The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
Background
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
With a head office in Kyiv and several field and satellite offices, IRC takes a comprehensive approach to create sustainable, long-term impact—addressing immediate needs while building resilient systems and communities for the future. As the funding landscape in Ukraine evolves, transitioning from emergency response to recovery and development, IRC is seeking a Senior Donor Engagement and Business Development (BD) Coordinator to drive fundraising efforts, donor relations, and proposal development. The role will play a key part in securing funding across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus and advancing localization priorities.
Job Overview
The Senior Donor Engagement and BD Coordinator will support the CD and DDP in donor engagement, shaping and implementing the Ukraine BD Strategy, and strengthening internal processes to secure funding for emergency, recovery, and development programming. The role will work closely with program, finance, and operational teams, as well as IRC’s regional and global BD teams, ensuring that IRC Ukraine remains competitive in a changing funding environment. Additionally, this position will play a key role in supporting program integration and cross-sectoral BD quality aspects, streamlining well-integrated quality offerings, by leading on the design elements from the BD perspective. The role is expected to lead the facilitation of the BD cycle within the country, covering Capture & Positioning (Pre-RFP/Pre-Solicitation Phase), Donor & Stakeholder Engagement, Business Development & Proposal Planning (Solicitation Phase), and Proposal Development & Submission.
Key Responsibilities
1. Facilitate Donor Engagement and Strategic Positioning
• Support the CD and DDP in building and maintaining relationships with institutional donors, development agencies, foundations, and private sector partners.
• Track donor priorities, funding trends, and opportunities, ensuring IRC’s strategy aligns with both humanitarian and development financing opportunities.
• Represent IRC in donor meetings, funding discussions, and key external engagements.
• Work with program teams to align proposals with donor expectations, particularly in the areas of localization, economic recovery, and NEXUS funding.
• Coordinate closely with the Senior Partnerships Coordinator and the wider partnership team to integrate localization strategies into BD efforts.
2. Lead and Facilitate the Business Development Cycle
• Ensure a structured and well-coordinated BD process, facilitating the full BD cycle from Capture & Positioning to Proposal Development & Submission.
• Drive Capture & Positioning efforts by analyzing donor trends, funding landscapes, and competitor positioning to ensure strategic pre-positioning.
• Facilitate business development and proposal planning efforts, ensuring proposals are competitive and align with donor priorities.
• Oversee proposal development and submission, ensuring quality, compliance, and timely delivery.
3. Develop and Facilitate Implementation of the Ukraine Business Development Strategy
• Refine and execute the Ukraine BD Strategy to align with evolving donor priorities and the transition from humanitarian aid to development financing.
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities with both humanitarian and development donors, including ECHO, USAID, World Bank, EU, FCDO, and bilateral agencies.
• Provide analysis on the funding landscape, advising leadership on risks and opportunities for long-term sustainability.
4. Strengthen BD Processes and Drive Proposal Development
• Lead the development of high-quality concept notes, proposals, and donor reports.
• Coordinate closely with programs, finance, and grants teams to ensure strong internal collaboration and timely submissions.
• Manage proposal calendars, ensuring clear roles and responsibilities.
• Support the grants team in post-award engagement, ensuring compliance and strong donor relationships.
5. Build Cross-Functional Collaboration for Fundraising
• Act as a bridge between BD, program, finance, and operational teams to ensure cohesive and competitive funding proposals.
• Provide guidance and training to program staff on BD processes and donor engagement strategies.
· Ensure cross-sectoral program integration and quality BD design to support well-aligned, impactful proposals.
• Work closely with the Senior Partnerships Coordinator and wider partnership teams to integrate localization and partner-led funding opportunities into BD efforts.
6. Strengthen Internal BD Capacity
• Mentor and train key team members on BD best practices.
• Enhance internal knowledge of donor priorities, ensuring proactive engagement in funding pursuits.
• Leverage expertise from IRC’s HQ and regional BD teams for proposal development.
7. Position IRC for Future Growth and Sustainability
• Identify and cultivate relationships with new donors and funding sources, including those focused on Ukraine’s economic recovery and institutional strengthening.
• Develop innovative approaches to diversify funding streams, including private sector and philanthropic partnerships.
• Support the transition toward a more locally led funding model, ensuring alignment with localization and national capacity-strengthening objectives.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential:
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in international development, Political Science, Business, or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in business development, fundraising, or donor engagement within the humanitarian or development sector.
• Strong understanding of institutional donor funding (ECHO, USAID/BHA, FCDO, UN agencies, World Bank, EU development funds, etc.).
• Proven track record in leading successful proposal development efforts.
• Excellent relationship-building skills with donors, partners, and internal teams.
• Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• Experience working in complex humanitarian and development settings.
Desirable:
• Experience working in Ukraine or Eastern Europe.
• Knowledge of local donor landscape and funding mechanisms, including development financing.
• Fluency in Ukrainian or Russian is an asset.
Key Working Relationships
• Internal: Works closely with the CD, DDP, Grants and Partnerships Coordinator, Senior Partnerships Coordinator, Technical Coordinators, Finance and Operations teams, and IRC’s regional/global BD teams.
• External: Engages with institutional donors, private sector partners, and key funding agencies.
Working Environment
This position is based in Kyiv, Ukraine, with travel to field locations as required.
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit their CV and cover letter outlining their experience and suitability for the role.
**Standard of Professional Conduct:**The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.