With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!
Here’s where you come in:
As Resource Development and Strategic Partnerships Director, you will provide strategic leadership and directly drive income growth and diversification for World Vision International Lao PDR. You will build a strong funding pipeline, strengthen acquisition and grants management systems, develop donor and partner relationships, and advance organisational positioning and technical brand. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will work across functions and with Support and Regional Offices to turn strategy and evidence into funding, influence and results for vulnerable children, while developing team capabilities and a positive, healthy work culture.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Drive Resource Growth and Funding Acquisition
You will develop and continuously improve the WVI Laos Resource Development Strategy, lead annual funding plans and pipeline management, and identify and forecast donor opportunities. You will establish effective acquisition systems, lead proposal development and bid teams, guide Go/No-Go decisions, and develop fundable programme concepts that address the needs of vulnerable children. You will also coordinate donor feedback, negotiations, award mobilisation and emergency funding efforts, while applying lessons from successful and unsuccessful bids to improve future performance.
Strategic Positioning and Partnerships
You will build and maintain strategic relationships with institutional donors, Support and Regional Offices, UN agencies, government, civil society, private-sector partners and other development actors. You will position WVI Laos for funding opportunities, represent the organisation in relevant external forums, serve as the main focal point for Support and Regional Offices on funding and programme design, and monitor donor priorities, market developments and emerging opportunities.
Acquisition and Grants Systems, Performance, and Accountability
You will establish and embed effective end-to-end acquisition and grants management systems, with clear roles, workflows, quality standards and accountabilities. You will provide leadership with timely analysis of pipeline performance, funding trends and risks; maintain accurate records and reporting in Horizon and other required systems; and ensure safeguarding, integrity, risk management, donor compliance and organisational standards are applied throughout all activities. You will also monitor acquisition costs and budgets to maximise results.
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Grants Management
You will coordinate with Programme Quality, Operations, Finance, Support Services, People and Culture, Communications, Advocacy and field teams throughout the grant lifecycle. You will ensure effective handovers from acquisition to implementation, provide strategic oversight of grants management, support the resolution of compliance and donor issues, and improve systems based on audits, feedback and lessons learned. You will also strengthen resource development and grants management capabilities across the organisation.
Team Leadership, Development, and Delivery
You will lead, coach and manage the Resource Development and Grants Management team, setting clear priorities and performance expectations. You will strengthen staff capabilities through coaching, cross-training, delegation and development plans, while addressing succession and critical skills gaps. You will foster a positive, inclusive and accountable team culture built on trust, wellbeing, collaboration and learning. You will remain directly involved in priority funding opportunities, proposal writing, donor engagement, strategic communications and critical deliverables, while mobilising additional expertise when needed and modelling WVI values, integrity and sound judgement.
Requirements include:
- Significant senior-level experience in resource development, institutional fundraising, strategic partnerships, or business development within international development or humanitarian contexts.
- Demonstrated success securing and diversifying funding from bilateral, multilateral, UN, foundation, private-sector, or other institutional partners, including leading complex, high-value proposals and negotiations.
- Strong understanding of the full grants lifecycle, with experience establishing and embedding effective acquisition and grants management systems, accountabilities, quality standards, and organisational capacity.
- Proven ability to translate organisational strategy, programme evidence, and technical priorities into a focused funding pipeline, compelling programme concepts, and credible external positioning.
- Experience building and managing senior donor, partner, Support Office, and cross-organisational relationships, with strong influencing, negotiation, and representation skills.
- Demonstrated leadership of a small, multidisciplinary team, including coaching, performance management, talent development, succession planning, and building bench strength while remaining directly engaged in delivery.
- Proven ability to lead across functions and mobilise colleagues without relying solely on formal authority, creating shared ownership and delivering results in complex, cross-cultural environments.
- Experience providing strategic oversight and quality assurance for communications, external positioning, technical branding, or thought leadership.
- Excellent strategic judgement, analytical ability, written communication, and proposal development skills, with a record of delivering high-quality results under pressure.
- Master’s degree in international development, business, public policy, communications, a relevant technical discipline, or a related field; or equivalent senior-level professional experience.
- Strong working knowledge of institutional donor requirements and funding approaches, including major bilateral, multilateral, and UN donors.
- Experience working in Lao PDR, Southeast Asia, or a comparable development and humanitarian context.
- Established networks with relevant donors, development partners, Support Offices, or private-sector actors.
- Experience integrating safeguarding, gender equality, disability and social inclusion, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability into programme design and funding proposals.
- Experience mobilising resources and managing donor requirements in humanitarian emergencies.
- Working knowledge of Lao or another relevant regional language.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
Travel and/or Work Environment:
The position is based in Vientiane with up to 20% travel within the country and annual overseas travel to attend Global/Regional training and events.
Encouragement:
World Vision is committed to the principles of workplace diversity. Qualified women and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
World Vision offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and international working environment.
Applicant Types Accepted: Local and International Applicants (IA’s) Accepted
How to apply
Is this the job for you?
Find the full responsibilities and requirements for this position and apply online by the closing date November 20, 2026.
World Vision is dedicated to our team members’ development and their success. We aspire for all employees to be fulfilled through their work and their contributions to an organisation working to provide long-term sustainable solutions to the world’s most vulnerable people.
For more information on World Vision International, please visit our website: www.wvi.org.Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness. Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so.