Job Description

The Program Design Officer (PDO) contributes to African Wildlife Foundation’s (AWF) Zimbabwe Country Program, Southern Africa regional programming and cross-site thematic fundraising efforts by cultivating relationships across Southern Africa that are key to programming overseas development assistance (ODA), advising governments on conservation and development programs and leading the development of AWF proposals to finance our work in the country and region. The PDO will be a member of a global team that manages public donor relationships, prepares complex proposals in response to identified opportunities, tracks and ensures quality in project reporting to donors, and tracks and informs AWF leadership of developments in donor strategies and priorities. The position is imbedded in AWF’s Zimbabwe country program, and as such will be an integral part of our focal country presence. The PDO will be responsible for identifying, defining and developing funding proposals in coordination with donor account managers, country, field, program and finance teams in order to raise public funds for existing and planned program activities in Zimbabwe as well as other countries. This includes prospecting, researching, process management, writing and submitting grant applications to public donors. The PDO will also (in close coordination with country directors) represent AWF to public sector partners, and supporting relationships with host government agencies and other important stakeholders. Working closely with the Director Program Design (DPD), the AWF Zimbabwe Country Director, and donor Account Managers the PDO will work to win support for AWF’s strategy, cultivate existing and new donor relationships, and elevate the conservation agenda in development cooperation and policy dialogues in the region.

Duties and Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES

Proposal Development and Writing (~40%)

As a part of the PD team, conducts the full range of activities required to prepare, submit, and manage grant proposals to secure public funding for AWF. Working under the leadership of DPD and Account Managers on the PD team, the PDO takes primary responsibility as “proposal lead” in searching for and responding to public donor funding opportunities:

analyze and review funding opportunities and call for proposals and their fit for AWF’s present projects, programs and strategies;
project manage proposal development teams;
solicit technical inputs from AWF’s country and landscape teams and technical experts as well as from other AWF department, co-applicants and implementing partners;
ensure that supporting documents from Government and co-applicants are timely secured;
write professional and compelling log frames, concepts, proposals, budgets, etc.;
work with PD/finance to present professional cost applications to secure public funding and ensure synergy in donor budgeting, contract development with partners and consortia, management and reporting.
Donor and Partner Cultivation and Management (~50%)

In collaboration with the DPD, Zimbabwe Country Director and the rest of AWF’s leadership team the PDO leads AWF’s cultivation of opportunities for program development with bi- and multi-lateral development partners and donors in Southern Africa and supports the country director and teams with other key relationships with important stakeholders such as Governmental, civil society, or private sector partners. These functions include, but are not limited to:

Support AWF’s fundraising targets and grow AWF’s relationships with bi- and multi-lateral donors in Southern Africa.
Support AWF Zimbabwe Country Program team to establish and maintain relationships with key Zimbabwean donors and Government institutions as well as key stakeholders in Zimbabwe.
Support policy and strategy engagement in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa in coordination with the Country Directors and Policy/Government Relations teams based on Zimbabwean and African priorities and strategies.
Track and analyze donor and governmental priorities and strategies in relation to AWF conservation, policy and fundraising objectives in Southern Africa and develop strategic interventions on how to secure funding.
Track agendas of development partners across the region, to brief the Country Director and AWF Leadership team, donor account managers, and International Policy & Government Relations team and provide technical advice on programming priorities in Southern Africa.
Support the articulation of AWF strategies as needed with the aim of securing new funding opportunities.
Support development of funding plans and strategies for Southern African, landscapes, and thematic programmes and emerging issues.
Support Country and Landscape teams in effective donor servicing through soliciting and preparing for and participating in donor field visits to AWF landscapes and projects in the region.
Provide specific grant management support upon request with: management and donor relations of existing grants; review project reports; donor compliance support to management of grants, grant planning and financial tracking of ongoing grants.
Other key roles (~10%)

Liaise with account managers and PD team members to support proposal development and cultivation activities as needed across AWF’s fundraising portfolio.
Coordinate with and assist the Philanthropy and Foundations & Corporations teams fundraising efforts for Southern Africa, highlight local funding needs and priorities to these teams, function as a resource person, and ensure fundraising synergies are created.
Support the rest of the PD as well as Grants, and Program teams to implement actions in their portfolios, adhere to donor conditions and submit reports in a timely way.
Represent AWF in relevant meetings, conferences and at donor and partner events in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa.
Collaborate with AWF communications and marketing teams to support visibility of AWF’s projects in the Southern Africa portfolio.
Support filing, tracking and reporting on PD grant and donor metrics and pipeline on monthly and quarterly basis.
Support preparation of supporting materials for meetings, trips, presentations, and other events/occasions.
Assists with other tasks, as assigned.
Rights-based Conservation

Human rights are a guiding principle in the AWF Strategic Vision 2020-2030, embedded in our core principles and core values. AWF’s mission is to ensure that wildlife and wildlands thrive in modern Africa. AWF understands a modern Africa to be an Africa in which human rights are fulfilled and commits to respect, protect, and promote human rights at all times, irrespective of ethnic group, gender, race, sexual orientation, age, or class by adopting a rights-based conservation approach. The role holder will come in to contact with a wide range of partners and stakeholders and will be required to demonstrate commitment to and a good understanding of AWF’s Rights Based Conservation approaches, values and principles.

Qualifications and Experience

REQUIREMENTS AND SKILLS

Reputable Master’s degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience) in relevant field: including conservation, natural resource management, rural/international development, economics, political science or similar.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in fundraising, proposal design, and donor engagement and relationship management, preferably in the field of conservation or environmental management.
Experience in proposal design with demonstrated ability to develop high-quality Logical framework and results chains, design technical and cost proposals and concept papers.
Experience of working and developing relationships with major public donor agencies such as USAID, EU, the GEF or Germany and their representatives.
Track record of successfully writing proposals to and securing funding from bilateral and/or multilateral institutions.
Good understanding of Zimbabwe’s and Southern Africa’s public donor environment and government’s development agenda as well as of issues faced by AWF in delivering its mission in.
Highly skilled to conceptualize project design and write project documents (including budgets, log frames, and work plans) and reports.
Existing relationships with public donors in Zimbabwe and up-to-date understanding of bilateral and multilateral donor agencies’ priorities in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa.
Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to work as a team member and to negotiate, manage, and expand donor relationships.
Have a logical perspective on things and ability to reduce mechanisms, processes, proposals, ideas, or formulas to their basic parts and understand and explain how they interrelate in a project or contribute to fulfilment of higher agendas such the Sustainable Development Goals, national development plans, and AWF’s mission, strategies and plans.
Excellent writing skills are necessary, including the ability to shift writing style and purpose to be appealing and persuasive to the designated target audience.
Must possess strong editing skills and pay attention to detail.
Comprehensive knowledge of contemporary conservation and development issues in Africa including good understanding of sustainable development, adaptive project management, monitoring & evaluation, and knowledge management concepts and application.
Ability to communicate effectively with a wide group of colleagues and partners, including proactive sharing of information and reporting.
Proven ability to work independently, and effectively and collaboratively in cross-functional teams.
Advanced computer and internet skills.
High degree of responsibility and accountability for tasks, projects, assignments, and commitments including meeting strict deadlines.
Fluency in written and spoken English essential. Good understanding of German or French languages is an advantage.