Partnerships and Business Development Manager

FC Africa (formerly First Consult) is a leading Pan-African advisory and development consulting firm headquartered in Addis Ababa, with multiple offices across East Africa. We deliver integrated solutions across development programming, investment facilitation, and advisory services, working with governments, development partners, and private sector clients to drive inclusive economic growth and systemic transformation. With over two decades of experience, FC Africa combines deep contextual knowledge with global best practices to design and implement high-impact programmes that address market constraints, strengthen institutions, and unlock opportunities for underserved populations.

We operate through a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and evidence-driven approach, emphasizing locally led solutions, strong partnerships, and sustainable impact. FC Africa has built a strong reputation for delivering complex, multi-stakeholder programmes across sectors including financial inclusion, workforce development, and enterprise growth. Through its diverse portfolio, we continue to expand our footprint while maintaining a strong commitment to quality, innovation, and long-term development outcomes.

Position Summary:

• Position: Partnerships and Business Development Manager
• Department: PPD (Partnerships and Programme Development)
• Reports to: Partnerships and Programme Development Director

The Partnerships and Business Development Manager plays a central role in driving FC Africa’s growth, positioning, and programme pipeline by leading business development efforts, strengthening strategic partnerships, and ensuring the development of high-quality, competitive proposals. The position sits within the Partnerships and Programme Development (PPD) Department and serves as a key link between opportunity identification, programme design, and successful project acquisition. The role requires a strong understanding of donor priorities, market dynamics, and sector trends, combined with the ability to translate opportunities into well-structured programmes that align with FC Africa’s strategic direction. The Manager is expected to work closely with technical teams, leadership, and external partners to ensure that proposals are technically sound, strategically positioned, and operationally feasible.

Beyond business acquisition, the role also supports programme design and early-stage implementation processes to ensure continuity between proposal commitments and actual delivery. The Manager contributes to building and maintaining a strong network of partners, including donors, implementing organizations, private sector actors, and government stakeholders, ensuring that FC Africa remains competitive and well-positioned in key markets. This position requires a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution, as well as the ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines. The role also contributes to strengthening internal systems, processes, and team capacity within the PPD function, supporting the organization’s long-term sustainability and growth.

Scope of Responsibilities

The Partnerships and Business Development Manager will lead and support a broad range of activities related to business development, partnership building, and programme design, ensuring that FC Africa maintains a strong and competitive pipeline of opportunities while delivering high-quality proposals and building strategic relationships. The role requires proactive engagement with internal and external stakeholders, strong coordination across departments, and the ability to translate strategic priorities into actionable plans and deliverables. The Manager will also contribute to strengthening internal systems and processes to improve efficiency, quality, and overall performance of the Partnerships and Programme Development function.

Key Responsibilities

• Business Development and Opportunity Management: Lead the identification, tracking, and assessment of new business opportunities by monitoring donor pipelines, market trends, and sector developments, ensuring alignment with FC Africa’s strategic priorities and growth objectives.
• Proposal Development and Submission: Manage end-to-end proposal development processes, including planning, coordination, drafting, and submission, ensuring high-quality, compliant, and competitive proposals that meet donor requirements and reflect FC Africa’s technical strengths.
• Programme Design and Technical Structuring: Support the development of programme concepts, theories of change, implementation approaches, and operational frameworks, ensuring that proposals are realistic, impactful, and aligned with both client expectations and implementation capacity.
• Partnership Development and Management: Identify, establish, and maintain strategic partnerships with donors, consortium partners, consultants, and other stakeholders, including leading negotiations and defining roles, responsibilities, and collaboration frameworks.
• Internal Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate coordination across technical, finance, HR, and operations teams to ensure integrated and coherent proposal development, while maintaining clear communication and alignment throughout the process.
• Project Start-up and Implementation Support: Provide support during project inception phases, including work planning, stakeholder engagement, and transition from proposal to implementation, ensuring continuity and alignment between design and delivery.
• Client and Partner Relationship Management: Maintain strong professional relationships with clients and partners, ensuring effective communication, responsiveness, and problem-solving throughout both proposal and implementation phases.
• Knowledge and Systems Strengthening: Contribute to the development and improvement of internal tools, templates, and processes related to business development and programme design, enhancing efficiency, consistency, and institutional learning.
• Team Support and Capacity Building: Provide guidance and mentorship to PPD team members involved in proposal development and partnership activities, supporting capacity strengthening and creating a collaborative team environment.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Master’s degree in economics, development studies, business administration, public policy, or a related field.
• A strong academic background in areas related to development, finance, or project management is highly desirable.
• Additional certifications in project management, business development, or related areas will be considered an advantage.

Work Experience

• Minimum of 6-8 years of relevant professional experience in business development, programme design, consulting, or project management within development or advisory environments.
• Demonstrated experience in leading or coordinating end-to-end proposal development processes for donor-funded projects, including opportunity identification, partner engagement, proposal writing, and submission management.
• Proven experience working with international donors, development partners, and multi-stakeholder programmes, with a strong understanding of donor priorities, compliance requirements, and competitive positioning.
• Strong proposal writing and technical drafting experience, with the ability to translate complex concepts, technical inputs, and strategic ideas into clear, compelling, and well-structured narratives.
• Excellent stakeholder management and partnership development experience, including building, maintaining, and managing relationships with donors, consortium partners, consultants, and government counterparts.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and analytically, including assessing opportunities, aligning them with organizational priorities, and contributing to pipeline development and growth strategies.
• Experience managing multiple workstreams or projects simultaneously, with strong coordination skills and the ability to deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines.
• Experience supporting programme design and early-stage implementation processes, ensuring alignment between proposal commitments and operational realities.

Required Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce high-quality proposals, reports, and presentations.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, coordinate inputs from different teams, and meet deadlines consistently.
• Advanced stakeholder engagement and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse teams, partners, and clients.
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and propose practical, context-driven solutions.
• High attention to detail and commitment to quality, particularly in proposal development and documentation processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and familiarity with collaborative tools for document management and team coordination.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Familiarity with donor-funded project cycles, including bilateral and multilateral agencies, private foundations, and/or similar institutions.
• Experience working in development consulting, private sector advisory, or multi-country programme environments.