Project Design Officer

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is seeking a Project Design Officer to lead the development and design of technical and cost proposals across its donor base, including public, institutional, philanthropic, and private sectors. The role ensures that all new proposals are strategically aligned with AWF’s Strategic Vision, Theory of Change, and Rights-based standards, while ensuring compliance with donor guidelines.

Responsibilities

Proposal Development and Writing (90%)

• Lead the process for developing and writing technical and cost proposals across AWF’s entire donor base.
• Fully understand and guide other teams on donor requirements for each opportunity and ensure compliance with funder guidelines.
• Ensure all new proposals are designed to deliver on AWF’s Strategic Vision, Theory of Change, Strategies, Landscape Approach, and Rights-based standards.
• Collaborate with donor account managers, program teams, and support units (finance, M&E, etc.) to align proposals with donor priorities and global conservation frameworks.
• Manage proposal processes and timelines, coordinating technical inputs from AWF teams and external partners.
• Ensure project designs are coherent, realistic, and implementable within specific time and budgetary constraints.
• Support the development of AWF’s internal annual and multi-year Priority Unfunded Needs (PUNs) proposals.
• Capture lessons learned and support post-proposal reviews to contribute to internal learning.
• Assist in identifying and reviewing funding opportunities and their fit for AWF’s strategies.
• Support the GO/NO GO process and internal approval documents for new opportunities.

Other Responsibilities (10%)

• Coordinate with fundraising teams to highlight priorities and ensure synergies.
• Provide limited support for existing grants, such as reviewing project reports or donor compliance.
• Represent AWF in relevant meetings, conferences, and events as requested.
• Collaborate with communications and marketing teams to support program visibility.
• Support tracking and reporting on fundraising and proposal metrics.
• Assist with other tasks as assigned.

Requirements and Skills

• Reputable Master’s degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience) in conservation, natural resource management, project design, rural/international development, economics, political science, or a similar field.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in developing technical and cost proposals with high-quality logical frameworks and results chains.
• A successful track record of securing significant funding from donors, preferably in conservation or environmental management in Africa.
• Good understanding of donor environments, African governments’ development agendas, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and the Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Logical perspective with strong editing skills and attention to detail.
• Well-developed emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-motivation, and empathy.
• Fluency in English (speaking and writing) is essential; proficiency in French is a significant advantage.
• High degree of responsibility and accountability for meeting strict deadlines.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the African Wildlife Foundation recruitment portal on UltiPro.

Application Link: Apply here