Location: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania or Zimbabwe, with a preference for Ethiopia/East Africa
*Kenya is subject to HelpAge International maintaining its registration in the country.
Department: Network Development Team, Global Impact Directorate
Reports to (Line Manager): Regional Adviser, Africa
Responsible for( Line managing): N/A
Grade: Grade D
Contract Type: Fixed-term 12 months, with scope to extend subject to funding
About HelpAge
HelpAge International works with a diverse global network of around 200 organisations across 99 countries to promote the rights of older people to lead dignified, healthy and secure lives.
Through partnership and collaborations, we work to ensure the inclusion of older people across society and strive to deliver a just and fair world for everyone as they get older. Our work is driven by our desire to achieve real impact for older people, to be inclusive, to work in partnership and to learn from our shared experience.
About the Job
The Africa Ageing Conference is being developed as a flagship biennial continental platform to advance leadership, collaboration, learning, accountability and investment on ageing, longevity and demographic change. It will bring together older people, network members, governments, regional institutions, civil society, academia, development partners, philanthropies and the private sector around a shared agenda for ageing-inclusive development.
The postholder will lead the day-to-day opportunity development, donor cultivation and partnership engagement for the Africa Ageing Conference, developing the funding pipeline, investment case, donor cultivation strategy and external partnerships required to support both successful delivery and longer-term impact. It will also contribute to wider resource mobilisation and partnership priorities emerging from the Africa Plan and Africa Coordination Mechanism. All of this work will be undertaken within HelpAge’s agreed fundraising, due diligence and approval processes. While the line manager is the Regional Adviser for Africa, the Fundraising & Strategic Partnerships Team will provide organisational oversight and support on donor relationship management, proposal development, negotiation and contracting, with all formal commitments subject to appropriate organisational approval.
Key areas for impact/influence and responsibilities
1. Resource Mobilisation and Funding Development
- Lead the development and implementation of the Africa Ageing Conference resource mobilisation and partnership plan, under the strategic direction of the Regional Adviser, Africa and aligned with organisational fundraising priorities and agreed targets.
- Develop and maintain a prioritised pipeline of funding, sponsorship and in-kind opportunities for the Conference, with clear ownership of opportunities, status, next steps and assessment of strategic fit.
- Develop compelling investment propositions, concept notes, proposals, sponsorship packages and pitch materials in collaboration with the Conference team, Regional Advisor, Africa, Fundraising & Strategic Partnerships Team and relevant technical, finance and communications colleagues.
- Progress opportunities from research and cultivation through to proposal and stewardship, ensuring agreements are concluded through relevant organisational approval processes.
2. Strategic Partnerships and External Engagement
- Identify, cultivate and maintain relationships with prospective funders, sponsors, network members and strategic partners relevant to the Conference and agreed Africa priorities.
- Represent HelpAge in approved external engagements, present funding propositions and explore partner interests within agreed parameters, escalating proposed terms or commitments for internal review and approval.
- Identify partnership opportunities aligned with the Conference, Africa Plan and organisational priorities, and advise colleagues on strategic fit, risks and routes to engagement.
3. Africa Ageing Conference
- Lead the day-to-day resource mobilisation and partnership workstream for the Africa Ageing Conference, ensuring fundraising activity responds to agreed Conference plans, programme priorities and resource requirements.
- Work closely with the Africa Conference and Regional Platform Coordinator and Conference Planning and Coordination Team to coordinate the internal and external inputs required to progress funding and partnership opportunities.
- Support the stewardship of Conference funders, sponsors and partners before, during and after the event, and identify longer-term opportunities connected to Conference outcomes and legacy.
4. Coordination and Internal Collaboration
- Work closely with the Regional Adviser, Africa, Head of Network Development and Fundraising & Strategic Partnerships Team to align activity with organisational priorities, donor ownership arrangements and fundraising processes.
- Coordinate technical, financial, communications, due diligence, risk and approval inputs, recognising that specialist teams and authorised decision-makers retain accountability for approval and sign-off.
- Maintain accurate records and provide regular reporting on the funding and partnership pipeline, progress against agreed objectives, risks, decisions and next steps.
5. Wider Africa Resource Mobilisation
- Contribute to resource mobilisation and partnership development for agreed priorities emerging from the Africa Plan and Africa Coordination Mechanism, within priorities established by the Regional Adviser, Africa and relevant organisational teams.
- Use relationships and intelligence generated through the Conference to identify relevant wider opportunities, including collaborative approaches with network members and regional partners.
- Identify and assess emerging funding and partnership opportunities and make recommendations on their strategic fit and potential for progression.
Skills and experience required
Essential
- Degree in international development, fundraising, business development, public policy, international relations, social sciences or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Substantial experience in fundraising, strategic partnerships, business development, sponsorship or donor engagement in an international or regional context.
- Demonstrable experience developing and managing funding or sponsorship pipelines and progressing prospects from research and cultivation through to proposals and stewardship.
- Experience developing support for major conferences, events, platforms, campaigns or multi-stakeholder initiatives.
- Strong prospect research and analysis skills, including assessment of strategic fit, eligibility, risks and routes to engagement.
- Experience producing compelling investment propositions, concept notes, proposals, sponsorship packages, pitch materials and partner-facing communications.
- Demonstrable experience and confidence independently engaging prospective funders, sponsors and senior external stakeholders, including leading face-to-face and virtual meetings and presenting funding propositions.
- Experience working with civil society networks, membership organisations, regional platforms or multi-partner coalitions.
- Excellent written communication, coordination and information-management skills, with strong attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple relationships, opportunities and deadlines across countries, cultures and time zones.
- Fluency in English.
Desirable
- Knowledge of African Union, Regional Economic Community or United Nations coordination structures.
- Experience securing support from institutional donors, foundations, trusts, corporate partners or philanthropies in Africa.
- Knowledge of ageing, demographic change, health and care, social protection, human rights, gender, climate resilience, humanitarian action or inclusive development.
- Experience of conference sponsorship, high-level partner roundtables, corporate engagement or collaborative funding models.
- French, Portuguese or Arabic language skills.
Key Behavioural Competencies
Working Collaboratively with Others: Work collaboratively, building mutual trust and respect, withexternal organizations and partners to achieve our strategic aims and objectives; being accountable for the work we do together.
Adaptability and Flexibility: Adapt to new directions or opportunities arising within the organisation andin our workarea; being flexible in our role, constantly using the feedback to learn more and evolve further.
Supporting and Facilitating Change: Lead behavioural and cultural change through embracing a supportive, collaborative and highly inclusive environment where everybody feels supported, respected and engaged.
Extend HelpAge’s Reach and Impact: Extend HelpAge’s reachand impact by creating and identifying new business development opportunities and building relationships with new partners.
Diversity and Inclusion: Lead and promote a culture of including the voices of older people across our support, convening and thought leadership roles, in a way that is transformative, empowering and highly inclusive of those marginalised by gender, economic status, disability and other factors of discrimination.
Leading Others (for managers): Demonstrate strong leadership to own unit/department and manage peoplein a well and reputable manner. Create an atmosphere of trust and an enabling environment where staff can contribute theirbest and develop their potential.
Safeguarding Policies and code of conduct
As a HelpAge International employee, you are expected to comply with all organisational policies and standards, and to conduct yourself in a manner consistent with our values at all times.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Code of Conduct
- Safeguarding Policy and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
- Anti-Fraud and Bribery Policy
- Anti-Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Harassment Policy
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy
- Raising a Concern (Whistleblowing) Policy
- Social Media Policy
All staff are required to familiarise themselves with these policies, complete any mandatory training, and adhere to them throughout their employment with HelpAge International.
Safeguarding
HelpAge International is committed to safeguarding the communities with which we work, our partners, staff and any others who we come into contact with. The post holder will also be responsible for:
- Preventing harm and abuse from our people, operations and programmes to anyone that encounters our work.
- Reporting all safeguarding incidents you see, hear, hear about or suspect, using our internal reporting mechanism.
- Complying with all safeguarding framework policies and practices.
- Completing mandatory training courses relating to our safeguarding policy framework and complying with HR vetting procedures.
SAFER RECRUITMENT
All employments at HelpAge International will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include misconduct disclosure schemes and terrorism finance checks.
How to apply
Qualified and experienced candidates are encouraged to review the full Job Description and submit their Cover Letter and CV to [email protected] no later than 23 September 2026.
Applicants must have the legal right to live and work in the stated location. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
More Information
- Job City Zimbabwe
