About Nyaka

Established in 2001, Nyaka works with communities to nurture and protect children so they can learn, grow, and thrive. Its community-led model brings together Learning and Opportunity, Care Health and Protection, and Resilient Livelihoods and Community Power through Education; Libraries and Learning Spaces; the Alumni and Leadership Network; Health, including Nutrition and Mental Wellbeing; SGBV and CSA Prevention and Response; Grandmothers; and Farm and Forestry.

Job Purpose

The Grants & Partnerships Officer will help Nyaka grow and diversify its income by building a strong pipeline of funding opportunities, developing high-quality proposals and cases for support, strengthening donor and partner relationships, and supporting implementation of Nyaka’s Uganda Local Fundraising Strategy (Harambe). The role is responsible for keeping Nyaka’s fundraising pipeline active, organised and moving, from prospect identification and cultivation through to ask, grant management, stewardship, renewal and growth. Working across Programmes, MEAL, Finance, Communications and the US/Global Advancement Team, the Officer will ensure that fundraising is grounded in programme priorities, evidence and realistic budgets, and that Nyaka presents clear and compelling investment opportunities to local, regional and international funders and partners.

This is a hands-on fundraising, partnership and coordination role. Success will be measured not simply by the number of proposals written, but by the quality of the pipeline, relationships developed, funding secured and retained, and the strength of Nyaka’s overall fundraising systems.

Key Responsibilities

1. Build and Manage the Funding Pipeline

• Research, identify and qualify funding opportunities aligned with Nyaka’s strategy and programme priorities.
• Maintain an active pipeline across trusts and foundations, institutional funders, corporate partners and other strategic funding opportunities.
• Build a balanced grants pipeline across:
  • Small: £5,000–£50,000
  • Medium: £50,000–£100,000
  • Large: £100,000+
• Track prospects from identification through cultivation, application, decision, stewardship and renewal.
• Maintain clear income forecasts, deadlines, next actions and go/no-go decisions.
• Coordinate closely with the US/Global Advancement Team to ensure shared visibility of prospects, campaigns and major funding approaches and to avoid duplicate or competing approaches.

2. Develop Strong Proposals & Cases for Support

• Lead the development and submission of high-quality concept notes, proposals, grant applications and donor pitches.
• Work with Programmes and MEAL to turn Nyaka’s implementation, evidence and learning into clear, fundable propositions.
• Work with Finance to develop accurate budgets and understand programme funding gaps, unrestricted needs and match-funding requirements.
• Maintain strong cases for support across Nyaka’s four Harambe investment themes:
  • Learning & Opportunity
  • Families, Care & Protection
  • Women, Grandmothers & Economic Resilience
  • Health & Dignity
• Ensure proposals clearly demonstrate impact, safeguarding, sustainability, innovation and opportunities for responsible scale.
• Capture learning from successful and unsuccessful applications to strengthen future fundraising.

3. Develop Partnerships & Local Fundraising

• Support implementation of the Nyaka Uganda Local Fundraising Strategy – Harambe, helping build a year-round culture of locally rooted giving and partnership.
• Develop and maintain relationships with corporate, institutional, NGO, foundation and strategic partners.
• Support corporate partnership propositions covering programme investment, sponsorship, employee engagement, in-kind support and other forms of collaboration.
• Support the development of individuals, alumni and community networks as donors, advocates, ambassadors and connectors.
• Work closely with Communications on fundraising campaigns and events, with a particular focus on converting engagement into longer-term relationships.
• Support the CISO and senior leaders with donor and partner meetings, pitches, briefings and follow-up.

Area What We Report

1. Strategic Direction What are we trying to achieve? Current fundraising priorities, Harambe implementation and alignment with wider Advancement strategy.
2. Income Performance Income secured against target; restricted/unrestricted income; local/international income; grants and other fundraising streams.
3. Pipeline & Forecast Total qualified pipeline; opportunities by stage and value; probability/forecast; major upcoming decisions and submissions.
4. Donors & Partnerships New donors/partners; retention and renewals; corporate/institutional partnerships; significant relationship developments.
5. Programme Funding Gaps Priority programmes or organisational areas requiring funding; match-funding requirements and emerging needs.
6. Delivery & Compliance Active grants, upcoming reports, reporting performance, compliance issues and significant donor requirements.
7. Local Fundraising – Harambe Local income, donor acquisition, donor retention, corporate partnerships, events, community/alumni engagement and gifts-in-kind.
8. Success & Learning What worked, what did not, proposal success rates, donor feedback and lessons being applied.
9. Risks & Opportunities Funding risks, pipeline weaknesses, concentration risks and significant emerging opportunities.
10. Decisions & Next Steps Priority actions for the next period and specific decisions/support required from SLT, CISO or the Board.

Reporting should be visual and decision-focused wherever possible, using simple dashboards, RAG status, trends and short commentary rather than lengthy narrative reports.

What Success Looks Like

The Officer will work to an annual fundraising plan and agreed income targets. Key measures will include:

1. Income generated: Progress against agreed annual grants and local fundraising targets.
2. Pipeline strength: A healthy, qualified pipeline sufficient to support Nyaka’s income ambitions, reviewed monthly.
3. Proposal performance: Priority applications submitted on time and to a consistently high standard, with success rates monitored.
4. New donors and partners: Growth in qualified donor and partnership relationships.
5. Retention and renewal: Existing funders and partners actively stewarded, with renewal and growth opportunities pursued.
6. Grant compliance: 100% of donor reports submitted on time or extensions agreed in advance.
7. Data and reporting: CRM, pipeline and management dashboards current, accurate and produced to agreed deadlines.
8. Global coordination: Effective coordination between Uganda and US/Global Advancement, with clear relationship ownership and no avoidable duplication of donor approaches.
9. Learning: Fundraising successes, failures and donor feedback systematically captured and used to improve performance.

Person Specification

We are looking for a proactive, highly organised and relationship-focused fundraiser who can turn strong programmes and evidence into compelling funding opportunities.

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in fundraising, grants, partnerships, business development or a closely related field.
• Strong proposal, grant and professional writing skills.
• Excellent research skills and ability to identify and qualify funding opportunities.
• Ability to develop compelling cases for support from complex programme information and evidence.
• Strong relationship-building and donor stewardship skills.
• Excellent organisation, prioritisation and deadline management.
• Confidence working with budgets, programme data, fundraising forecasts and performance dashboards.
• Experience using a CRM, database or structured pipeline-management system.
• Ability to present fundraising information clearly to senior leadership.
• Ability to coordinate effectively across Programmes, MEAL, Finance and Communications and with colleagues working internationally.
• Strong written and spoken English.
• Sound judgement, professionalism and commitment to Nyaka’s values and safeguarding standards.

Desirable

• Experience securing funding from trusts, foundations, institutional or corporate funders.
• Experience of local fundraising or corporate partnerships in Uganda or East Africa.
• Experience developing five- or six-figure funding applications.
• Experience preparing fundraising reports or dashboards for senior management or Boards.
• Understanding of international development and/or community-based programming.

Working Arrangements

The role is Kampala-based with regular programme and field exposure. Understanding Nyaka’s work directly is an important part of producing credible fundraising propositions and representing the organisation well to partners.

Some flexibility outside normal working hours may occasionally be required for donor meetings, international calls or critical submission deadlines. Additional hours will be managed in accordance with Nyaka’s policies, including Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) where applicable. The postholder may undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the purpose and level of the role.

Safeguarding and Conduct

Nyaka is committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk. The postholder must comply with Nyaka’s safeguarding policies, code of conduct, consent procedures and data-protection requirements.

Appointment is subject to satisfactory reference and background checks in line with Nyaka policy.

• Research, identify and qualify funding opportunities aligned with Nyaka’s strategy and programme priorities.
• Maintain an active pipeline across trusts and foundations, institutional funders, corporate partners and other strategic funding opportunities.
• Build a balanced grants pipeline across: Small: £5,000–£50,000, Medium: £50,000–£100,000, Large: £100,000+
• Track prospects from identification through cultivation, application, decision, stewardship and renewal.
• Maintain clear income forecasts, deadlines, next actions and go/no-go decisions.
• Coordinate closely with the US/Global Advancement Team to ensure shared visibility of prospects, campaigns and major funding approaches and to avoid duplicate or competing approaches.
• Lead the development and submission of high-quality concept notes, proposals, grant applications and donor pitches.
• Work with Programmes and MEAL to turn Nyaka’s implementation, evidence and learning into clear, fundable propositions.
• Work with Finance to develop accurate budgets and understand programme funding gaps, unrestricted needs and match-funding requirements.
• Maintain strong cases for support across Nyaka’s four Harambe investment themes: Learning & Opportunity, Families, Care & Protection, Women, Grandmothers & Economic Resilience, Health & Dignity.
• Ensure proposals clearly demonstrate impact, safeguarding, sustainability, innovation and opportunities for responsible scale.
• Capture learning from successful and unsuccessful applications to strengthen future fundraising.
• Support implementation of the Nyaka Uganda Local Fundraising Strategy – Harambe, helping build a year-round culture of locally rooted giving and partnership.
• Develop and maintain relationships with corporate, institutional, NGO, foundation and strategic partners.
• Support corporate partnership propositions covering programme investment, sponsorship, employee engagement, in-kind support and other forms of collaboration.
• Support the development of individuals, alumni and community networks as donors, advocates, ambassadors and connectors.
• Work closely with Communications on fundraising campaigns and events, with a particular focus on converting engagement into longer-term relationships.
• Support the CISO and senior leaders with donor and partner meetings, pitches, briefings and follow-up.

• Strong proposal, grant and professional writing skills.
• Excellent research skills and ability to identify and qualify funding opportunities.
• Ability to develop compelling cases for support from complex programme information and evidence.
• Strong relationship-building and donor stewardship skills.
• Excellent organisation, prioritisation and deadline management.
• Confidence working with budgets, programme data, fundraising forecasts and performance dashboards.
• Experience using a CRM, database or structured pipeline-management system.
• Ability to present fundraising information clearly to senior leadership.
• Ability to coordinate effectively across Programmes, MEAL, Finance and Communications and with colleagues working internationally.
• Strong written and spoken English.

• Demonstrable experience in fundraising, grants, partnerships, business development or a closely related field.
• Sound judgement, professionalism and commitment to Nyaka’s values and safeguarding standards.
• Experience securing funding from trusts, foundations, institutional or corporate funders.
• Experience of local fundraising or corporate partnerships in Uganda or East Africa.
• Experience developing five- or six-figure funding applications.
• Experience preparing fundraising reports or dashboards for senior management or Boards.
• Understanding of international development and/or community-based programming.