The Position
Mercy Corps is seeking a resourceful and entrepreneurial person with a passion for unlocking partnerships that enable communities to thrive across the dynamic development context. The Partnerships Development Manager is responsible for identifying, cultivating, and stewarding high value strategic partnerships that unlock new and diversified funding for Mercy Corps’ programs in Asia. This role combines strategic business development, donor relationship management, and regional thought leadership.Reporting to the Senior Business Development Advisor, the Manager works closely with country leadership, technical teams, and global fundraising colleagues to position Mercy Corps competitively with priority donors—particularly within the private sector, foundations, bilateral and multilateral funders, and development finance institutions.
The ideal candidate brings a strong track record of closing complex partnerships, influencing donor strategies, and translating programmatic priorities into compelling funding opportunities. S/he is a skilled communicator with an entrepreneurial mindset, able to develop and leverage strong relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders. The candidate demonstrates excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work effectively within multiple teams. A deep understanding of industry trends, market dynamics, and competitive landscapes is essential.
Essential Responsibilities
Business Development and Income Diversification
- Lead and support the identification, cultivation, and management of strategic partnerships that diversify Mercy Corps’ funding base across corporate, foundation, bilateral, and multilateral donors.
- Develop, maintain and execute a regional donor engagement plan to strengthen relationship management, pipeline development and informs resource planning.
- Drive proactive donor mapping and pipeline development aligned with regional and country program priorities.
- Support and influence go/no‑go decision‑making to ensure pursuit of high‑potential, mission‑aligned funding opportunities.
- Directly contribute to the writing and coordination of high‑quality concept notes, proposals, and partnership agreements in collaboration with country, regional, and global teams.
- Position Mercy Corps for large, multi‑year, and innovative funding opportunities, including blended finance and shared‑value partnerships.
- Lead and support opportunity capture from identification through proposal submission, and coordinate technical, programmatic, and operational inputs for high-quality proposal submission
Market Intelligence and Pipeline Management
- Track and refine the portfolio pipeline in partnership with Director of Programs/Program Managers and BD team.
- Conduct competitor and market analyses to identify trends, pricing benchmarks, and partnership opportunities.
- Maintain up-to-date intelligence on donor priorities, budget trends, and acquisition forecasts relevant to Mercy Corps’ refreshed Pathway to Possibility Strategy.
- Monitor and report on performance KPIs (pipeline coverage, win rate, and capture ROI).
Private Sector & Innovative Partnerships
- Advance Mercy Corps’ private sector engagement and shared value partnership agenda in Asia.
- Leverage Mercy Corps’ experience in market systems development, venture support, and impact investment to develop differentiated partnership propositions.
- Collaborate closely with Mercy Corps Ventures and global private sector teams to bring regional opportunities to scale.
Influence and Representation
- Engage with prospective donors to shape and influence their strategies and funding priorities.
- Develop and nurture strong relationships and networks with priority donors and partners in the region.
- Identify and pursue areas for thought leadership, including building connections with civil society leaders, government officials, donors, private sector partners, and other actors.
- Position Mercy Corps for new opportunities in the region and prioritize partnership development with strategic donors and actors, especially within the private sector.
- Support country teams on donor engagement, partner intelligence, and negotiation strategies.
- Serve as a respected representative for Mercy Corps in Asia, promoting the organization’s capabilities, expertise, innovation, and values.
SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES
- Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
- Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
- Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.
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