Business Development Manager

Focus of the Role

Generation Global is the Institute’s global citizenship education programme. It enables young people to embrace the future, equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to become active, global and open-minded citizens. Generation Global was established in 2009 and has worked in over 30 countries in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Europe and the Americas, teaching dialogue skills to teachers and students, and facilitating meaningful global encounters between young people aged 13 to 17. Over 550,000 students and 14,000 teachers have been trained globally and our resources are recognised as good practice by global organisations including UNESCO and Brookings Institution.  The programme has a pipeline of exciting new initiatives including a new SDG Dialogie Series which will support young people in learning about the Sustainable Development Goals.

The initiative is at a pivotal time of its trajectory. We are delivering a major programme for USAID and have recently secured an anchor funder for the programme. However, we are now focussed on ensuring the programme’s long-term sustainability with a more diverse funding base. We are seeking a creative, entrepreneurial and dynamic fundraiser to support the team achieving this aim.

Job Introduction

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for identifying and expertly stewarding funding partnerships that will secure the future growth and sustainability of Generation Global. This is a new position within the fundraising team that requires someone seeking to take a central role to help address this singular challenge by shaping the work to ensure its fundability.

Situated within the Fundraising and Donor Relations team but working closely with the Director of Generation Global, you will build on a network of systems and resources within the fundraising team to drive forward the business development cycle, from identifying new prospects and cultivating relationships, through to working with colleagues to design and develop funding proposals and pitches, as well as stewarding partnerships through the contracting phase, reporting and grant renewal or completion. 

You will work to ensure that delivery of this programme is in line with the Institute’s objectives and engagements across its income streams and partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

• Working with the  wider fundraising team and Director of Generation Global to identify, generate and manage new funding partnerships to expand the reach and impact of the programme, in line with the business plan
• Lead the development and submission of bids, including managing inputs from technical teams, and building budgets
• Contribute to the strengthening of business development processes and tools, and utilise existing and new networks to stay up to date with latest trends in the international fundraising space
• In line with Institute practices and engagements, build and steward positive relations with funding partners to develop relationships that are dynamic, engaged and meaningful
• Represent Generation Global in a range of fora e.g. network events, especially where it may produce business development opportunities and partnerships
• Working with Generation Global colleagues to raise the profile of the programme and shape the programme to improve its fundability
• Support the team to effectively represent the programme externally at events, preparing talking points and key messages as needed
• Ensure business development records and data are up to date and synced into the central CRM database and reported on as appropriate
• In line with Institute practices, work with the Director of Philanthropy & Business Development and Development Operations Manager to set and monitor metrics to assess progress against targets
• Manage contractor/ external agency/ team members, where required, to develop and implement business development opportunities
• Work together with the Institute’s fundraising and donor relations team to be aware and sensitive to existing funding relationships or those already being cultivated by the Institute
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, project systems and processes, including those related to safeguarding, security and legal matters

Person Specification

• Minimum three years experience working on business development or fundraising  
• Good understanding of approaches to identifying, cultivating, securing and managing business development partnerships
• Familiarity with key clients and funders, including bilateral government donors, major grant-giving philanthropic foundations, corporate donors or high net worth individuals
• Understanding and experience of the global education sector and funding opportunities within that exist within the sector, desirable
• A self-starter who is comfortable in a team environment, able to think strategically and produce and implement business plans, with attention to detail, analysis and according to targets and timeframes
• Advanced understanding of developing and managing proposal budgets and expenditure
• Outstanding interpersonal and presentational skills; able to quickly establish Generation Global’s credibility with funding partners
• A proven ability to inspire, coach and develop others, including people from different backgrounds and cultures
• Proven expertise in programme management and people management at a global level and within not for profit sector
• A proactive, self motivated individual who is keen to learn, learn quickly and adapt in a fast moving context
• Fluency in English is essential and another language, is desirable

About The Institute

The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) is a mission-driven not for profit organisation. We exist to equip political leaders and governments to build open, inclusive and prosperous societies. We work hard, every day, to make a difference. When governments work well they are able to create economic and social change in a way that promotes fairness, social justice and opportunity. We work relentlessly to support leader and governments with the challenges they face. Giving them practical solutions and actionable insights, that once implemented, can be transformative for their people  

We do this within two connected divisions: 

 Government Advisory 

Our Advisory Practice works directly with political leaders and governments around the world to implement reforms that improve the lives of their citizens. It has both non-profit partners and a client base and its outputs cover a range of disciplines and projects across countries in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South Asia. We are currently in a rapid expansion phase from c. 18 countries at present, to 30 by December 2022.

 Policy Futures 

Our Policy Futures work encompasses three broad areas: 

• Renewing the Centre: developing a bold and innovative domestic policy programme to help renew the centre ground of British politics; 
• Tech and Public Policy: exploring the policy challenges and opportunities presented by the technological revolution; and 
• Extremism Policy Unit: creating solutions designed to tackle the threat of extremist ideologies in the UK and around the world. 

As an organisation, the core beliefs we all embrace are: 

• Open and Progressive: you’ll believe in the value of teamwork 
• Bold and Pragmatic: you’ll approach everything you do with integrity and authenticity 
• Optimistic Changemaker: you’ll be focused on results 

TBI believes embracing diversity and inclusion make us a better place to work.  It’s our goal to reflect everyone in society and we actively welcome applications from individuals and groups who are under-represented in the workplace. We celebrate difference be it ethnicity, religion, age, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or disability. We will only ever assess you on your abilities and fit for a role. We’re happy to discuss any adjustments you need to ensure a level playing field during recruitment and, if you\'re successful, discuss any adjustments you might need to thrive in your role.