This role as the Business Development & Consulting Lead is critical for driving strategic growth and leading consulting efforts primarily within the water, agriculture, and climate sectors. The successful candidate will be responsible for building and expanding strategic partnerships, securing large-scale funding opportunities, and providing senior advisory services globally on design, data, and technology for development. The role requires substantial experience in consultative selling, deep sector expertise, and strong leadership to manage a senior team and co-create tailored solutions for clients.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead consultative selling and business development efforts in water, agriculture, and/or climate.
- Build and grow a pipeline of strategic opportunities leading to large-scale partnerships and funded initiatives.
- Proactively identify, qualify, develop and nurture strategic partnerships with donors, multilaterals, governments, philanthropies, impact investors and businesses.
- Represent the organization globally as a thought leader and senior advisor on design, data, and technology for development.
- Work closely with the management team to shape strategy, ensure alignment with organizational goals, and contribute to overall leadership.
- Lead consulting engagements in the area of impact, policy and service design to understand, scope and align information needs and co- create (data) solutions to challenges in water, agriculture and climate.
- Supervise a team between 5 – 10 senior people to achieve your objectives.
Key Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or above in a relevant field.
- Minimum 12 years’ experience in fundraising, consulting, and partnership-building in water, climate, agriculture, or related environmental sectors; experience raising philanthropic or impact investment funding is an advantage.
- Proven track record in business development and forming strategic partnerships with donors, philanthropies, impact investors, and multilateral organizations (e.g., UN, World Bank).
- Strong expertise in at least one sector such as water, environmental science, or climate adaptation, with credibility to engage senior technical and policy stakeholders.
- Skilled in consultative selling—identifying client needs, shaping problem statements, and co-designing tailored solutions that lead to long-term partnerships.
- Experienced in program and policy design, including developing impact strategies, change pathways, policy briefs, and data-driven policy recommendations.
- Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence and nurture client relationships.
- Able to work autonomously while collaborating effectively across a diverse global team and engaging both technical and non-technical audiences with clarity and confidence.
- Innovative, solutions-oriented thinker with strong problem-solving ability and the capacity to co-create creative, practical, and out-of-the-box solutions with clients.
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