The Donor Relationship Officer is responsible for advancing the cultivation, donor acquisition, stewardship, and growth of donor relationships across the region, with a particular focus on Islamic philanthropy.

This position will be hierarchically and functionally accountable to the Donor Relationship Manager.

Donor Acquisition, Engagement & Stewardship 

• Support acquisition, donor engagement and stewardship for individual, corporate, foundations and major donors, with priority focus on Islamic philanthropy. 
• Build and manage a personal portfolio of high-value and prospective donors, supporting in development of tailored cultivation and stewardship plans for each. 
• Draft and oversee personalised donor communications, thank-you letters, impact reports, and stewardship materials. 
• Support in Planning and coordinating donor touchpoints, including one-on-one meetings, cultivation events, donor briefings, and field or site visits. 
• Track engagement outcomes and donor satisfaction and adjust stewardship approaches based on donor feedback and giving behaviour. 

Islamic Philanthropy Strategy & Partnerships 

• Contribute to the Implementation of MSF Eastern Africa's Islamic philanthropy strategy, including annual targets, priority segments, and channel plans. 
• Identify, map, and build lasting relationships with Islamic philanthropy networks, Zakat institutions, Waqf funds, mosques, and Muslim foundations relevant to MSF's work. 
• Support in designing and implementation of Ramadan- and Zakat-specific fundraising appeals and campaigns, working closely with Communications, and Programmes and fundraising teams. 
• Represent MSF in negotiations and support in management of partnerships related to Islamic charitable organizations, faith-based community groups, and diaspora networks. e.g. Somali diaspora 
• Ensuring all fundraising materials and messaging are culturally and theologically sensitive, accurate, and aligned with Islamic giving principles; act as the organisation's internal reference point on Islamic philanthropy practice. 
• Represent MSF at relevant faith-based, philanthropic, and community forums, strengthening MSF’s profile and credibility among Muslim donors, Islamic charitable organizations, Zakat institutions, and other Islamic philanthropy networks. 

Business Development & Revenue Growth 

• Identify and pursue new donor prospects and partnership opportunities to grow income against agreed annual targets. 
• Develop compelling funding proposals, concept notes, and pitch materials for individual donors, foundations, and institutions. 
• Contribute to the wider Fundraising team's income diversification and long-term donor pipeline planning. 

Research, Reporting & Compliance 

• Lead prospect research on Islamic philanthropic organisations and high-net-worth Muslim donors across Eastern Africa. 
• Maintain accurate, complete, and up-to-date donor records and activity in the CRM system and ensure data quality across the donor portfolio. 
• Prepare regular briefing notes, performance reports, and presentations for senior management and the Fundraising team. 
• Ensure all donor engagement and gift acceptance activity complies with MSF policy, relevant due diligence requirements, and applicable regulations. 

Team & Organisational Contribution 

• Support the professional development of interns or junior team members contributing to Islamic philanthropy and donor relations work. 
• Collaborate closely with Communications, Programmes, and Finance to ensure donor-facing materials accurately reflect MSF's operations and impact. 
• Contribute to broader Fundraising team strategy, planning, and continuous improvement initiatives. 
• Representing MSF EA in different platforms with the MSF movement when advised to 

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Integrate EDI & Safeguarding aspects in area of work responsibility, including policies and practices. 
• Recognize, respond, and document any form of abuse or inappropriate behaviour and alert the safeguarding unit of any suspected potential abuse. 
• Proactively participate in the individual performance management process including objective setting, performance monitoring and performance evaluation. 
• Embed duty of care principles into all initiatives, CRM administration, and staff relations.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Development Studies, International Relations, Communications, Islamic Studies, Business Administration, or a related field
• Strong, demonstrable knowledge of Islamic philanthropy mechanisms- including Zakat, Sadaqah, and Waqf; and of faith-aligned giving practices is a core requirement of this role.

Experience

• A minimum of 2 years' professional experience in fundraising, donor relations, business development, or partnership management, ideally within an international NGO or humanitarian context.
• Experience with reporting and donor management tools like CRM, Mailchimp is preferred. 

Competencies

• Technical Competencies
• • Proven track record of building major donor relationships and securing or growing philanthropic income.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Arabic proficiency is a strong asset.
  • High level of cultural and theological sensitivity, with the ability to engage respectfully and credibly across diverse faith communities.
  • Strong stakeholder networking, negotiation, and presentation skills, with confidence engaging senior donors and institutional partners.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Excellent organisational skills, sound judgement, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines with a high degree of autonomy.
• Behavioral/General Competencies
• • Commitment to MSF principles
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Planning and Organizing
  • Results and Quality Orientation
  • Teamwork and Cooperation
  • Initiative and Innovation
  • Networking and Building Relationships
  • Service Orientation
  • Ethics: High ethical standards and a commitment to protecting the data of individuals and furthering MSF mandate.

• Job Location: MSF Eastern Africa office in Nairobi (Kenya).
• Contract: 1-year renewable Full-time contract.
• Start date: As Soon As Possible.
• Salary: An annual salary of EUR 23,296 at HQ Grade 7 based on a full-time appointment with an annual increment of 2% every year up to a maximum of 10 years.
• Work-life balance financial benefit; ranging between EUR 247 to 295/monthbased on individual & administrative status. This amount may be used to cover accommodation and utilities, transportation, etc.
• Other benefits include; 25 days of annual leave, Employer Pension contribution and medical insurance cover (staff and family) based on MSF EA terms/conditions.

• The vacancy closing date is: 14th October 2026.
• This vacancy is open to Local Applicants (Kenyan residents with valid authorization to work).
• By applying to this position, the applicant confirms they have read, understood and agreed to fully comply with MSF Charter and MSF Behavioral Commitments and Data Privacy Policy.
• In line with MSF’s Safeguarding Principles, successful candidates undergo a rigorous vetting process that includes background checks and self-declaration.
• Applicants are required to submit a single PDF document containing a Letter of Motivation and a Curriculum Vitae (CV) (in English). Please note that applications submitted without a Letter of Motivation will not be considered.

If you have any questions regarding your application, please contact [email protected] before the vacancy closing date. Kindly use this email only for technical issues related to your application, for example, if you do not receive an automated response or encounter problems uploading documents. Applications sent directly to this email will not be considered.