Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

The International Crane Foundation (ICF) is a global conservation organization working toward a world where cranes, people, and our natural heritage thrive together. Cranes are among the most threatened families of birds worldwide, and with their deep cultural significance, ecological sensitivity, and close coexistence with people, they serve as powerful flagships, indicators, and ambassadors for land and water conservation across five continents.

In Africa, ICF works throughout sub‑Saharan Africa to secure wild populations of four threatened crane species: Wattled, Blue, Grey Crowned, and Black Crowned Cranes. We are committed to cross‑cultural collaboration that both strengthens local livelihoods and engages communities in conserving the landscapes they share with cranes. Our work combines targeted conservation actions to reduce threats to cranes and their habitats with strong partnerships spanning local, national, and global stakeholders.

ICF operates regional programmes in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda), Southern Africa (based in Zambia), across the Sahel and Sudan Savanna, and in South Africa through a partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust.

Position Summary:

The Grants Officer,Africa supports the mission of the International Crane Foundation (ICF) by leading on four core objectives for ICF’s Africa Programme: identification of new funding streams and grant sources, proposal writing, working closely with project staff in identifying and developing approaches and proposals for in-country funding, and end-to-end coordination of proposal development and performance reporting. The incumbent engages deeply with the Vice President International-Director Africa and Regional/Country Directors, and collaborates closely with the President & CEO, the Development, and the Finance teams.

Responsibilities or duties

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Grant Sourcing - Drive proactive identification of new funding opportunities for the Africa Programme, spanning Official Development Assistance, grants, trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, impact investment, and other innovative financing mechanisms. Using smart fund identification and sourcing intelligence tools, the position will build a diverse and forward‑looking funding pipeline, with a strong emphasis on opportunities beyond traditional conservation sectors.
• Grant writing - Lead the development of high‑quality grant proposals, working closely with programme leaders and senior technical staff to translate programmatic priorities and technical expertise into compelling, funder‑ready submissions.
• Grant management - Ensure timely proposal development, clear tracking of milestones, and regular reporting on outcomes and success rates.
• In-country fundraising - Work closely with project staff to identify in‑country funding opportunities (e.g., government programmes, bilateral and multilateral agencies, embassies, etc.) and craft well‑designed, fundable approaches. This includes supporting the development of country‑led concepts and proposals that align local priorities with donor expectations and strategic programme goals.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the President & CEO, the Development Team, Vice President International – Director Africa, and Africa Programme leadership to develop and implement a funding strategy that scales impact, diversifies funding sources, supports long‑term sustainability, and strengthens institutional capacity across ICF’s Africa Programmes.
• Oversee grant tracking, reporting, and documentation using fit‑for‑purpose tools to ensure deadlines are met and grantor requirements are consistently fulfilled.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Core Competencies:

• Strong sense of personal responsibility, professional ethics, respect and sensitivity for others, and ability to work as a constructive member of a team.
• Proven capacity to work independently and with minimal supervision on fundraising and donor management tasks.
• Confidence and cultural sensitivity to work with ICF’s Africa Programme staff and donor community in diverse settings.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, including the ability to draft correspondence and documents in a clear, concise, logical, and grammatically correct manner.
• Ability to manage financial information in a well-organized, logical, and clear manner with attention to detail.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a conservation-related field, demonstrating knowledge of a range of conservation topics, including climate change, agriculture, water resources, biodiversity, etc.
• Demonstrated experience writing successful grants to develop six-figure plus proposals, pitches and budgets involving diverse sources (multilateral, bilateral government, private sector, philanthropic, etc. sources).
• Excellent writing skills, accompanied by fluency in the more technical language of agency grants with the ability to write grants (including logframes) that meet the standards and expectations of those agencies and convey language that clearly fits with their priorities.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using essential office software (MS Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat); proficiency in accounting and financial tracking software (e.g., SAP Concur) would be an advantage.

Preferred Qualifications:

• International experience and strong understanding of the Africa programmes context, including a strong understanding of the global and African regional donor landscapes for biodiversity conservation and related environmental and sustainable development fields.
• Experience using project and financial management systems.
• An understanding of the effective and responsible use of AI and other tools to support grant sourcing, proposal development, and grants management.

Experience needed

Demonstrated experience writing successful grants to develop six-figure plus proposals, pitches and budgets involving diverse sources (multilateral, bilateral government, private sector, philanthropic, etc. sources).

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

Work environment and physical abilities:

The candidate may work from home or base at one of our regional offices in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, or Zambia. The candidate can also be based remotely in the USA, or based at our Headquarters in Wisconsin, USA. If a home office is to be used, the office must have a clearly defined area that provides for a quiet, uninterrupted working space, with strong, reliable Wi-Fi and cell phone connectivity, and reasonable access to an international airport.

The physical abilities described below are necessary for the employee to perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to operate a computer and phones.
• Ability to communicate with a wide diversity of audiences, including staff, Directors, partners, donors, and governments, including one-on-one communications and small and large group meetings.
• Ability to regularly work non-traditional hours (early in the day or into the evening) to collaborate with staff in other global time zones and to meet deadlines. ICF believes in a work-life balance that offsets an irregular schedule.
• Ability to travel regionally and internationally, visiting donors located in Africa, travel to the ICF headquarters in Baraboo, and other regions as needed.
• Ability to work across multiple time zones.

• Grant Sourcing - Drive proactive identification of new funding opportunities for the Africa Programme, spanning Official Development Assistance, grants, trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, impact investment, and other innovative financing mechanisms. Using smart fund identification and sourcing intelligence tools, the position will build a diverse and forward‑looking funding pipeline, with a strong emphasis on opportunities beyond traditional conservation sectors.
• Grant writing - Lead the development of high‑quality grant proposals, working closely with programme leaders and senior technical staff to translate programmatic priorities and technical expertise into compelling, funder‑ready submissions.
• Grant management - Ensure timely proposal development, clear tracking of milestones, and regular reporting on outcomes and success rates.
• In-country fundraising - Work closely with project staff to identify in‑country funding opportunities (e.g., government programmes, bilateral and multilateral agencies, embassies, etc.) and craft well‑designed, fundable approaches. This includes supporting the development of country‑led concepts and proposals that align local priorities with donor expectations and strategic programme goals.
• Collaborate with the President & CEO, the Development Team, Vice President International – Director Africa, and Africa Programme leadership to develop and implement a funding strategy that scales impact, diversifies funding sources, supports long‑term sustainability, and strengthens institutional capacity across ICF’s Africa Programmes.
• Oversee grant tracking, reporting, and documentation using fit‑for‑purpose tools to ensure deadlines are met and grantor requirements are consistently fulfilled.

• Strong sense of personal responsibility, professional ethics, respect and sensitivity for others, and ability to work as a constructive member of a team.
• Proven capacity to work independently and with minimal supervision on fundraising and donor management tasks.
• Confidence and cultural sensitivity to work with ICF’s Africa Programme staff and donor community in diverse settings.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, including the ability to draft correspondence and documents in a clear, concise, logical, and grammatically correct manner.
• Ability to manage financial information in a well-organized, logical, and clear manner with attention to detail.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using essential office software (MS Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat).
• Proficiency in accounting and financial tracking software (e.g., SAP Concur) would be an advantage.
• International experience and strong understanding of the Africa programmes context, including a strong understanding of the global and African regional donor landscapes for biodiversity conservation and related environmental and sustainable development fields.
• Experience using project and financial management systems.
• An understanding of the effective and responsible use of AI and other tools to support grant sourcing, proposal development, and grants management.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a conservation-related field, demonstrating knowledge of a range of conservation topics, including climate change, agriculture, water resources, biodiversity, etc.
• Demonstrated experience writing successful grants to develop six-figure plus proposals, pitches and budgets involving diverse sources (multilateral, bilateral government, private sector, philanthropic, etc. sources).
• Excellent writing skills, accompanied by fluency in the more technical language of agency grants with the ability to write grants (including logframes) that meet the standards and expectations of those agencies and convey language that clearly fits with their priorities.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using essential office software (MS Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat).
• Proficiency in accounting and financial tracking software (e.g., SAP Concur) would be an advantage.
• International experience and strong understanding of the Africa programmes context, including a strong understanding of the global and African regional donor landscapes for biodiversity conservation and related environmental and sustainable development fields.
• Experience using project and financial management systems.
• An understanding of the effective and responsible use of AI and other tools to support grant sourcing, proposal development, and grants management.