Development & Learning Officer Job Description 

*Cover letter required for consideration* 

Youth Network for Community and Sustainable Development (YNCSD) 

The Youth Network for Community & Sustainable Development is a youth-led movement catalyzing social change by engaging young people on critical sexual and reproductive issues affecting them and amplifying their voices to speak for Human Rights, through targeted advocacy to key players, capacity building and development, communications, and media engagements, partnerships, and programme implementation. We also work on a broad range of issues such as Gender, Governance, and Environment, however, our priority over the years has been on Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights. 

Since its inception, YNCSD has been catalyzing efforts of young people towards ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and gender-based violence, through effective programming that transforms social norms underpinning these practices as well as promoting reproductive health and Rights for women and girls. Part of our activities is to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted and that women and girls have access to reproductive health services and are given the opportunity to exercise full agency over their bodies. We pride ourselves to be a leading youth-led organization delivering quality programmes and interventions for our donors and partners based in Nigeria and globally.

Job Summary 

The Development & Learning Officer contributes significantly to the growth and sustainability of Youth Network for Community & Sustainable Development (YNCSD). 

This role is responsible for managing the writing and submission of grant applications and reports, leading the organization’s annual fundraising and donor recognition, and carrying out the administration of the donor database. The Development & Learning Officer works collaboratively across departments on grant activities while stewarding relationships with new and existing donors, and provides support to the CEO and Board of YNCSD on achieving momentous sustainability and Business Development plans. . This role has significant responsibility for overseeing complex projects and is accountable for achieving specific funding goals laid out in the strategic plan. 

This role will oversee internal reporting, and database maintenance of reports and operational support to operationalize the Learning and Monitoring plans of YNCSD so as to drive internal learning, knowledge management, and cross-breeding these into new project designs. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

The following are the key duties and responsibilities of the Development Officer: 

Grant Portfolio Management (70%): 

• Writes and leads the development of proposals and reports, manages the submission and agreement processes 
• Takes leadership and full end-to-end responsibility of the proposal pipeline, donor research and BD project management.
• Works collaboratively across departments to compile the necessary information for applications and reports 
• Manages the grant proposal and reporting calendars, and tracks activities in fundraising database and hard-copy filing system 
• Researches funding prospects and keeps an eye on grant and funding trends 
• Works closely with the Senior Programme Associate, and Strategic Advisors to ensure grant requirements are fulfilled on time 
• Makes deliberate efforts to establish linkages with like-minded organizations and position YNCSD for consortium applications and joint proposals 

Donor Relations Management (10%): 

• Maintains detailed records of all donor (including major donors) contact; ensures timely and personal appreciation and recognition is completed 
• Manages weekly Business Development calls and monthly pipeline overview meeting 
• Works with the Communications and Advocacy department to develop and enhance promotion and recognition tools aimed at individual donors (website, print pieces, email content, story/pic/video library, frames, project briefs) 
• Manages the donor recognition and stewardship program, including updating organization policies and procedures 
• Maintains active database of partners, stakeholders and like minded organizations Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning plus Database Administration (20%): 
• Acts as the organization’s database system administrator covering MEL products, Business Development trackers etc. 
• Performs regular database maintenance, including system backups and duplicate management 
• Tracks internal reporting and maintenance of staff and activity reports and synthesize into monthly, quarterly and annual reports 
• Manages monthly Knowledge Management Calls with Executive Team

Project support 

Manages projects on an ad hoc basis related to Program Department priorities when needed especially when new projects are won before handing over to a Project Officer. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Required: 

• Minimum 2 years of experience in writing winning proposals across a wide range of donors
• Experience working with large, complex organizational budgets and in an operations role.
• Excellent written and oral communication, customer service, and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively with all levels of staff, the board, and external relations.
• Resourceful and organized with high attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively prioritize, multi-task, and manage time.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Works well independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Ability to work well in a complex and fluid environment in an organization that is growing.
• Honest and willing to admit mistakes and ask for help from team members ● Proactive and dynamic in delivering work streams
• Must be an excellent writer

We value the health and well-being of our employees, some of the benefits we offer include: 

Comprehensive and generous health insurance options 

Paid holidays, time off, and parental leave 

Flexible work schedules and technology benefits 

Professional learning and development and educational assistance

YNCSD is an equal opportunity employer with values grounded in promoting equality and inclusion and embracing diversity. We welcome qualified applicants of all races, colors, gender identities, sexual orientations, economic classes, ages, religions, national origins, and ability/disability statuses. Veterans and individuals with lived expertise are encouraged to apply. We respect and seek to empower every member of our Foundation community. We support and celebrate our collective array of cultures, backgrounds, perspectives, skills, and experiences; fully realizing that such diversity is what makes our organization flourish and better enables us to fulfill our mission in the world. 

Job offer: 

• Reporting to Founder/CEO
• Salary scale: 70,000 – 150,000 (depending on experience)
• Contract duration: 1-year contract with the intention of extension if need be. ● Location: Head Office in Abuja. Part-time and hybrid options are possible
• Start date: 8 May 2023

How to apply 

To apply for the post, please send a letter of application stating your motivation and the skills that you would bring to this specific post along with your resume /CV by email to recruitment@yncsd.org. Documents must be in English, stating “Development and Learning Officer” in the email subject line. The deadline is 1 May 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Female and gender-diverse applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.