About the role
Position: Fundraising & Development Consultant
Reports to: Founder & CEO Grade Level: Senior Consultant Employment Type: Part-Time (Consultancy) Work Arrangement: Remote, Flexible Location: Remote (Preferably United States; experience working in Africa required)
Fund Raising & Development Consultant
Job Summary
Optimal Greening Foundation (OGF) seeks a highly experienced Fundraising & Development Consultant to support the organization on a part-time, remote, and flexible basis in mobilizing resources for its programs in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH), climate resilience, and environmental sustainability.
The Consultant will play a critical role in strengthening OGF's access to U.S.-based and international funding opportunities, supporting the development of high-quality proposals, donor engagement strategies, and partnerships. The role requires a strong understanding of climate and WaSH financing landscapes, as well as experience securing funding for programs in Africa.
The Consultant will work closely with the Founder & CEO and program teams to position OGF as a competitive and impactful organization within the global development and climate funding ecosystem.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Fundraising Strategy & Resource Mobilization
* Develop and implement a targeted fundraising strategy focused on WaSH, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability programs. * Identify and prioritize funding opportunities from U.S.-based donors, climate funds, foundations, and development agencies. * Provide strategic guidance on accessing climate finance mechanisms (e.g., Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, climate-focused foundations). * Advise on innovative funding approaches, including blended finance, carbon-linked initiatives, and sustainability-driven partnerships.
Donor Engagement & Partnership Development
* Build and maintain relationships with key donors, including U.S. foundations, climate funders, bilateral agencies, and multilateral institutions. * Support virtual donor engagement, including presentations, concept discussions, and follow-ups. * Position OGF's WaSH and environmental programs effectively to align with donor priorities. * Facilitate partnerships with organizations working in climate adaptation, water security, and environmental sustainability.
Proposal Development & Grant Acquisition
* Lead the development of high-quality, competitive proposals and concept notes for WaSH and climate-related funding opportunities. * Ensure proposals clearly articulate climate impact, environmental sustainability, and community resilience outcomes. * Coordinate inputs from program, finance, and technical teams to produce strong submissions. * Review and strengthen proposals to align with donor priorities and compliance requirements.
Funding Pipeline Development
* Develop and maintain a pipeline of funding opportunities focused on WaSH, climate adaptation, and environmental sustainability. * Track funding calls, deadlines, and proposal progress. * Provide periodic updates and recommendations to leadership on pipeline strategy and priorities.
Program Alignment & Impact Positioning
* Work closely with program teams to align funding proposals with OGF's programmatic priorities. * Translate technical program outcomes into compelling, donor-friendly narratives. * Integrate monitoring and evaluation (M&E) insights into proposals and donor communications. * Ensure strong alignment between impact metrics and donor expectations.
Capacity Building & Systems Strengthening
* Provide mentorship and guidance to staff on proposal writing and fundraising strategies. * Develop tools, templates, and systems to strengthen OGF's fundraising processes. * Support capacity building in climate and WaSH funding positioning.
Reporting & Coordination
* Provide regular updates to the Founder & CEO on fundraising activities and progress. * Support donor reporting processes where required. * Collaborate remotely with teams across different time zones.
Competencies and Skills Requirements
Technical Competencies
* WaSH and Climate Funding Expertise: Strong understanding of funding landscapes in water, sanitation, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability. * Donor Knowledge: Experience with U.S. donors, climate funds (e.g., GCF, Adaptation Fund), and development agencies. * Proposal Development: Proven ability to develop successful grant proposals for environmental and development programs. * Donor Mapping & Pipeline Development: Ability to identify and prioritize high-impact funding opportunities.
Project Management Skills
* Ability to manage multiple proposals and deadlines effectively in a flexible work structure. * Experience supporting program design and aligning fundraising with project implementation.
Analytical Skills
* Ability to assess funding opportunities and align them with OGF's strategic priorities. * Strong problem-solving skills and strategic thinking.
Communication and Collaboration
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly in proposal writing. * Ability to communicate technical concepts (WaSH, climate) to donor audiences. * Strong virtual collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills.
Leadership and Teamwork
* Ability to provide strategic guidance to leadership. * Experience mentoring teams and strengthening organizational capacity. * Strong collaboration skills across program and technical teams.
Ethical and Cultural Sensitivity
* Commitment to ethical fundraising practices. * Strong understanding of African development contexts. * Ability to work effectively across diverse cultural and stakeholder environments
Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Fundraising Performance
* Number and value of WaSH and climate-related funding opportunities secured or advanced. * Number of proposals submitted to targeted donors.
Pipeline Development
* Strength and relevance of funding pipeline in climate and WaSH sectors. * Timeliness in identifying and responding to funding opportunities.
Proposal Quality
* Competitiveness and alignment of proposals with donor priorities. * Proposal success rate (where measurable).
Donor Engagement
* Number of donor relationships established or strengthened. * Engagement with climate and environmental funding partners.
Capacity Building
* Improvement in internal fundraising systems and processes. * Staff capacity development in fundraising and proposal writing.
Minimum Qualifications
* Master's degree in international development, Environmental Management, Public Policy, or related field. * Minimum of 8–12 years of experience in fundraising, resource mobilization, or business development. * Proven track record of securing funding for WaSH, climate, or environmental sustainability programs. * Experience working with or supporting non-profits in Africa, preferably in Nigeria or similar contexts. * Strong proposal writing and donor engagement experience. * Experience working in a remote, part-time consultancy role.
Additional Requirements
* Based in the United States (preferred) with strong connections to U.S. donor networks. * Availability for part-time engagement (e.g., 10–20 hours per week or as agreed). * Ability to work across U.S.–Africa time zones. * Strong remote working capability and communication tools proficiency. * Occasional travel may be required.
Originally posted on Himalayas