Partnerships Manager Europe

Wetlands International is the only NGO dedicated to the safeguarding and restoration of wetlands. At the heart of our vision is a plan to demonstrate whole landscape recovery in large wetland landscapes across mangroves, peatlands and freshwater wetlands across the world. These are landscapes which are among the top global biodiversity treasures, but which are also sources of much of the world’s land-based climate emissions and where people are most poor and vulnerable.  

We are seeking to hire a European Partnerships Manager to help accelerate this work, participating within and across strategic partnerships, to secure and enhance wetland landscapes.

Purpose of the role

The European Partnerships Manager role will have a particular responsibility for mobilising financial resources from, and strengthening the organisation’s funding relationships with, European based development donors, including governmental agencies, bilateral aid agencies, corporate companies, and relevant EU institutions, but with a focus on trusts and foundations.

The role will focus on building an effective and innovative pipeline of proposals focused on Wetlands International’s priority themes, initiatives and programmes. The post-holder will identify and coordinate funding opportunities and work with Wetlands International Global Office as well as national and regional offices across the global network of offices, with a focus on nurturing potential donor relationships.

The post-holder will bring strong fundraising acumen and programming experience, being able to identify donor opportunities, facilitate donor engagement, assist in the development of fundraising strategies, and coordinate proposal development for large and strategic funding opportunities. Recognising that many conversations with donors involve a review or update around current grants as well as discussions about new opportunities, the Partnerships Manager will also be expected to keep closely informed about the progress of all major institutional grants to the organisation.

The role has an external orientation, but works closely with the Resource Development Manager, as well as with the European Programme Director, thematic Programme Heads and Heads of Office in the Wetlands International network.

Responsibilities and tasks

• Keep abreast of donor intelligence about upcoming opportunities and funding streams from European donors aligned with Wetlands International’s priorities, and ensure their wide and timely communication within the Network;
• Act as operational lead responding to and managing large and strategic funding opportunities; with responsibilities throughout the funding cycle;
• Lead proposal development processes, ensuring all final submissions meet quality standards and donor requirements;
• Identify, scope and position Wetlands International as a partner of choice for new funding modalities such as direct awards, trust funds, corporates and complex consortia partnerships;
• Promote consistency of approaches and best practice across Wetlands International network in proposal development and donor compliance;
• Nurturing the development of new partnerships, bringing Wetlands International to a network of potential donors, and managing and developing emerging relationships with consistency and dedication;
• Based on Wetlands International’s ambitious “Big Ideas”, collate a portfolio of quality programme proposals, research and evidence of impacts of Wetlands work to support future programme funding and facilitating a proactive approach to European funding entities;
• Scope and develop partnerships with other organisations working in the international development and environment sector on resource mobilisation, potential consortium partners, private sector, international organisations and relevant research institutions.

Working relations

INSIDE Wetlands International: CEO, Resource Development Manager, Director of Operations and Network Development, Heads of Office, Head of Communications and Advocacy, Stream Team Leads/ Programme Leadership Team/ Communications and Advocacy Team, Supervisory Council/ Board of Association. Works under the guidance of the Resource Development Manager.

OUTSIDE Wetlands International: Partners, donors and other key stakeholders. The role will have an external orientation and will also include extensive travel within Europe.

Profile

The successful candidate has substantial experience of writing successful bids from a variety of funding sources, for conservation and climate change work, as well as in-depth experience of effective working with European funding bodies, investment banks, government departments, trusts and foundations.

You will have a solid track record of researching funding opportunities to maximise opportunities that attract additional funding and in-depth knowledge of the whole funding cycle, from nurturing potential new donors, to coordinating applications and budgets, offering guidance to colleagues on the funding process, and negotiating contracts where necessary.

As a seasoned fundraiser, you will instinctively understand the important elements of managing donor relationships and strategic partnerships as well as having a systematic approach to generating and managing leads. Crucially, you will be passionate about the conservation issues at the heart of Wetlands International.

Education and experience

• Relevant education in business development and relationship management;
• At least ten years of experience of institutional resource development in an internationally operating organisation, including working with European donors, nurturing relationships and securing funding;
• Experience in working with different donor communities, such as trusts, foundations, governmental agencies, bilateral aid agencies, corporate companies, and relevant EU institutions;
• Experience of working in a project based/funded organisation, and/or in an international (environmental) NGO;
• Working knowledge of relevant IT systems including management information and Customer Relations Management systems or relations database systems;
• Existing donor and partner networks relevant to Wetlands International;
• Effective interpersonal skills with a facilitative and service-oriented style;
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) with fluency in English, a knowledge of French, Spanish and / or Dutch is desirable;
• Excellent written communication skills, including proposal-writing, the ability to write succinctly, persuasively and accurately, complying with complex funding application guidance;
• Ability to work across cultures.

Core competences

• Develops and uses systems to organize and keep track of information or work progress.
• Considers the strategic direction of client focus.
• Builds coalitions, strategic relationships and networks.
• Communicates a compelling vision.
• Strategically expands networks.
• Plans and organizes at a strategic level.
• Ensures strategic stewardship of resources.

Other Aspects

• Existing donor and partner networks relevant to Wetlands International.
• Effective interpersonal skills with a facilitative and service oriented style.
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) with fluency in English. Knowledge of French, Spanish and / or Dutch is desirable.
• Proposal writing skills: ability to write clearly and persuasively to a wide range of different target donors and supporters.

How to apply

To apply for this vacancy, please send us a resume and an application letter indicating your motivation to Jozefa van der Veen, HR Officer hr@wetlands.org. Please mark in the subject: “Application – Partnerships Manager, Europe. Questions about the vacancy and/or procedure can also be sent to this email address.

Deadline for the application is Sunday 9 May 2021.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 24 May 2021.

“Due to the high amount of applications, we can only contact short listed candidates.”