Business Development Lead

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

The Opportunity

The Business Development Lead plays a pivotal role in translating strategic vision into actionable outcomes across the BDD function. This role supports in aligning business development efforts with Plan International Ethiopia’s strategy, driving targeted growth, donor engagement, and high-quality proposal development. The Lead supports in fostering business development strategic relationships that support grant acquisition and portfolio expansion.

The Business Development Lead collaborates with Thematic Sector Leads and the Program Insight Lead in joint planning, strategic alignment, and coordination in proposal development.

The Individual

• Degree in Project Management, Development Studies, Social Studies Marketing, Economics, International Relations, or other related fields
• Minimum of 7 years experience in business development, grant management, or donor engagement. At least 3 years in a managerial role, with a proven track record in leading program design, proposal development, and donor relationship management.
• Solid understanding of donor landscapes, funding mechanisms, and proposal development processes. Familiarity with cross-cutting themes.
• Demonstrated experience working in programming, preferably in multi-sectoral humanitarian and development interventions.
• Excellent proposal writing skills
• Excellent communication skill and ability to work across cross functional teams
• Ability to develop effective working relationships across a network.

Please click here to review the full job description

Safeguarding Children and Program Participants (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed per the appropriate procedures.
• Ensures that all staff in the unit/function/department are properly inducted on and understand their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day-to-day work.
• Ensures that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

Location: Addis Ababa, Country Office

Type of Role: Fixed term, full time contract 

Reports to: Head of Program Portfolio and Insight

Closing Date: September 25, 2025

This position is only open to Ethiopian Nationals, who must be eligible to live and work in Ethiopia.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.