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About AWDF

As a pan-African feminist fund, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) resources, strengthens and upholds women’s rights and feminist organisations and movements across Africa to make gender justice a reality for all on our continent and worldwide. Over the past 24 years, AWDF has awarded approximately USD 100 million to women’s rights and feminist organisations throughout Africa (and in selected Middle Eastern countries through one of our initiatives). Through its grantmaking, programmatic, and advocacy work, AWDF has supported work that has led to changes in law and policy, social norms, narrative, and movement-building for gender justice.

In 2023, building on its strong track record, AWDF launched Lemlem. This strategic framework guides AWDF’s efforts to advance gender justice for girls, women and gender-diverse people across Africa until 2033. At its core, the strategy focuses on resourcing, nurturing and strengthening those best placed to achieve transformative change: African women’s and feminist groups, organisations and movements.

About the Role

Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Partnerships and Voice plays a critical role in developing and implementing the vision and direction for AWDF’s strategies and initiatives related to donor partnerships and resource mobilisation, strategic alliances, and external stakeholder engagement, in full alignment with AWDF’s strategic framework.

In close collaboration with the CEO and the Director of Programmes, she/they will represent AWDF on selected platforms, shape AWDF’s thought leadership and institutional voice,  and promote AWDF’s visibility.

The Director of Partnerships and Voice will manage a small team whose members work effectively together and with the rest of the organisation on fundraising, donor stewardship, partnerships and advocacy, and communications. As part of the Executive Leadership Team, the Director will contribute to strategic direction and management decisions regarding maintaining a healthy, accountable, and efficient organisation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership Management:

• As a leading member of the Executive Leadership Team, contribute to setting, sustaining and adapting the strategic direction of the Fund, provide input into various organisational strategies and policies, as well as the development and management of organisational work plans and budgets and contribute to decision-making and accountability regarding organisational development, organisational culture and the day-to-day management of the AWDF team.
• Working closely with the CEO, Director of Programmes and Director of Operations, lead and oversee the implementation and periodic review of AWDF’s strategies for resource mobilisation, strategic partnerships, thought leadership, influencing and communications, in alignment with AWDF’s overall strategic framework.
• Oversee the work of Partnerships and Voice team, and ensure the smooth and effective integration of partnerships, development, communications, and advocacy initiatives across departments.

Resource mobilisation, development and donor engagement:

• Lead the implementation and periodic review of AWDF’s resource mobilisation strategy to establish, nurture and sustain partnerships with a diverse range of funders – in alignment with AWDF’s strategic framework and feminist values and alignment with trends in the philanthropic ecosystem.
• Develop and explore innovative avenues and initiatives to diversify AWDF’s income sources.
• Design and manage internal processes (across departments) to ensure adequate engagement with funding partners throughout the funding cycle, including developing strong proposals and reports.

Strategic Partnerships:

• Design and implement approaches to strengthen AWDF’s relationships with existing partners (in feminist movements, international development and the philanthropic sector).
• Lead and coordinate AWDF’s participation in selected networks and platforms by representing AWDF and involving key AWDF colleagues as relevant and appropriate.
• Develop ideas for new strategic partnership efforts and provide leadership to implement them.

Thought leadership agenda: Influencing, Advocacy and Communications

• Identify and leverage opportunities for influencing and advocacy aligned with AWDF’s agenda and strategic direction.
• Represent AWDF at various conferences, meetings, webinars, and other online and in-person platforms, including through travel. Lead and coordinate AWDF’s participation in selected networks and platforms.
• Guide and oversee the development and implementation of AWDF’s communications strategy.
• Communicate up-to-date knowledge of current strategies and initiatives in women’s rights, philanthropy, and international development in Africa and globally, as well as communicate key information across the organisation.

People Management:

• Manage an effective, dynamic, and connected Partnerships and Voice Department that is well integrated within the wider organisation.
• Maintain a constructive working ethos that reflects AWDF’s feminist principles and values.

Financial Management:

• Provide strategic and operational financial management of the Partnerships & Philanthropy department and ensure prudent financial practices by supervising team members to ensure they align with AWDF policies.
• Lead the department’s contribution to financial reporting according to AWDF requirements, ensuring timely submission.
• Working closely with the CEO, the other two Directors, and the Finance Manager, closely follow the overall budget development and spending, with particular attention to donor commitments.

Skills and Experience

• Strong resource mobilisation and development skills with a track record of engaging donors, raising funds for non-profits, and maintaining sustained donor partnerships.
• Proven experience in strategic planning, critical thinking, and setting priorities in alignment with the organisational strategy and in response to ecosystem trends and opportunities.
• Strong partnership-builder with a successful history of collaborating with various partners and participating in collaborative initiatives.
• Strong people management skills, experienced in leading, coaching, and managing teams to achieve organisational objectives.
• Excellent written and oral communicator. Public speaking skills. Experience communicating with diverse audiences in external meetings.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English is essential. French proficiency is desirable.
• Track record designing and writing donor reports, articles, and other information products.
• Demonstrates feminism and social justice values, with an understanding of African women’s rights issues and the workings of women’s rights and feminist organisations.
• Capable of thought leadership on women’s rights in Africa.
• 30-40% international travel.