Dev-Afrique Development Advisors is an African-led, Africa-based social-impact organization of strategy and development professionals committed to solving complex challenges on the African continent. Through our partnership with DevGlobal and networks across African countries, we provide high-level advisory, develop unique strategies and drive local implementation for global non-profit organizations and corporations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dev-Afrique’s goal is to be the leading catalyst for sustainable development in Africa, recognized for unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and innovation in creating a brighter future for all

About the Role

This is not a conventional sales role. We are looking for a regional growth lead who understands the development consulting ecosystem in its full complexity — donor procurement, government priorities, consortium formation, proposal strategy, and long-term credibility building.

Eastern and Southern Africa is institutionally complex, spanning the East African Community. You will be comfortable operating across multiple countries, donors, sectors, and partnership models and not just executing within a single market.

You will identify opportunities, cultivate strategic relationships, track donor and government priorities, lead bid development, coordinate technical teams, and convert opportunities into signed consulting contracts. Nairobi is the base because the role demands sustained engagement with East African governments, bilateral and multilateral donors, INGOs, regional bodies, and consulting partners.

What You Will Do

Build and own the regional pipeline

• Develop a practical, prioritised business development strategy across Eastern and Southern Africa — identifying which countries, donors, and sectors to focus on, and which to step back from.
• Proactively scan for opportunities, including formal tenders, framework agreements, consortium calls, expiring projects, and emerging donor priorities — not just publicly advertised work.
• Maintain a structured, live pipeline tracker with clear stages from lead identification through to lessons captured.

Cultivate relationships across the development ecosystem

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with bilateral donors (FCDO, USAID, EU, GIZ, Sida, and others), multilateral institutions (World Bank, AfDB, UN agencies), foundations (BMGF, Wellcome Trust, Mastercard Foundation), regional bodies (AU, EAC, COMESA, SADC, Africa CDC), INGOs, government ministries, research institutions, and consulting partners.
• Represent Dev-Afrique externally with credibility — translating our technical expertise into clear client value without overselling.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships, knowing when to lead, when to subcontract, and when to form a consortium.

Lead winning proposals

• Lead the full proposal lifecycle — reading ToRs to extract what the client truly wants, leading bid/no-bid discussions, identifying the right experts, developing compliance matrices, crafting win themes, building partner arrangements, and ensuring submissions are compliant, complete, and persuasive.
• Coordinate effectively with technical experts, finance, operations, and external partners under deadline pressure.
• Run post-submission follow-up and structured win/loss analysis to continuously improve our hit rate.

Provide market intelligence and positioning

• Track donor country strategies, procurement forecasts, project pipelines, upcoming evaluations, new funding windows, and competitor activity — and translate this into actionable choices for leadership.
• Develop tailored capability statements, pitch decks, and positioning materials for priority sectors and clients.
• Produce regular regional BD intelligence briefs that help leadership decide where to invest and where to pull back.

Apply commercial discipline

• Bring real bid/no-bid discipline — understanding pricing, level-of-effort, margins, and the cost of chasing weak opportunities.
• Work to clear targets on pipeline value, conversion, and revenue, and feel comfortable being measured against them.

What You Will Bring

Essential

• At least 7 years of professional experience, with at least 4 years in business development, partnerships, donor engagement, fundraising, or proposal development.
• A background in development consulting, international development, INGOs, donor-funded programmes, research institutions, or advisory firms.
• A demonstrated track record of winning or contributing to winning bids with donors, foundations, governments, or international agencies.
• Strong working knowledge of Eastern and Southern Africa — particularly Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and South Africa.
• Direct experience with major donor-funded opportunities (USAID, FCDO, EU, World Bank, AfDB, UNICEF, WHO, BMGF, GIZ, Global Fund, or similar).
• Excellent written communication — concept notes, expressions of interest, capability statements, proposals, and partner correspondence.
• Confidence and maturity in engaging senior institutional stakeholders.
• Experience coordinating multi-person proposal processes involving technical experts, finance, operations, and external partners.
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; a master’s in international development, public health, economics, business administration, public policy, M&E, social sciences, or international relations is preferred.
• Based in Nairobi, or willing to relocate.

Who You Are

We are looking for someone who is:

• Proactive and commercially disciplined — you generate momentum rather than wait for it.
• Regionally curious and well-networked — you genuinely understand how the African development ecosystem works and the people in it.
• Highly organised, with strong follow-through across multiple opportunities and deadlines.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to work independently while keeping leadership informed.
• Confident, strategic, and practical.
• Mature in senior stakeholder engagement and credible with development-sector clients.
• Calm under proposal pressure and energized by deadline-driven work.
• Comfortable being measured by results.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your CV and a short cover letter explaining

• Why this role fits your career trajectory
• One example of a significant bid or partnership you helped win and your specific role in it, and
• Which two or three countries in Eastern and Southern Africa you would prioritize first, and why.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a structured interview process that includes a short practical exercise. We will share details with shortlisted candidates directly.