Program Manager- Donor (Female)

Secours Islamique France (SIF) is a well-established international NGO committed to delivering humanitarian aid and development support across more than 20 countries since 1991. In Pakistan, SIF has been actively engaged since 2010, assisting vulnerable and marginalized communities through emergency humanitarian aid and sustainable development programs. These programs focus on Child Protection and Wellbeing, WASH, Food Security and Livelihoods, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Education, covering early recovery and development phases. Operating across all provinces and 33 vulnerable districts, SIF emphasizes collaboration with NGOs and government bodies to address challenges such as inflation, poverty, illiteracy, and climate change, aiming to improve children’s welfare and community resilience.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development (30%)
Develop and execute annual resource mobilization plans aligned with the Country Strategy, in consultation with Senior Management. Monitor funding pipelines, proposal success rates, and donor diversification, providing regular updates. Build capacity of Program and Project Managers in proposal development and donor compliance. Maintain proposal tools and templates, identify growth opportunities, and analyze project portfolio performance for scale-up and sustainability.

Donor Engagement & Partnerships (20%)
Establish and nurture relationships with institutional donors including ECHO, USAID, UN agencies, FCDO, BMZ, AHF, corporate CSR, and foundations. Represent SIF in donor meetings, clusters, and sector forums. Develop strategic partnerships, consortia, sub-grants, and joint proposals. Maintain communication with donors regarding calls, pipeline updates, and compliance. Strengthen SIF’s visibility through networking with government, NGOs, and private sector institutions.

Proposal Development & Innovation (25%)
Lead the end-to-end development of proposals for all donor-funded projects, coordinating with Program Managers, Finance, MEAL, HR, and Logistics teams. Apply modern proposal techniques such as Theory of Change, Results Frameworks, donor-centric storytelling, and outcome mapping. Facilitate co-creation sessions with internal teams and partners to foster innovative solutions.

MEAL & Compliance Integration (15%)
Incorporate MEAL frameworks, gender, inclusion, safeguarding, and climate resilience measures into proposals. Validate budgets for compliance and cost efficiency. Ensure proposals reflect findings from impact and needs assessments. Conduct field visits to collect data and success stories. Maintain proper documentation and ensure proposals meet donor requirements and deadlines. Oversee donor accreditation and registration processes.

Coordination, Reporting & Knowledge Management (10%)
Participate in sector-specific and donor liaison meetings. Prepare project briefs, capacity statements, and thematic summaries. Maintain a business development dashboard, proposal repository, and track deadlines. Coordinate with internal teams to gather technical, budgetary, and compliance inputs. Produce quarterly and ad-hoc performance reports for senior leadership. Document lessons learned and successful approaches for future use.

Required Qualifications

Master’s degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, Economics, Public Policy, or a related field.
5–8 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or business development within the humanitarian or development sector.
Proven track record of writing successful proposals for major donors such as NDRMF, UN, ECHO, FCDO, and the EU.
Strong analytical, research, and advanced English writing skills.
Comprehensive understanding of donor compliance and business development processes.

Preferred Skills

Advanced expertise in proposal development, donor-compliant budgeting, logical frameworks, and reporting.
In-depth knowledge of institutional donors and their funding mechanisms.
Proficiency in project management tools, MEAL integration, and results-based management.
Strong research, technical writing, and IT skills including MS Office and project management software.
Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and strategic thinking abilities.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, build networks, and adapt proactively in complex environments.

This position carries a Level 1 Child Safeguarding risk, involving indirect access to children or their personal data through program activities. The incumbent must fully comply with SIF’s Child Safeguarding Policy to ensure all activities uphold child safety and protection principles.

Candidates previously interviewed for this role will not be reconsidered for the re-advertised vacancy.