidate will lead and oversee our resource mobilization efforts, identifying new partnerships as well as new business and programme growth opportunities. Working closely with the CEO and Head of Programmes and other key staff at the Regional Office, the Strategic Business Development Officer will identify and secure funding and resources that support the REPSSI programme, regionally and in all of the countries where REPSSI works, in line with the strategy**.** You will consistently conduct donor scans and seek strategic partnerships, matching them with countries and/or projects where they are most suited for collaboration. The successful candidate will combine both grant making through developing proposals to donors and negotiating contracts for technical services and assignments. The position reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer.

Key Responsibilities

1. Resource Mobilisation and Business Development **

§ Develop and deliver a comprehensive and coherent fundraising strategy and action plans for the organization to maximize the potential for grant making opportunities.

§ Work with programme staff to further refine and articulate our niche areas and core programme areas of work that give us comparative advantage in the donor market.

§ Identify suitable funding opportunities and calls for proposals, and coordinate all funding proposal development and contracts.

§ Create a sustainable and diverse fund portfolio within REPSSI, split across grants and contracts; direct funding and locally generated funding and gradually build diverse funding streams that include individuals, public funds, corporates, community, events, trusts/foundations and other grant-makers, with appropriate priorities.

§ Set fundraising targets and produce detailed annual action plans for both the regional and country offices.

§ Establish evaluation benchmarks that allow us to learn from unsuccessful applications and to continually establish our niche area.

§ Work closely with the Director Corporate Services and Finance, to ensure that REPSSI is well prepared for due diligence assessments and meets required funding criteria.

§ Research and develop a comprehensive fundraising database that captures all relevant information, as well as handling all administrative aspects of fundraising.

2. Proposal writing

§ Develop core generic and tailor-made funding proposals for REPSSI programmes and assemble the required funding information.

§ Maintain proposal support databases that map out the relevant funding bodies, grant programmes and their timelines.

§ Work in close collaboration with heads of departments and units as well as country programme teams to identify and development new programme growth opportunities.

§ Come up with innovative approaches to improving proposal writing results including evaluating and re-designing processes, approach, coordination and implementing value-adding changes.

3. Communications and Media **

§ Align the Resource Mobilisation strategy to the Branding and Communication Strategy to promote the organization to its donors and maximize public awareness of the fundraising activities of the organization.

§ Design, print and distribute standardized fundraising and publicity materials for awareness- and fundraising.

§ Lead communication with key donors and funders with the aim of cultivating, growing and sustaining long-term funding and collaboration.

§ Foster an understanding of philanthropy within the organization.

§ Contribute to the REPSSI website and related social media.

4. Contract management donor and relationships

§ In conjunction with the Chief Executive Officer, build on relationships with existing funders, to proactively develop relationships with potential funders, while maintaining relationships with existing funders through, for instance, ensuring that quality reports meet their deadlines and submitting further applications for funding.

§ Build relationships with stakeholders to advance the fundraising case for REPSSI.

§ Coordinate the preparations of and update the funding contracts tracking in line with expected project results and outcomes, specifically to inform budget forecasts.

§ Develop standard donor contracts and build the REPSSI’s understanding of donor contractual and related issues to ensuring that contractual obligations are met at all times.

§ Act as a liaison between REPSSI funding partners.

§ Support REPSSI promotion and marketing events.

Essential Skills and Personality Traits

§ High standard of computer literacy (Excel, Word, Power Point and Outlook and the Internet).

§ Good judgment and ability to use initiative and make decisions in complex, challenging and sensitive situations.

§ Excellent communication skills (oral, written and presentations); ability to generate concept papers, produce concise and creative bids.

§ Networking and influencing skills and ability to build relationships with potential donors.

§ Problem solving, deadline-oriented, process improvement and pays meticulous attention to detail.

§ Ability to demonstrate initiative and work well under pressure.

§ Ability to understand and generate budgets.

§ Ability to plan ahead and work within agreed timeframes.

§ Ability and willingness to travel for work.

§ Willingness to work evenings and weekends as required.

§ Demonstrable ability to plan and prioritise own workload with minimum supervision.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

§ Masters degree in a social business or development related field.

§ At least five (5) years’ experience in an international or resource challenged setting and in-country experience in Africa is required

§ Proven record of successful applications for substantial funding.

§ Demonstrated experience designing proposals and projects, with success in designing winning proposals for a wide range of funder types, including multi- and bi-lateral, corporations, foundations and trusts in the areas of global health, HIV, psychosocial support, violence prevention, GBV, education, emergency response or related field.

§ Demonstrable ability to develop relationships with funding partners.

§ Experience of researching funding opportunities for regional and country civil society programming.

§ Working experience within NGOs’ and donor environment such as UN, USAID, DFID, SIDA.

§ Substantial knowledge, experience and understanding of development issues relevant to child care and protection in line with the global and regional frameworks and instruments.

§ Ability to represent the organisation at high levels.

§ Proficient in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

§ Only South African citizens will be considered for the opportunity.

This is a 1-year contract position subject to availability of donor funding and good performance.

Remuneration will be commensurate with skills and experience. REPSSI is committed to the principles of employment equity.

Should not hear from us within 30 days after the due date, consider your application as unsuccessful.