Business Development Manager Strategic Portfolio Design & Portfolio Development (2x)

CONFIDENTIAL – INTERNAL VACANCY ONLY

Number of positions: 2 staff members

Scope:  Global
Hours:  Full time
Reports to:  Head of Business Development
Team:  Business Development
Location: Any Hivos office
Indicative grade: ZIM:6 KEN:13 TUN: 12 CR:7 NL: 11,12

About the role

The Business Development Manager plays a key role in advancing Hivos’ strategic funding and partnership ambitions under the Ten for Ten strategy. The role focuses on identifying, shaping, and securing institutional funding and strategic partnerships that enable Hivos to deliver complex, multi-country and multi-actor programs aligned with its mission to defend and expand civil and political rights.

Operating within a functional, globally dispersed business development model, the role combines market and contextual intelligence, relationship-building, and coordinated proposal development. It requires close collaboration with program, finance, and support functions to translate strategic priorities into high-quality, fundable opportunities that are operationally feasible, compliant, and aligned with Hivos’ values and power-shifting approach.

Depending on the specific focus of the position, the role emphasizes either deep regional and contextual knowledge or the orchestration of complex, cross-regional design processes. Across all variants, the position contributes to both short-term fundraising results and longer-term positioning of Hivos within priority donor, foundation, and partnership ecosystems.

The Business Development Manager (Strategic Design & Portfolio Development Focus) supports the shaping of complex program concepts and funding portfolios aligned with Hivos’ long-term strategic ambitions.

Purpose of the role

To coordinate strategic design and portfolio development processes that translate ambition into fundable, operationally feasible programs.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinate strategic program design processes across themes and geographies.


• Support development of flagship initiatives and multi-hub programs.


• Coordinate inputs from program, finance, and partner teams into coherent designs.


• Contribute to portfolio planning, sequencing, and learning.


• Support donor engagement related to strategic or exploratory funding opportunities.

Role-specific focus

This role emphasizes structuring and sequencing complexity, stewarding multi-actor design processes, and translating strategic ideas into credible funding propositions.

Skills and competencies

• Strong conceptual and analytical skills.


• Ability to coordinate complex, multi-actor processes.


• Strong written communication and synthesis skills.


• Strategic thinking with practical execution.


• Fluent in English. Second language Spanish, Dutch and/or Arabic is an asset.

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.


• 3-7 years of relevant experience in program design, portfolio development, or business development.


• Experience working with institutional donors and/or foundations.

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter (maximum 1 page) and CV (maximum 2 pages) as soon as possible by clicking the ‘Apply here’ button. Applications are being received until February 3rd 2026 midnight UTC.