Location

Applicants must be located and have the right to work in one of the following locations (we do not offer relocation packages or visa sponsorship): US, UK, Germany, Nigeria, Iraq (Hybrid or remote working dependent on location)

Safeguarding level : 1 Contact with vulnerable adults or children 


Women for Women International (WfWI) invests where inequality is greatest by helping women who are forgotten — the women survivors of war and conflict.  

In Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Sudan, women learn skills to rebuild their families and communities through the Women for Women International’s Stronger Women, Stronger Nations Programme.  Here support networks are formed, women are equipped with the skills to earn an income and save, and gain knowledge and resources about health and their rights. Since 1993, our global community has invested in the power of over half a million women across 17 conflict-affected countries, to create a ripple effect that makes the world more equal, peaceful, and prosperous.

The Role

 The Global Director of Business Development drives Women for Women International’s institutional fundraising strategy, focusing on securing restricted support from governments, multilateral agencies, and private foundations. This position is responsible and accountable for setting and achieving global business development targets. The role provides overarching direction for global proposal development, strategic donor engagement, and partnership cultivation. By offering strategic input into program design, grant management, and reporting, the Director strengthens the competitiveness of WfWI’s funding efforts and supports long-term donor retention. Through direct engagement with donors and close collaboration with Communications, Policy, Advocacy, and key technical teams, this role elevates the visibility of WfWI’s impact and advances programmatic partnerships that position the organization as a preferred partner for work with women survivors of conflict.

As a senior leader within both the Global Programs Unit and the Global Revenue Leadership Team, the Global Director of Business Development ensures strong alignment and coordination across Country Offices, Regional Hubs and Global Support Center functions to secure and steward complex grants tied to WfWI’s 2030 strategy and Global Revenue Strategy. The role oversees strategic partnerships, donor mapping, and pipeline development across regions and technical areas, ensuring cohesive organizational approaches to growth in partnership with Regional Directors.

Within the Global Revenue Team, the Director collaborates with leaders of other high‑value revenue streams and Regional Directors to effectively allocate resources and drive collective revenue targets. This includes guiding Business Development Unit staff who may support corporate or major donor proposals and working closely with the Directors of Corporates and Development to align staffing and stewardship for corporates, trusts, and foundations. This role calls for a collaborative and entrepreneurial mindset, with the ability to balance strategic thinking and execution. As a pivotal position, it requires strong leadership to guide a proactive team and effectively manage conflict.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced institutional fundraising leader who is energised by building partnerships, navigating complexity, and unlocking new opportunities across regions and technical areas

Strategic leadership - You will shape and lead WfWI’s global institutional funding strategy, ensuring it reflects organisational priorities and regional realities. As part of the Global Revenue Team, you will help drive the organisation‑wide revenue strategy and identify opportunities for growth in new and existing markets, including regions where WfWI does not yet have a presence.

 External engagement – You will represent WfWI externally, building and nurturing relationships as well as identifying partnership opportunities that enhance our competitiveness and visibility in the fundraising space.

Revenue Growth & Pipeline Management - You will manage the global pipeline, working with regional teams to track opportunities and ensure timely, coordinated submissions.

Team leadership - You will lead and mentor a global team of business development professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, learning, and excellence.

Planning, Budgeting & Governance - You will lead annual planning and revenue forecasting for the Business Development Unit, contribute to organisational leadership forums, and report regularly to WfWI’s International Board, UK Trustees, German Supervisory Board, and US Board of Advisors.

Operational Oversight - You will oversee donor intelligence systems and CRM processes, ensuring accurate pipeline tracking and forecasting. You will work closely with Finance and Programs to ensure budgets are realistic and compliant, and you will uphold safeguarding and ethical fundraising principles across all institutional funding efforts.

Required

All criteria marked (A) for Application must be addressed in a cover letter.

• Located in Germany, Iraq, Nigeria, UK or US with the existing right to work. (A)
• Proven track record of successfully achieving multi-million USD awards, increasing annual income by at least USD 5M a year in new business. (A)
• At least 10 years of experience in institutional fundraising, with a strong record of securing government, foundation, and multilateral grants in Africa, Europe, UK and the USA. (A)
• Extensive experience managing donor relationships across geographies. (A)
• Strong experience in developing complex, multi-country and multi-year proposals, with excellent writing, budgeting, and compliance skills for restricted funding. (A)
• Demonstrated leadership of teams and cross-cultural management capabilities. Passionate about working in partnership internally to achieve results through knowledge-sharing at both the country, regional and global level. (A)
• High levels of self-awareness and strong conflict management skills.
• Strong analytical, planning, and CRM (Salesforce preferred) proficiency.
• Commitment to WfWI’s mission and values, with familiarity with global gender, development, or humanitarian sectors.
• In addition to fluent written and spoken English, competency in a second language spoken in a region where we work (French, Arabic, Dari, German, Swahili etc.)
 
Preferred:
• Experience working directly with or in Program Country teams.
• Deep understanding of women’s rights, gender equality, and conflict-affected contexts.
• Proven success in consortium-based proposals or strategic partnerships.
• Multi-lingual or regional expertise in conflict-affected settings.

Physical Demands
May require international travel, occasional evening/weekend work, extended screen time, and participation in remote meetings across time zones.

All our staff are required to adhere to WfWI’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policies and to our organizational values: Empowerment, Integrity, Respect, Resilience and the Leadership Principles: Decisive, Accountable, Courageous, Adaptable and Inclusive.

To learn more about the power of women for women, visit womenforwomen.org or follow https://www.womenforwomen.org on social media.   

How to apply
You will need to submit a CV and covering letter. The covering letter must address all the criteria above marked (A) for Application and state your location and existing right to work there. Failure to address the criteria in the covering letter will result in your application being disregarded.

Please let us know if you will need reasonable adjustments to access the application process.

Note about use of AI
Whilst we’re not against the use of AI to support our work, if you do decide to use AI to help with your application, please make sure you still personalise your answers. It’s important for us to have a real insight into your unique skills and experience in order to make an informed shortlisting decision.

The closing date for applications is June 21, 2026

 We offer a competitive, location-adjusted salary package based on local market conditions and experience.

Other benefits apply depending on location.

This role is either remote or hybrid, depending on location.

Equal Opportunity Employer 

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination, in accordance with applicable laws.