Director of Business Development and Fundraising – Action For Ocean (AFO)

Director of Business Development and Fundraising – Action For Ocean (AFO), Tanzania

Action For Ocean (AFO) is seeking an experienced fundraising and business development leader to oversee the delivery of its resource mobilisation activities and secure funding for marine conservation and community livelihood programmes in Tanzania.

Based in Dar es Salaam, the Director will lead major donor engagement, manage funding opportunities, negotiate strategic partnerships and convert AFO’s established fundraising pipeline into signed agreements and actual financial support.

This is a senior, results-oriented position for a professional with a strong record of personally securing significant grants, philanthropic contributions, sponsorships or partnership funding.

Opportunity Overview

About Action For Ocean

Action For Ocean (AFO) is a marine conservation organisation working to improve the health and resilience of ocean ecosystems while supporting the wellbeing of coastal communities.

In Tanzania, the ocean is central to the livelihoods, food security, income and cultural identity of many coastal populations. AFO recognises that effective marine conservation must take these relationships into account and address the economic realities facing communities that depend on marine resources.

The organisation therefore combines conservation initiatives with sustainable livelihood activities. By supporting viable economic alternatives, AFO seeks to reduce pressure on marine ecosystems, encourage local stewardship and strengthen communities' ability to respond to environmental challenges.

About the Director of Business Development and Fundraising Role

The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering AFO's existing fundraising strategy and advancing its established pipeline of funding opportunities.

The organisation is pursuing an ambitious resource mobilisation target of approximately US$16 million over five years. The Director will play a central role in achieving this goal by converting qualified prospects into funding commitments, signed agreements and disbursed funds.

This is primarily an implementation and deal-closing position. Rather than focusing on developing a new fundraising strategy, the Director will be expected to lead execution, manage donor relationships, negotiate funding arrangements and personally secure major contributions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead fundraising and secure financial resources

The Director will take ownership of annual fundraising delivery targets and oversee the progression of opportunities already identified in AFO's funding pipeline.

Key activities will include:

• Moving qualified funding opportunities through cultivation, formal requests, negotiations, signed agreements and disbursement.

• Personally leading major fundraising opportunities and taking responsibility for closing significant funding deals.

• Monitoring progress against approved annual fundraising targets.

• Ensuring that funding commitments translate into actual financial receipts.

• Supporting progress towards AFO's five-year resource mobilisation ambition.

2. Develop and maintain donor relationships

The role requires strong relationship management skills and the ability to engage a diverse range of funding partners.

The Director will:

• Build and maintain relationships with foundations, individual philanthropists, family offices, companies and institutional funders.

• Identify and secure new funding opportunities while maintaining relationships with existing supporters.

• Pursue renewed, unrestricted and multi-year funding commitments.

• Lead donor cultivation and stewardship activities.

• Explore and activate opportunities within US philanthropy through AFO's Myriad USA giving mechanism.

3. Turn strategic partnerships into measurable outcomes

The Director will lead high-level partnership discussions and negotiate arrangements that provide tangible value to AFO.

Partnerships should contribute meaningful resources, technical expertise, influence or access. The position will therefore prioritise agreements with clear benefits and practical outcomes rather than partnerships that exist only on paper.

4. Oversee fundraising implementation and team performance

The successful candidate will provide leadership and direction to the Business Development and Fundraising Manager.

Responsibilities will include:

• Directing and coaching the Business Development and Fundraising Manager.

• Identifying priority funding opportunities and deciding where staff time and organisational resources should be invested.

• Working with programme, Finance and Communications teams to prepare competitive funding requests.

• Ensuring proposals are supported by realistic budgets, clear programme costs and credible delivery plans.

• Coordinating internal contributions to donor engagement and fundraising activities.

5. Manage the fundraising pipeline and funding intelligence

Maintaining an accurate and actively managed fundraising pipeline will be an important part of the position.

The Director will ensure that each opportunity has clearly identified ownership, a current stage, relevant decision dates and specific follow-up actions.

The role also requires monthly fundraising forecasts that distinguish between:

• Potential funding opportunities and prospects.

• Proposals submitted to funders.

• Signed funding commitments.

• Cash actually received.

This approach will help AFO monitor fundraising performance, assess the likelihood of securing funding and make informed decisions about its resource mobilisation priorities.

6. Maintain funding quality and protect organisational reputation

The Director will ensure that funding arrangements support AFO's long-term sustainability and community-led conservation approach.

This will involve negotiating appropriate cost recovery, realistic programme delivery commitments and suitable reporting requirements. The organisation's fundraising priorities should remain aligned with its mission, values and long-term conservation objectives.

7. Support executive and board-level fundraising

The Director will prepare and support the Executive Director and Board in their engagement with major donors and strategic partners.

The position will involve identifying opportunities for senior-level participation, preparing relevant engagement materials and ensuring that follow-up actions are completed after donor and partnership meetings.

How Performance Will Be Evaluated

Performance will be assessed against measurable fundraising and partnership outcomes, rather than activity alone.

The main indicators include:

• Funding secured: The annual value of newly signed funding agreements and cash received compared with approved targets.

• Five-year fundraising progress: Contribution towards AFO's approximately US$16 million resource mobilisation ambition.

• Pipeline conversion: The ability to move priority funding opportunities from initial engagement to signed commitments and disbursement.

• Funding quality: The value and proportion of multi-year and flexible funding secured.

• Major donor development: The number and financial value of new major donors attracted.

• Donor retention: Renewal rates and the organisation's ability to maintain long-term funding relationships.

• Strategic partnerships: The measurable value generated through partnerships.

• Forecasting and follow-through: The accuracy of fundraising forecasts and timely completion of agreed next steps.

Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

AFO is looking for a senior fundraising or business development professional with substantial experience in securing financial resources and managing high-value relationships.

Applicants must demonstrate the following:

Education and experience

• At least eight years of professional experience in fundraising, philanthropy, strategic partnerships, business development or a related field.

• Previous senior-level responsibility for revenue generation or resource mobilisation.

• Experience working with international philanthropy or funding programmes in conservation and development.

Demonstrated fundraising achievements

A strong and verifiable record of personally leading or closing significant funding opportunities is essential.

Applicants must be able to provide evidence of:

• The amounts of funding they have personally secured.

• The types of funders involved.

• The dates or periods when funding was secured.

• Their specific responsibilities and contributions to each successful funding outcome.

Experience limited to proposal administration or providing general support to fundraising activities will not satisfy this requirement. AFO is specifically seeking someone who has taken a leading role in securing funding and closing major deals.

Leadership and professional competencies

Candidates should also demonstrate:

• Excellent relationship-building skills, particularly when engaging senior donors and institutional funding partners.

• Confidence in presenting funding requests and pitching to potential supporters.

• Strong negotiation and financial judgement.

• Persuasive written communication and proposal development abilities.

• Management and leadership skills.

• The ability to coordinate cross-functional teams.

• Experience engaging international funders and managing relationships across different locations.

Application Process

Interested and qualified candidates should apply by completing the application form provided for the position.

Applicants will be required to submit:

1. A cover letter explaining their suitability for the role and relevant fundraising achievements.

2. An updated CV outlining their professional experience, qualifications and track record.

3. Contact details for two professional referees.

Candidates should pay particular attention to the requirement to demonstrate their personal fundraising achievements. The application should clearly identify the funding amounts secured, the funder categories, relevant dates and the applicant's direct role in obtaining those commitments.

Application deadline: 25 November 2026.

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Why This Opportunity Matters

The Director of Business Development and Fundraising will occupy a central position in AFO's efforts to expand the financial resources available for marine conservation and sustainable coastal livelihoods.

With an approximately US$16 million five-year funding ambition, the organisation is looking for a leader who can combine senior donor engagement, financial judgement, partnership development and a proven ability to close funding commitments.

Professionals with substantial fundraising achievements and experience in international philanthropy, conservation or development funding may find this an important senior leadership opportunity.

Application deadline: 25 November 2026