Regional Business Development Lead - MEESA at Plan International

PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization working for better lives for all children. We are independent of government and have no political or religious affiliation. Our purpose is to strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Plan International’s programming within the Middle East, Eastern and Southern Africa (MEESA) region is recognised as being contextually relevant offering community driven solutions that reflect the long-term investments made in the communities, we work in. Programming forms the back-bone of our work, informing our related work streams - including influencing, sponsorship; Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL); and girls as agents of change through our Girls’ Get Equal campaign.

THE ROLE PURPOSE

The role acts as a strategic catalyst and enabler for Country Offices (COs), driving the identification, development, and securing of innovative and non-traditional funding streams beyond conventional Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). It responds to an evolving donor landscape marked by increased focus on private capital, climate and blended finance, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and philanthropic foundations. By brokering strategic partnerships, strengthening market positioning, and advancing multi-country investment opportunities aligned with CO priorities, the role enhances the competitiveness and income-generation capacity of COs.

The role plays a critical function in operationalising Plan International’s ambition for diversified, sustainable, and locally led programming. It works to unlock strategic financing pathways, and position COs as key partners of choice in delivering transformative impact for children and communities across the region.

DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE

• Strategic Catalyst for Non-Traditional Resource Mobilisation: This role drives innovation in Plan MEESA’s fundraising agenda by unlocking non-traditional and under-tapped financing sources - including philanthropic foundations, regional development banks, private sector actors, climate finance, and Islamic or diaspora funding. The ideal candidate brings strong networks and a proven ability to generate strategic partnerships and raise funds beyond traditional institutional donors.
• Regional Lead in Shaping New Fundraising Practice
  Leads efforts to embed more agile, opportunity-driven resource mobilisation across the MEESA region. Promotes adaptive, forward-looking approaches that align with country-level priorities and regional shifts in the funding landscape, particularly in emerging and underutilised financing spaces.
• Influential, Matrixed Leadership: Operates across the Plan International federation in a matrixed and networked way, providing strategic leadership in resource mobilisation without line management. Aligns efforts with Country Offices, Regional Clusters, National Offices, and the Global Hub, setting shared priorities and catalysing action across functions.
• External Representation and Influence: Represents Plan International with credibility and influence in key regional and global platforms, positioning the organisation as a compelling partner for innovative financing. Brings deep experience in cultivating donor relationships and securing funding, especially in competitive and evolving donor environments.
• Value-Adding, Not Duplicative: This role complements - not duplicates - Country Office business development functions. It adds targeted value where COs have limited access to non-traditional donors, focusing on positioning, regional opportunity development, and technical support for complex or high-potential bids.
• Mutual Accountability with Country Offices: While the position is hosted by the Regional Hub, performance accountability will be shaped in close consultation with supported Country Offices, ensuring relevance, responsiveness, and shared ownership of results.

1. Drive Non-Traditional Resource Mobilisation Strategy, Innovation, and Income Generation

• Secure significant new funding for Plan MEESA by targeting non-traditional donors, including regional development banks (e.g. AfDB), philanthropic foundations, climate finance mechanisms, impact investors, ESG-aligned funds, Islamic finance, diaspora philanthropy, and tech and innovation partners.
• Design innovative, investable funding models and co-create concepts aligned with non-traditional donor interests, including social enterprises, catalytic capital, and blended finance approaches with the goal of unlocking new financial flows into Plan’s work.
• Initiate or join strategic consortia and influence funding priorities to reflect Plan’s leadership in gender equality, youth empowerment, and locally led programming.
• Collaborate with National Offices and the Global Hub to tailor engagement strategies, develop compelling, mission-aligned value propositions, and convert positioning efforts into secured funding.

2. Drive Strategic Intelligence, Positioning, and Pipeline Development

• Lead donor and funding landscape analyses to identify emerging opportunities and regional funding trends, including in non-traditional financing and share intelligence with Country Offices.
• Support the development of customised donor engagement strategies for countries and sub-regions, aligning them with Plan’s regional programmatic strengths.
• Track and share high-value multi-country and regional opportunities, supporting timely Go/No-Go decisions.
• Proactively generate new leads and position Plan competitively by participating in strategic networks, donor forums, and key regional platforms.
• Represent the region in engagements that build visibility with both traditional and non-traditional donors driving systems change.

3. Regional Donor Engagement & Relationship Brokering

• Serve as a strategic connector between Country Offices and regionally based actors such as AfDB, World Bank regional teams, Mastercard Foundation, and Gates Foundation.
• Cultivate and manage regional relationships with both established and non-traditional donors.
• Lead pre-positioning and co-creation efforts in collaboration with donor stakeholders.
• Provide donor intelligence briefs and coaching to Country Offices to enhance readiness and competitiveness.

4. Shape and Influence Regional and Global Funding Strategies

• Feed MEESA-specific insights into the development of Plan’s global resource mobilisation and funding strategies.
• Support the Regional Leadership Team in engaging key donors and development actors to elevate Plan’s profile and partnerships.
• Track and share trends in development finance, localisation, reparative funding, and ESG-linked investments, using insights to shape strategic positioning and program design.

5. Sub-Regional Collaboration & Multi-Country Technical Support

• Provide surge technical support for multi-country proposals, consortium development, and high-value opportunity positioning.
• Enable cross-border pipeline development, intelligence-sharing, and scalability of donor engagement strategies.
• Ensure quality assurance and alignment throughout the proposal process, especially for complex and non-traditional funding sources.

6. Capacity Strengthening, Learning & Knowledge Exchange

• Build CO capabilities in engaging non-traditional donors through coaching, strategy development, and materials such as pitch decks and business cases.
• Facilitate regional knowledge exchange, sharing replicable tools, learning, and successful models across countries.
• Embed a culture of innovation in business development practice through continuous learning and cross-country collaboration.

7. Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Ensures that all staff in the unit/function/department are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day to day work.
• Ensures that Plan MEESA contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

Click on the following link to apply: Career Opportunities: Regional Business Development Lead - MEESA