Fundraising General Manager

About the Role

• The Fundraising General Manager will lead Fresh Life’s day-to-day fundraising operations and manage a dynamic Business Development team to meet ambitious institutional fundraising targets. The Fundraising General Manager will focus on ensuring the delivery of high-quality proposals, excellent grant stewardship, and implementation of best-in-class fundraising systems. They will play a critical role in driving resource mobilisation to support Fresh Life’s mission and scale.

Duties and Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy Implementation – Level of Effort: 45%

• Oversee end-to-end proposal development processes, including quality assurance of concept notes, narratives, budgets, and log frames.
• Provide strategic guidance to the BD team on framing proposals to align with funder priorities and Fresh Life’s value proposition.
• Review contracts and grant agreements to ensure clarity, risk mitigation, and readiness for implementation.
• Support internal alignment on fundraising strategies by coordinating with M&E, Finance, and Program teams.

Funder and Partner Engagement – Level of Effort: 20%

• Support the preparation and delivery of funder pitch materials and strategic engagement assets.
• Maintain tracking tools and dashboards to monitor engagement across current and prospective funders.
• Lead planning and delivery of key funder engagement touchpoints, including bi-annual funder calls and strategic check-ins.
• Contribute to donor reporting cycles, annual reports, and stewardship communications, working closely with the Communications team.

Team Management and Capacity Building – Level of Effort: 20%

• Manage and mentor the Business Development team, including setting goals, conducting performance reviews, and supporting learning and development.
• Ensure adequate staffing and support for team operations including leave, procurement, and team-building activities.
• Create a positive and performance-driven team culture aligned with Fresh Life’s values.

Systems and Process Improvement – Level of Effort: 15%

• Lead improvement of BD tools and systems, including CRM databases, opportunity trackers, and document libraries.
• Ensure team compliance with internal systems and standards, coordinating with the Data team for quality control.
• Identify and implement opportunities to use AI and digital tools (e.g. ChatGPT) to improve efficiency and consistency in proposal development.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of progressive experience in fundraising, partnerships, or business development in the development or social enterprise sector, with at least 3–5 years in a senior leadership capacity.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in International Development, Business, Economics, or related field preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing high-performing teams and leading proposal development.
• Proven track record engaging institutional funders and philanthropic donors.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Familiarity with fundraising systems, CRM platforms, and donor reporting tools.