Grants and Partnership Manager

Community Development and Research Organization (CDRO) is a national, non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian and development organization established in 2018 to improve the lives of vulnerable communities across Afghanistan. CDRO implements integrated programmes in Food Security and Livelihoods, Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA), WASH, Health, Nutrition, Education, Protection, Emergency Response, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation, and Community Resilience. Through evidence-based programming, strong community engagement, and close coordination with government institutions, UN agencies, donors, and humanitarian partners, CDRO delivers timely, inclusive, and accountable interventions that address immediate humanitarian needs while strengthening long-term resilience and sustainable development.

Position Title

Grants and Partnerships Manager

Duty Station

Country Office, Afghanistan

Reports To

Country Director

Supervises

Grants, Reporting, and Proposal Development Staff (if applicable)

Job Purpose

The Grants and Partnerships Manager is responsible for leading resource mobilization, grant management, donor reporting, proposal development, and partnership engagement. The position ensures high-quality donor compliance throughout the project cycle, strengthens relationships with donors and partners, and supports the organization's strategic growth by identifying funding opportunities and coordinating successful fundraising initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Resource Mobilization and Business Development

• Identify funding opportunities from institutional donors, UN agencies, INGOs, embassies, and foundations.
• Monitor donor portals and funding announcements.
• Develop and implement resource mobilization strategies aligned with the organization's strategic priorities.
• Lead the preparation of concept notes, Expressions of Interest (EOIs), proposals, and grant applications.
• Coordinate proposal development with programme, finance, MEAL, and support teams.
• Maintain an up-to-date donor pipeline and funding tracker.

2. Grants Management

• Oversee the full grant management cycle from proposal development to close-out.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, contractual obligations, and organizational policies.
• Maintain grant files and documentation.
• Track grant implementation milestones and reporting deadlines.
• Support project start-up and grant kick-off meetings.

3. Donor Reporting

• Coordinate the preparation and submission of high-quality narrative reports.
• Review reports to ensure consistency, quality, and compliance with donor guidelines.
• Work closely with programme, finance, and MEAL teams to compile accurate information.
• Ensure timely submission of reports and donor deliverables.

4. Partnership Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with donors, UN agencies, INGOs, government institutions, and strategic partners.
• Represent the organization in donor meetings, coordination forums, and partnership discussions.
• Identify opportunities for strategic collaboration and consortium development.
• Support partnership negotiations and due diligence processes.

5. Proposal Development

• Lead proposal planning meetings and coordinate technical inputs from different departments.
• Ensure proposals are evidence-based, technically sound, gender-responsive, and aligned with donor priorities.
• Coordinate budget development with the Finance Department.
• Ensure quality assurance before submission.

6. Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Monitor donor compliance throughout project implementation.
• Advise programme teams on donor regulations and reporting requirements.
• Ensure grant modifications and amendments are processed appropriately.
• Support donor audits and compliance reviews.

7. Knowledge Management

• Maintain a database of donor requirements, proposal templates, organizational capacity statements, and technical resources.
• Document lessons learned and best practices from proposals and project implementation.
• Support organizational learning and continuous improvement.

8. Coordination and Communication

• Work closely with Programme, MEAL, Finance, HR, Procurement, and Operations teams.
• Facilitate internal grants review meetings.
• Provide regular updates to senior management on funding opportunities and grant performance.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in International Development, Project Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• A bachelor's degree with substantial relevant experience may be considered.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in grants management, proposal development, resource mobilization, and donor reporting.
• At least 3 years in a managerial or senior grants position.
• Demonstrated experience with major donors such as UN agencies, OCHA/AHF, ECHO, EU, FCDO, USAID, GIZ, SDC, World Bank, and other institutional donors.
• Proven experience in developing successful funding proposals and managing donor-funded projects.
• Experience working in humanitarian and development programmes in Afghanistan is highly desirable.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent proposal writing and donor reporting skills.
• Strong understanding of donor regulations and compliance requirements.
• Experience in resource mobilization and partnership development.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Excellent communication, coordination, and negotiation skills.
• Strong planning and organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines under pressure.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.
• High attention to detail and commitment to quality.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English (written and spoken).
• Fluency in Dari and/or Pashto is required.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Results Orientation
• Partnership Building
• Resource Mobilization
• Planning and Organizing
• Accountability
• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Innovation
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Cultural Sensitivity

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Timely submission of high-quality proposals and donor reports.
• Value of funding secured annually.
• Compliance with donor reporting deadlines.
• Number of successful partnerships established.
• Quality of donor relationships and communication.
• Zero major donor compliance issues.
• Effective coordination across departments.

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit their CV, cover letter, and relevant supporting documents to hoso@cdro.org.af with the position title clearly indicated in the subject line of the email.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessment. CDRO is an equal opportunity employer and encourages qualified women and persons with disabilities to apply.