Donor Relationship Officer supporting donor acquisition, engagement and stewardship with a focus on Islamic philanthropy and managing a personal portfolio of high-value donors, requiring a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, International Relations or Islamic Studies, strong knowledge of Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf and minimum 2 years fundraising or donor relations experience, in an NGO humanitarian environment, on-site role.
Tasks
& Responsibilities
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.
Qualifications
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.
The vacancy closing date is: 14th
October 2026.
