Strategic Partnership Manager – Africa

About the Role

This is a fully remote opportunity. Remuneration will be aligned with prevailing market rates in the employee's country of residence, complemented by Ipas's established pay philosophy and considerations such as individual experience and expertise.

Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply from the following nations: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya (Alliance locations), Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.

Ipas is actively seeking a Strategic Partnership Manager to bolster resource mobilization efforts and expand its partnership network across Africa. The successful candidate will be instrumental in identifying, nurturing, and growing a robust pipeline of institutional donors, foundations, corporate entities, and strategic collaborators whose objectives resonate with Ipas’s core mission and values.

This position will offer dedicated business development support for significant funding opportunities, cultivate deeper relationships with key donors and partners, and contribute to the creation of persuasive materials for external audiences. These materials will encompass expressions of interest, concept notes, proposals, budgets, presentations, results frameworks, and comprehensive partnership strategies.

The Strategic Partnership Manager will embody a profound dedication to reproductive justice, encompassing human rights, abortion rights, gender equity, and principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This role necessitates seamless collaboration throughout the Ipas Network, fostering shared leadership, trust, and inclusive, non-hierarchical approaches to learning and teamwork, all while ensuring the responsible stewardship of donor resources and unwavering adherence to Ipas's mission, values, and standards.

Key Responsibilities

Opportunity Pipeline Development and Donor/Partner Intelligence

• Identify and profile priority foundations, institutional funders, corporate partners, and strategic implementing organizations whose work aligns with Ipas’s mission.


• Conduct thorough analysis of funder priorities, eligibility criteria, application timelines, typical award sizes, indirect cost expectations, compliance requirements, and existing relationship pathways.


• Track and monitor requests for proposals (RFPs), calls for proposals (CFPs), invitations, and relationship-driven opportunities, maintaining an up-to-date pipeline tracker.


• Support go/no-go decision-making processes by conducting fit assessments, competitiveness analyses, and risk/feasibility reviews, considering deadlines, staffing needs, partnership requirements, cost-sharing obligations, and indirect rate limitations.

External Relations and Resource Mobilization Support

• Develop tailored engagement plans for priority donors and partners, outlining objectives, key messages, decision-makers, and required follow-up actions.


• Craft and refine positioning collateral, including capability statements, one-pagers, concise slide decks, project summaries, and boilerplate language.


• Cultivate and disseminate intelligence across the Ipas Network regarding significant trends and opportunities within the African landscape.


• Collaborate with the Communications Service Node to enhance external communications through Ipas's website, newsletters, and social media platforms.


• Prepare talking points, briefing notes, and agendas for external meetings; participate in meetings as required, documenting action items and facilitating subsequent follow-up.


• Provide expert advice on partnership strategies, including defining lead versus sub-award roles, consortium participation, negotiation points, partner mapping, and outreach initiatives.


• Work closely with the Development Service Node to submit quarterly and annual reports on fundraising activities and outcomes, and actively participate in annual management cycle processes.

Proposal Development, Review, and Quality Assurance

• Support the submission of donor-facing documents, such as expressions of interest, concept notes, and full proposals, in close coordination with internal teams and external partners.


• Review and refine technical narratives to ensure compliance, clarity, and direct responsiveness to donor evaluation criteria.


• Assist in the development of required annexes, including results frameworks or logical frameworks, work plans, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plans, risk matrices, and staffing plans.


• Liaise with finance colleagues to develop and rigorously review budgets and budget narratives, ensuring alignment with the proposed technical approach and donor cost regulations.


• Provide structured written feedback through tracked changes or review memos, and actively participate in review meetings to finalize revisions and agree on next steps.

Minimum Qualifications

• A minimum of ten years of progressive professional experience managing complex programs and projects.


• A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study.


• Demonstrated expertise in business development, fundraising, and/or proposal development, preferably within non-governmental organizations, social enterprises, or mission-driven entities.


• A solid understanding of the institutional donor landscape, including bilateral and multilateral agencies, private foundations, and approaches to partnerships and consortia.


• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in both English and French.


• Proven ability to manage multiple competing deadlines, coordinate effectively across diverse teams, and produce high-quality deliverables with minimal oversight.


• A track record of successfully developing competitive proposals and donor-facing materials, including intricate budgets and comprehensive results frameworks or logical frameworks.


• Subject-matter expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and reproductive justice, or substantial international work experience.


• An unwavering commitment to reproductive justice, human rights, abortion rights, gender equity, diversity, equity, and inclusion.


• A dedication to fostering shared leadership, building trust, and embracing inclusive, non-hierarchical working methodologies.

Work Environment and Travel

• Regular travel within Africa and to strategic international hubs, in accordance with Ipas's travel policies.


• Engage in virtual collaboration with colleagues across the Ipas Network and across various time zones.


• Submit weekly written progress updates and participate in biweekly virtual check-ins with the Director of Development and relevant staff members.


• Deliverables must be submitted electronically in editable formats such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, unless otherwise arranged.

Applications will be accepted until the position is successfully filled.