Location: Flexible, with preference for time zone overlap with Sub-Saharan Africa
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Team: Leads a team of 2–3 fundraising and communications professionals
Type: Full-time | Senior Leadership Team
About the Role
D-tree is on a mission to transform primary healthcare systems so that every person, no matter where they live, receives timely, quality, and coordinated care. As Director of Partnerships, you will play a critical role in making this vision a reality, leading our fundraising and communications efforts to secure the resources we need to grow our impact and deepen our reach.
This is more than a fundraising role–it’s a leadership opportunity to shape D-tree’s growth strategy, build enduring donor relationships, and position us as a leading voice in digital health for systems change. You’ll join the Senior Leadership Team, reporting directly to the CEO, and oversee a small but mighty team responsible for fundraising, communications, and partnership development.
We’re looking for someone who’s both strategic and hands-on: able to craft a compelling pitch to a foundation CEO, facilitate a cross-team proposal process, and coach team members to grow in their roles.
Responsibilities
Fundraising Strategy & Execution
- Lead the design and implementation of a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organizational priorities.
- Identify and secure funding from a diverse set of donors, with a specific focus on foundations and corporations.
- Manage the full proposal process, from qualification to submission, working closely with program, technical, and finance teams.
- Track and analyze pipeline progress, ensuring strong win rates and strategic fit.
Donor Cultivation & Relationship Management
- Build, nurture, and steward long-term relationships with existing and prospective donors, with a specific focus on foundations and corporations.
- Develop compelling donor-facing communications, including pitches, reports, and updates.
- Oversee a clear BD pipeline, and the use of donor CRM tools to track engagement and coordinate across departments.
Organizational Leadership & Cross-Team Collaboration
- Serve on the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to overall strategy, priorities, and growth planning.
- Collaborate across teams to ensure proposals are technically sound, financially accurate, and aligned with organizational capacity.
- Provide thought partnership to the CEO and Board on positioning and resource mobilization.
Team Management and Capacity Building
- Manage and mentor the fundraising and communications team, fostering a culture of collaboration, ownership, and innovation.
- Design and lead internal trainings on proposal writing, project design, donor engagement, and storytelling.
- Develop tools, templates, and systems to improve fundraising efficiency and quality.
Communications & Brand Positioning
- Oversee the Communications Manager to ensure consistent, strategic messaging across platforms.
- Help shape D-tree’s narrative and presence with external stakeholders, including donors, partners, and the public.
About You
Experience and Qualifications
- 7–10 years of progressive fundraising experience in global health, international development, or a related field.
- Proven success securing six- and seven-figure grants from foundations and corporations.
- 2-3 years in a business development leadership or team management role.
- Strong proposal development skills across diverse funders e.g. foundations, corporations, bilateral donors
- Demonstrated ability to build and steward donor relationships and close high value opportunities.
- [nice to have] Experience managing or contributing to communications strategies and brand positioning.
- [nice to have] Experience working with globally distributed teams or in Africa-based contexts.
Core Competencies
- Strategic Vision: You connect fundraising strategy to mission and market trends and inspire others to do the same.
- Compelling Storyteller: You know how to translate complex work into clear, powerful messages that resonate with funders.
- Relationship-Driven: You’re a natural connector and trusted advisor, skilled at building partnerships that last.
- Execution-Oriented: You bring structure and discipline to the fundraising process without losing creativity.
- Data-Informed: You use data to assess performance, inform decisions, and continuously improve.
- Adaptable Leader: You thrive in dynamic environments, are comfortable with ambiguity, and excited by what’s possible.
- Mission-Aligned: You care deeply about health equity, locally driven systems change, and the power of digital tools to transform care.
Application Process
Interested candidates should apply through this link.
Deadline for applications: 31 July 2025.
