UBONGO is Africa’s leading producer of kids’ edutainment. As a non-profit social enterprise, we create fun, localized, and multi-platform educational content that helps kids learn, and leverage their learning to change their lives. Ubongo reaches over 42  million kids across Africa through accessible technologies like TV, radio, and mobile phones. Our show’s Ubongo Kids and Akili and Me currently air in 23 countries across Africa, in Swahili, English, French, Kinyarwanda, Kikuyu, Luo, Yoruba, Hausa, Chichewa, and Juba Arabic.

Job Position: We are seeking a Development Manager (Maternity Cover) to join our small but mighty Development and Communications Team. You’ll be joining a team of 70+ Ubongoers across 8 countries and growing, with the big audacious goal of meaningfully engaging 100 million kids in Africa by 2028. Working at Ubongo will challenge and excite you with lots of responsibilities and plenty of fun, and it gives you the opportunity to impact the lives of millions of kids every day.

We’re looking for a dynamic, creative, and flexible Development Manager (Maternity cover) to support our fundraising efforts. You’ll work closely with our Director of Communications and Development to support our fundraising efforts with foundations, family foundations, government grantmakers, and individuals worldwide who may be interested in funding our work. We are looking for an experienced fundraising professional, who will work closely with our team to find and apply for grant opportunities, and create and implement the strategy and content for building relationships with potential funders.  A successful candidate will be a great storyteller and an even better relationship builder with a passion for the work that we do.

Candidates should expect to spend 50% of their time drafting, editing, and submitting challenge grants, award applications, proposals, and concept notes, 20% of their time prospecting funding opportunities and in team meetings, and 30% prospecting and cultivating relationships with potential funders.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Develop High-Quality Funding Applications:

• Write and submit nine compelling applications and proposals, targeting $9 million from new funders, challenge grants, and renewals.
• Continue with efforts to secure $1.8 million in committed funds by June 2025.

1. Strategic Fundraising Outreach:

• Coordinate meetings and outreach efforts to maximize Ubongo’s visibility and participation at the CIES and Skoll World Forum.
• Push along to secure six strategic introductions and meetings with potential funders by implementing targeted cultivation strategies by June 2025.

1. Funder Communications and Updates:

• Prepare and deliver four monthly and two quarterly fundraising updates by June 2025.
• Draft comprehensive donor memos for all potential funder conversations, ensuring colleagues have all relevant information for successful engagements.

1. Funder Engagement and Events:

• Continue with efforts to support the Grants Manager in planning and executing two impactful funder webinars by June 2025.

1. Database and Documentation Management:

• Continue maintaining up-to-date and accurate records of all funding applications, communications, and transactions in the organization’s database.

REQUIREMENT:KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE and QUALIFICATIONSESSENTIALS:

• 3+ years experience fundraising or grant writing for a non-profit company or social enterprise
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills: Proven grant writing and storytelling skills
• Experience in outreach and/or network-building roles
• Ability to synthesize research and produce compelling literature reviews.
• Bachelor’s degree preferably in English Literature, Creative Writing, Education, Research, Marketing, Communications, Nonprofit Management, Business, or a related field
• Proven experience working in grant writing,  fundraising, marketing, corporate communications, content development, writing, or project management
• Must be able to provide at least 2 professional references.
• Must love kids!
• You have the ability to work independently and to think on your feet.
• Be willing to wear many hats.