Position Purpose

Ipas DRC is seeking a Business Development Advisor to spearhead donor cultivation and propel fundraising efforts. The Business Development Advisor will identify new funding opportunities and partners, manage existing and prospective donor relationships, and work with the Country Director to develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy. This strategy will focus on maximizing Ipas' financial potential, diversifying donor portfolio, and building a financially resilient organization by expanding outreach to new donors, capitalizing on emerging funding trends, leading strategic organizational communication efforts, and fostering long-term partnerships.

Summary of Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership and Strategy

• Support identifying strategic partners and platforms, conferences, and meetings relevant to creating visibility of Ipas's work.
• Work with key external partners to organize events and develop donor/funder strategies.
• Engage and support all country teams in developing region-specific fundraising strategies
• Contribute to concept and project development across the region.

Financial & Risk Management  

• Lead on account management of existing donors, providing regular contact, updates, and required reports.
• Liaise with the finance team to support donor audits and facilitate any visits or ad-hoc requests from donors.

Technical or Functional Area

• Coordinate the development and preparation of high-quality funding proposals and applications to donors.
• Manage the process of funding applications, ensuring all internal and external deadlines are met.
• Support the entire organization to excel in donor/funder prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship.
• Establish a donor engagement tracking platform and update the donor/funder contacts database.
• Engage country teams on ongoing needs assessments and compile reports on the producer's needs.
• Provide coaching and mentoring on proposal development to country teams.
• Develop and maintain a tracking system to ensure the timely submission of proposals, reports, and acknowledgments.
• Performs any other duties assigned

Resource mobilization

• Work with the DRC Country Director and Country Leads to develop and track revenue projections and prepare budgets for all fundraising activities.
• Lead on research for new funding streams from donors and ensure Ipas optimizes emerging opportunities.
• Lead on designing and developing proposals and initiatives.

Communication & representation

• Develop and maintain excellent relationships with a portfolio of existing and potential donors through networking, face-to-face meetings, and regular communications.
• Support the preparation of presentations and reports for present and potential donors.
• Represent Ipas at external meetings and deliver presentations to influence support.
• Create publications for fundraising purposes, e.g., fundraising packs, impact stories, leaflets, business cards, banners, etc.
• Represent Ipas at external meetings and deliver presentations to influence support.

Position Requirements

• A deep commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights, especially abortion and contraception access
• Professional-level fluency in both French and English (speaking, reading, and writing)
• Proven ability to lead and motivate teams and create a positive work environment through supportive supervision, strong communication, nonhierarchical leadership approaches, and modeling the Ipas core values.
• Demonstrated capacity and commitment to good stewardship of funds, including strong skills in work planning, budgeting, financial monitoring, and data-driven problem-solving.
• Proven ability to build positive working relationships with diverse internal teams and external partners
• Excellent relationship management, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Strong analytical and strategic decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work well with a wide variety of people in a fast-paced environment within a complex organization, in person and virtually
• Ability to work independently, with a strong ethic of accountability.
• Ability to plan, balance, and cope with competing priorities.

Education

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree in public health, international development, social sciences, business administration, communications, or a related area.

Experience

• A proven track record of a minimum of five years of successful fundraising, proposal management, project management, and writing/editing experience in the development sector, with a minimum of 3 years working.
• Experience in developing, writing, and submitting large grant applications for major
  Projects.
• Experience working in the sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equity, human rights, and humanitarian sectors, preferably at a global health or human rights NGO.
• Understanding and experience of institutional fundraising processes

Preferred qualifications & skills

• Very advanced level of English proficiency
• Competitive bidding experience
• Donor cultivation experience
• Working knowledge of donor databases
• Understanding of Ipas's programs and standards
• Previous experience working in the field of women's sexual and reproductive health and rights
• Experience building relationships with public health organizations
• Experience and understanding of basic monitoring and evaluation concepts
• Good working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite
• Excellent English editing, writing, and presentation skills
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite

Working environment:

• Ability to travel up to 50% domestically, regionally, or global trips

Ipas is strongly committed to providing a work environment that is free from all forms of harassment, discrimination, and inequity.  We recruit, employ, train, promote, and compensate our personnel without regard to race, age, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, ancestry, citizenship, caste, ethnicity, regional identity, tribal identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic protected by law or outlined by Ipas policy. Ipas acknowledges that these personal characteristics may differ in different contexts