Head of Business Development – SEO Africa

Job Description

The Head of Business Development is a senior leadership role responsible for driving SEO Africa’s growth strategy by
identifying, creating, and managing high-value partnerships. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Head
of Business Development will be the primary architect of our external relationships with corporate organizations,
Foundations, Government bodies, and other NGOs, and will play a pivotal role in expanding SEO Africa’s reach,
funding, and impact.

We are looking for a commercially minded, relationship-first leader who brings an existing network of decision-makers
across Africa’s private and development sectors. This role is for you if you are comfortable in the boardroom, fluent in
the language of both social impact and business value, and energized by the challenge of building something
meaningful at scale.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategic Partnerships & Business Development
    Lead the development and execution of SEO Africa’s business development strategy, with a focus on
   building transformative, multi-year partnerships.
    Identify, approach, and negotiate partnership agreements with corporate organizations,
   foundations, multilateral institutions, and government agencies across Africa and globally.
    Conduct and synthesize market research to inform partnership targeting and strategy.
    Serve as the primary relationship owner for key strategic partners, ensuring high levels of engagement,
   satisfaction, and renewal.
    Leverage your existing network to fast-track introductions and accelerate deal cycles.
    Collaborate with the Programmes and Communications team to co-design partnership models and
   materials that create genuine value for both partners and SEO Africa beneficiaries.
    Represent SEO Africa at key conferences, forums, and events across the continent and internationally.
2. Sponsorship & Pipeline Management
    Own and manage a robust partnership pipeline, tracking progress from prospecting through to close.
    Drive revenue growth by meeting or exceeding annual partnership and funding targets.
    Work closely with the Finance team to structure partnership agreements that align with SEO Africa’s
   financial sustainability goals.

 Report regularly to the Chief Executive Officer on pipeline status, revenue forecasts, and strategic
opportunities.

3. Grants & Fundraising
    Lead the identification and mapping of grant opportunities from foundations, bilateral and multilateral
   institutions, development finance institutions, and corporate giving programmes aligned with SEO Africa’s
   mission and strategic priorities.
    Manage the end-to-end grants pipeline from prospect identification and eligibility assessment through to
   application development, submission, and post-award compliance.
    Write and coordinate compelling, evidence-based grant applications in collaboration with the Programmes
   and Operations team, ensuring proposals are aligned with funder requirements and SEO Africa’s impact
   data.
    Maintain a structured grants calendar, tracking deadlines, reporting obligations, renewal windows, and
   follow-up requirements across all active and prospective funders.
    Build and steward relationships with programme officers and foundation contacts to strengthen SEO
   Africa’s visibility and positioning ahead of funding cycles.
    Lead post-award reporting, working with the Programmes and Finance teams to ensure timely, accurate,
   and compelling impact reports that support funder retention and renewal.

 Monitor the funding landscape for new and emerging opportunities, including government tenders, ESG-
aligned corporate foundations, and diaspora philanthropy channels, and brief the CEO on priority

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Required Skills
 A minimum of 5 years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, fundraising, or a
related commercial role.
 A demonstrable track record of closing high-value, complex partnership or funding deals.
 An existing, active network of decision-makers across African corporates, foundations, or development
institutions that you are willing and able to leverage.
 Proven experience leading negotiations and managing relationships at the C-suite or executive level.
 Strong understanding of the African business and development landscape.
 Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives for
diverse audiences.
 High degree of self-motivation, initiative, and the ability to operate with autonomy.
Preferred
 Experience working within or alongside civil society, NGOs, or social enterprises in Africa.
 Exposure to education, youth development, or talent sectors.
 Bilingual proficiency (French is an advantage).
HOW TO APPLY
We welcome applications from talented individuals across Africa and the diaspora. To be considered for this role,
please submit the following:

1. Your CV (no more than 2 pages), highlighting relevant experience and partnerships you have led or closed.
2. Responses to the two Application Exercises outlined below
    Exercise 1
   You have been in the role for 90 days. Develop a partnership strategy to be presented to the SEO Africa
   Board that will unlock at least USD 200,000 in new funding or in-kind value within the next 12 months.
   Your task: Outline your approach to this challenge. Your response should not be more than 2 pages and
   should address:
    The types of partners you would target and why (you may reference specific organisations or
   sectors).
    How you would leverage your existing network in the first 30 days.
    The core value proposition you would lead with when engaging potential partners.

 At least one concrete partnership idea, including a named or illustrative organisation, what the
partnership would look like, and how it would benefit both parties.
 Key risks you foresee and how you would mitigate them.
 Exercise 2:
Create a two-slide PowerPoint presentation outlining SEO Africa’s company profile (these slides are not
inclusive of cover pages, table of contents, and section dividers).

Interested and qualified candidates should send their application in one email to info@seo-africa.org with the subject
line: Head of Business Development Role – [Your Full Name].
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage early submission. Only shortlisted candidates will be
contacted.