Business Development Officer

• Location Type : Office
• Deadline : June 30th, 2026
• Career Level : Junior Level(1-3 years)
• Language : 1
• Employment Type : Full time
• Number of people required : 1
• Work Experience : 3-5 years
• Managerial Experience : 3-5 years

About the Role

We are seeking a dynamic, results-driven Business Development Officer to lead and grow our organization’s development agenda. This is a senior, cross-functional role that sits at the heart of our strategic growth spanning resource mobilization, project management, external partnerships, and market intelligence. The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, analytically rigorous, and equally comfortable in boardrooms, donor meetings, and field settings.

Based in Addis Ababa, the role requires deep familiarity with Ethiopia’s business, renewable energy sector, development finance, and NGO landscape, combined with the drive to open new markets and revenue streams.

About You

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Resource Mobilization

Drive the organization’s financial sustainability through proactive identification and securing of diverse funding sources:

▸ Develop and implement a comprehensive resource mobilization strategy targeting grants, concessional loans, and development finance.

▸ Research, identify, and track grant opportunities from bilateral donors, multilateral institutions (World Bank, AfDB, USAID, EU, GIZ, etc.), foundations, and impact investors.

▸ Lead the end-to-end grant application process: concept notes, full proposals, budgets, timeline and compliance documentation.

▸ Develop compelling proposals for bank loans and blended finance instruments in collaboration with the Finance team.

▸ Build and maintain a pipeline of funding opportunities and ensure timely submission of all applications.

▸ Manage relationships with existing donors and financiers to facilitate renewals, top-ups, and expanded partnerships.

▸ Maintain a grants calendar and reporting tracker to ensure compliance with funder requirements.

2. Project Management

Oversee the full project lifecycle from inception to successful closure across all funded and self-initiated projects:

▸ Develop detailed project plans, work breakdown structures, and implementation timelines using tools such as MS Project, Trello, Notion, or equivalent.

▸ Prepare and manage project budgets, forecast expenditures, and ensure cost-efficiency throughout project implementation.

▸ Establish and operationalize Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks, including Theory of Change, logframes, and indicator tracking systems.

▸ Define and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each project; produce regular performance dashboards for management and donors.

▸ Prepare high-quality progress reports, mid-term reviews, and final reports as required by funders and leadership.

▸ Identify and proactively manage project risks, issues, and dependencies; implement corrective actions as needed.

▸ Coordinate with cross-functional teams (Finance, Operations, Programs) to ensure integrated and on-time project delivery.

▸ Conduct project evaluations and ensure lessons learned are captured and institutionalized.

3. Strategic Partnerships

Cultivate and manage a high-value portfolio of institutional relationships that advance organizational growth:

▸ Develop and execute a partnership strategy targeting Government ministries and agencies, local and international NGOs, Financial Institutions (FIs), Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and private sector actors.

▸ Lead outreach, negotiation, and formalization of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), partnership agreements, and co-implementation arrangements.

▸ Represent the organization in high-level forums, stakeholder meetings, consortia, and official delegations.

▸ Build strong working relationships with key government counterparts and regulatory bodies at federal and regional levels.

▸ Identify and pursue consortium opportunities, positioning the organization as lead or technical partner.

▸ Maintain an active partnership database and stakeholder mapping matrix.

▸ Organize partnership events, roundtables, and co-creation workshops.

4. Market Research & Business Intelligence

Provide the organization with actionable intelligence to drive strategic decision-making and market entry:

▸ Conduct in-depth research on new business lines, products, and service areas aligned with organizational strategy.

▸ Analyze emerging market opportunities in Ethiopia and the broader East African region, including sector trends and regulatory developments.

▸ Perform competitor analysis and benchmarking to inform positioning, pricing, and differentiation strategies.

▸ Map out potential new markets (geographic or sectoral) and prepare market entry assessments and feasibility studies.

▸ Monitor and analyze development finance trends, donor priority areas, and government development agendas.

▸ Produce research briefs, strategic reports, and executive presentations for senior leadership and the Board.

▸ Identify and assess new product or service innovations that align with organizational mission and revenue goals.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Education

▸ Bachelor’s degree or higher from a recognized university in any discipline.

▸ Relevant fields include (but are not limited to): Business Administration, Economics, Development Studies, Project Management, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Law, Engineering, or Natural Sciences.

▸ A Master’s degree is an added advantage.

▸ Professional certifications in project management or fundraising/grant management are highly desirable.

Experience

▸ Minimum 5 years of progressive professional experience in business development, program management, fundraising, or a closely related field.

▸ Demonstrated track record of successfully securing grants and/or loans from institutional donors, development finance institutions, or commercial banks.

▸ Proven experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects from initiation through closure.

▸ Experience in MEL system design and implementation.

▸ Prior experience working with Government bodies, NGOs, and Financial Institutions in Ethiopia or the East Africa region is strongly preferred.

Technical Skills

Project & Productivity Tools

▸ Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or equivalent for project scheduling and tracking

▸ Notion for documentation, knowledge management, and team wikis

▸ Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Gmail, Meet) — proficiency required

▸ Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) — advanced level

Specialized Skills

▸ Proposal writing and donor reporting (narrative and financial)

▸ Budget development and financial management

▸ Data analysis and visualization (Excel, Google Sheets; Power BI is a plus)

▸ MEL frameworks: log frames, results matrices, Theory of Change

▸ Market research methodologies (primary and secondary research)

▸ CRM or partnership management tools are an advantage

Language & Communication Skills

▸ Excellent written and spoken English is mandatory — proposal writing, donor reports, and executive communications are core deliverables.

▸ Amharic proficiency required for local stakeholder engagement.

▸ Knowledge of additional languages is a plus.

CORE COMPETENCIES

✔  Strategic Thinking & Vision

✔  Results Orientation & Drive

✔  Proposal Writing & Donor Engagement

✔  Stakeholder & Relationship Management

✔  Project Planning & Delivery

✔  Analytical & Research Acumen

✔  Communication & Presentation Skills

✔  Digital Fluency & Tool Adoption

✔  Team Collaboration & Leadership

✔  Adaptability & Problem Solving