Grants and Partnership Manager

Position Title:Grants and Partnerships Manager

Reports To:Executive Director and Board

Job Type:Contract

Tenure: 12 Months (Renewable, subject to performance and funding availability)

Location:Remote

Role Summary

We are seeking a Grants and Partnerships Manager to lead the development and implementation of strategies that expand our resource base through fundraising, proposal development and strengthen partnerships with donors, corporates, foundations, and allied organizations.

This role is central to securing institutional support for our growing portfolio of programs and campaigns. The ideal candidate is one who understands the landscape of African-led philanthropy, bilateral and multilateral funding, and social impact storytelling. A strong writer, systems-thinker,persuasive writer and partnership builder with a proven record of securing competitive grants.

This is a remote position, with optional hybrid collaboration for team meetings, events, and stakeholder engagements. Exceptional performance may lead to an extended or full-time role with additional leadership opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Grant/Proposal Writing and Management

• Lead the end-to-end development of compelling grant proposals, concept notes, and reports to foundations, corporations, and multilateral institutions.
• Coordinate input from program, communications, and finance teams to ensure alignment and accuracy in all submissions.
• Research and identify new funding opportunities that align with TSOs mission, goals, and thematic focus areas.
• Maintain the organizations grants calendar, tracking deadlines, deliverables, and reporting requirements.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and maintain high standards in documentation, reporting, and budget integrity.

Partnership Development

• Cultivate and sustain relationships with key stakeholders, including development agencies, NGOs, corporate partners, and philanthropic networks.
• Represent The Smile Outreach in strategic partnership meetings, conferences, and donor convenings.
• Support co-creation of partnership proposals and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with aligned organizations.
• Collaborate with leadership to explore joint funding opportunities and innovative partnership models.

Fundraising and Business Development

• Identify and pursue new funding sources through details research
• Collaborate with program staff, develop and implement monitoring procedures to track grant implementation.
• Identify avenues for fundraising, including CSR programs, social enterprises, and digital giving campaigns.
• Support the design and implementation of fundraising events and campaigns in collaboration with the communications team.
• Maintain strong relationships with existing donors, ensuring timely updates and impact reports.
• Contribute to strategic donor communications, ensuring consistent messaging and visibility.

Relationship Stewardship and Reporting

• Develop a deep understanding of TSOs mission, history, and programs to articulate our value proposition eff…