Head of Partnerships and Donor Management - Afghanistan

Location: Kabul, Afghanistan

Salary: £36,987 - £43,050

Hours: Full time

Contract Type: Permanent

Reports To: Country Director

Direct Reports: Programme Officers

Key Internal Contacts/Relationships:  Country Director, Programme Officers, International Finance Manager, Operations Manager, MEAL officer

Key External Contacts/Relationships: Local partner organisations, national authorities, embassy representatives, donors

Job Purpose: The Head of Partnerships and Donor Management will oversee and manage the Partnership and Donor Management team’s work in Afghanistan. The team seeks to maintain existing sources of funding as well as search for new funding opportunities. This role focuses on identifying funding opportunities, maintaining strategic partnerships, supporting proposal development, and coordinating the programme donor engagement strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and impact

About HALO:

HALO is the leading global NGO addressing the impact and drivers of conflict in 30 countries and territories, with over 8,000 staff. Most of our staff are local employees and include a growing number of women. Our primary duty is to serve people affected by conflict, clearing landmines and the explosive remnants of war that threaten lives and livelihoods long after fighting has finished. We make land safe where war has ended, while also assisting those affected by active conflict and endemic violence. HALO addresses human suffering caused by armed violence in some of the world’s most fragile places, securing weapons and ammunition and working with both state and community actors to reduce the prevalence of armed violence.

About the role:

The Head of Partnerships and Donor Management will lead the Partnerships and Donor Management Team in Afghanistan maintaining existing funding and securing new business and funding opportunities. They will ensure that staff on the Partnerships and Donor Management Team understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities, including the production of timely, accurate and analytical reports and proposals for donors. The Head of Partnerships and Donor Management will oversee contract monitoring for ongoing projects based on project proposals, implementation plans, and donor reporting requirements. They will lead new business development and the donor engagement plan. The role will be based in Kabul but they may be required to travel to other regions. They will report to the Country Director. They will be one of a very small number of expatriates working in direct support of a large and highly proficient national staff team.

PLEASE NOTE THIS ROLE IS LOCATED IN AFGHANISTAN AND CANNOT BE CONDUCTED REMOTELY.

Responsibilities:

Donor Management

• Maintain a donor relations strategy and engagement plan, which documents values, negotiations and proposal possibilities with key (potential) donors.
• Act as primary point of contact for donor communication, particularly with in-country embassies. Maintain existing relationships and develop new ones.
• Write proposals and tenders to donors to attract additional funding and renew current funding and contracts. 
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key donors, including institutional donors such as FCDO, Norway, and the EU.
• Work closely with the International Finance Manager and Operations Manager to design project proposals meeting the programme’s needs.
• Track and analyse donor trends, ensuring timely and strategic engagement with new funding opportunities.
• Assist in the negotiation of contracts and funding agreements with donors.

Partnerships

• Oversee the identification and cultivation of partnerships with international and local stakeholders, including government agencies, INGOs, and private sector partners.
• Act as primary contact for existing partners and support the programme to maintain and monitor current partner projects.   
• Represent the organization in partnership-related forums and working groups to enhance visibility and influence.
• Find and analyse secondary data sources from the humanitarian sector in Afghanistan to illustrate the need for HALO’s work with partners and to increase support for demining, development, and stabilisation projects

Coordination and Leadership

• Manage the Donor Management team to ensure that proposals and reports are developed in a cohesive and professional manner and in line with donor requirements.  
• Support the MEAL Officer to develop components for proposals and tenders and support MEAL workshops for operations staff and impact assessment teams.
• Direct the Partnerships and Donor Management team in producing and disseminating case studies documenting the impact of HALO’s work.
• Mentor and supervise junior staff involved in partnership and fundraising efforts.
• Oversee tasking and coordination of proposals and bids across programme staff.

Monitoring and compliance  

• Ensure that donor compliance requirements are met, and reporting deadlines are adhered to. 
• Collaborate with the finance and programme teams to monitor budgets and ensure transparency in financial reporting to donors. 
•  Design comprehensive MEAL systems that track the progress, outcomes, and impact of projects. Ensure that these frameworks align with donor requirements and project objectives. 
•  Lead the development of tools and methodologies for data collection, ensuring that data are gathered consistently and accurately. Analyse collected data to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of project activities and to inform decision-making. 
•  Collaborate with programme teams to define relevant KPIs and benchmarks. Regularly assess progress against these indicators and ensure they reflect the goals of the project.

Strategic planning

• Lead the development of programme strategies for resource mobilization and partnership engagement.  
• Provide insight and analysis of the donor landscape, recommending adjustments to the organization’s approach to donor engagement.
• Design and implement new approaches to communicating and generating donor funding against the changing donor landscape in Afghanistan.

General:

• Uphold HALO’s core values and standards, promoting its ethos and mission statement
• Ensure familiarity with and adherence to all HALO policies and procedures, especially the code of conduct and safeguarding
• The successful candidate will be a senior member of international staff on programme. They will be expected to show initiative, lead others and set an example to more junior staff.

• Degree in International Relations, Development Studies, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Extensive experience in partnership development, donor relations, or fundraising within the international development or humanitarian sector.
• Proven experience in managing relationships with institutional donors (EU, UN, FCDO, etc.) and in developing winning proposals.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders including INGOs, donors, and local partners.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Strong project management and coordination abilities.
• Monitoring and evaluation skills, including log frame and survey design, data collection and analysis, and production of reports.
• Knowledge of international development and humanitarian sectors, including donor trends.
• Proven track record in writing successful proposals and managing multi-million-dollar grants.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks under tight deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong numeracy and IT skills and proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel.
• Good cultural awareness, able to adapt to different workplace cultures.
• A practical and adaptable person and willing to live in close proximity to others in a challenging security environment.

Physical requirements for the role:

• Candidate must be willing to live in a restricted environment.  

Travel Requirements

• This role will be based in Kabul with occasional travel to other regions of Afghanistan. The role will also require travel to donor embassies or capital cities outside the country.  

• Monthly living overseas allowance (LOA)

• Free accommodation
• 49 days annual leave per year, increasing to 56 days after 2 years’ service.
• Three economy return flights to the member’s official home address
• Private medical health insurance
• Insurance package: life assurance and emergency medical insurance, including evacuation and repatriation.

To Apply:

Please submit a CV (no more than 2 pages) and a cover letter (no more than 1 page) outlining how your experience matches the key skills and competencies required by 3/08/2026.

Applications without a cover letter tailored to this position will not be considered.

We reserve the right to amend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.

The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

The HALO Trust is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining talented individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

The HALO Trust is committed to ensuring that it provides a safe and trusted environment which safeguards and promotes the welfare and wellbeing of anyone who comes into contact with, or is part of, the Charity, with a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours which challenge this.