Afghanistan Relief and Sustainable Development Organization (ARSDO) is a national, non-profit development organization established in 2017 and registered with the Ministry of Economy of Afghanistan (Registration No. 4190). ARSDO has a strong grassroots presence and extensive experience in designing and implementing community-based development and humanitarian interventions across Afghanistan.

ARSDO works through a three-pronged strategy: 1. Community Organization and Inclusion: Strengthening grassroots community institutions with a strong focus on inclusion of vulnerable groups, particularly women and children. 2. Capacity Strengthening: Enhancing the knowledge, skills, and capacities of local communities to actively participate as co-implementers in addressing existing and emerging social, economic, and humanitarian challenges. 3. Advocacy and Policy Engagement: Advocating for improved justice, policy reforms, and the development of laws and strategies to combat social, economic, and rights-based challenges at local, national, and international levels.

ARSDO implements multi-sectoral programs including Education, Health, Economic Empowerment, Humanitarian Response, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Construction, combining advocacy with quality service delivery.

The Fundraising Manager is a senior position responsible for leading the organization’s fundraising, resource mobilization, and partnership development functions. The position will design and implement fundraising strategies, identify and secure funding opportunities, manage donor relationships, lead proposal development processes, and strengthen partnerships to support organizational sustainability and growth.

The Fundraising Manager will work closely with senior management, program, finance, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), and technical teams to ensure the development of high-quality proposals, effective donor engagement, and successful resource mobilization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Fundraising Strategy and Resource Mobilization

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives.
• Lead donor mapping, funding opportunity identification, and development of a diversified funding pipeline.
• Monitor donor priorities, funding trends, and relevant calls for proposals.
• Provide regular updates and recommendations to senior management on fundraising opportunities and challenges.
• Establish and maintain systems to track funding opportunities, submissions, and fundraising performance.

2. Donor Engagement and Partnership Development

• Establish and maintain professional relationships with donors, UN agencies, INGOs, foundations, private sector organizations, and strategic partners.
• Represent the organization in donor meetings, coordination forums, networking events, and partnership discussions.
• Develop and maintain an updated donor and partner database.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships that enhance organizational visibility and funding opportunities.

3. Proposal Development and Grant Acquisition

• Lead the preparation of high-quality concept notes, proposals, expressions of interest, and funding applications.
• Coordinate with program, finance, M&E, and technical teams to ensure proposals are technically sound, evidence-based, and aligned with donor requirements.
• Review donor guidelines and ensure compliance with submission requirements and deadlines.
• Provide technical input on project design, budgets, sustainability approaches, and risk considerations.
• Maintain a library of organizational documents, success stories, lessons learned, and proposal resources.

4. Grant Management and Donor Compliance Support

• Coordinate with relevant departments to support effective grant implementation and donor compliance.
• Support the preparation and review of donor reports, updates, and communication materials.
• Ensure donor feedback and requirements are properly documented and addressed.
• Support donor monitoring visits, assessments, and audits when required.

5. Organizational Visibility and Communication

• Develop organizational profiles, capability statements, fundraising presentations, and donor communication materials.
• Document and promote organizational achievements, success stories, and program impact.
• Support communication initiatives to strengthen organizational reputation among donors and stakeholders.

6. Team Management and Capacity Building

• Supervise and provide guidance to fundraising, partnership, and communication staff where applicable.
• Build internal capacity on proposal writing, donor engagement, and resource mobilization.
• Develop fundraising tools, templates, and procedures to improve organizational efficiency.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field combined with significant professional experience may be considered.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 7–10 years of relevant experience in fundraising, resource mobilization, donor relations, proposal development, or partnership management.
• Proven experience working with local NGOs, INGOs, UN agencies, or donor-funded projects.
• Demonstrated experience in developing successful funding proposals and supporting resource mobilization initiatives.
• Strong understanding of humanitarian and development programming in Afghanistan.
• Experience working with institutional donors and international funding mechanisms is highly desirable.

Technical Skills and Competencies

• Excellent proposal writing, editing, and reporting skills.
• Strong knowledge of donor requirements, grant processes, and funding mechanisms.
• Strong research, analytical, and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building abilities.
• Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent command of the English language, with strong skills in writing, speaking, reading, and comprehension.
• Strong computer skills, including MS Office applications and online research tools.

Key Competencies and Skills

The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• Strategic leadership and proactive approach to fundraising and resource mobilization.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and commitment to organizational values.
• Strong networking, partnership-building, and donor relationship management skills.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making abilities.
• Strong teamwork, collaboration, and coordination skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work under pressure.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Commitment to accountability, transparency, inclusion, and ethical professional standards.

Expected Results / Performance Areas

The successful candidate will contribute to:

• Development and implementation of an effective fundraising and resource mobilization strategy.
• Expansion and maintenance of a strong donor pipeline and partnership network.
• Development and submission of high-quality proposals, concept notes, and funding applications.
• Improved donor engagement and organizational visibility.
• Increased funding opportunities to support organizational programs.
• Effective coordination between fundraising, program, finance, and technical teams.
• Updated donor information, funding opportunities, and partnership records.