Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships

The Asia Foundation • Manila,

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Asia Foundation is seeking a dynamic and experienced international development professional for the role of Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships. This person will play a leadership role in strategic positioning, business development, and fundraising efforts across a portfolio of country programs. Reporting to the Director, Strategic Partnerships, and in close collaboration with Country Representatives, this role will drive pipeline development, donor positioning, partnership cultivation, and high-quality proposal development that advance the Foundation’s regional priorities. The Associate Director will preferably be based in Asia or the Pacific, with occasional travel throughout the region, as well as Australia and the U.S. This person will manage complex proposal development efforts, including design of high-impact programs, coordination of cross-functional teams, and aligning strategies of multiple country offices. The Associate Director will also provide strategic guidance on funding opportunities, oversee proposal quality and compliance, negotiate partnerships, and contribute to regional business development planning.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in relevant field.
• At least 8 years of experience in proposal development.
• Demonstrated success in leading proposal development teams.
• Willingness to travel as required.
• Knowledge of the Foundation’s major donors, including key success factors for each donor.
• Knowledge of strategic positioning for funding opportunities, including negotiating with prospective partners, attracting key personnel, identifying design priorities, and preparing for anticipated opportunities.
• At least 10 years of experience in international development, including knowledge of the countries where the Foundation works, and program sectors and approaches regularly used by the Foundation.
• Goal-oriented with a strong track record of meeting and exceeding targets.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational, writing, and budgeting skills.
• Proven ability to lead and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust with high-level donors.

Nice To Haves

• Extensive experience in proposal development for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the proposal development process for 5-7 countries
• Co-manage overall proposal process for 5-7 country offices, in cooperation with relevant Country Representatives.
• Directly lead major proposal development efforts, particularly for high-priority and complex opportunities.
• Manage proposal teams, timelines, and deliverables across multiple opportunities.
• Ensure relevant internal units provide inputs and guidance to maximize proposal quality.
• Ensure timely submission of proposals (including final review and packaging) that meet highest quality standards and respond to donor requirements.
• Contact and negotiate with partner organizations for upcoming proposals.
• Support pipeline development and drive proactive pre-positioning for anticipated public sector funding opportunities in 5-7 countries
• Regularly engage with Country Representatives to discuss proposal pipeline.
• Support pipeline tracking and prioritization for assigned countries.
• Coordinate with colleagues and outreach to donors and implementing partners to collect information on future opportunities.
• Lead capture planning for assigned opportunities, including positioning, partner mapping, and staffing. This can include leading efforts to identify key personnel for anticipated funding opportunities.
• Negotiate with prospective partner organizations for upcoming proposals.
• Provide analysis and recommendations for go/no-go decisions, including review of opportunity announcements.
• Build staff capacity in proposal development (as needed)
• Develop staff capacity, through direct mentorship and advice.
• Supervise junior and mid-level colleagues during joint missions, with a focus on professional development.
• Conduct regular check-ins with mentees to track progress and identify additional areas for capacity building and support.
• Quality Assurance and Learning
• Lead day-to-day quality assurance processes across proposals.
• Maintain tools, templates, and workflows that improve efficiency and compliance.
• Ensure coordination across technical, cost, and partnership inputs.
• Lead proposal debriefs and capture lessons learned.
• Analyze win/loss trends and recommend improvements.
• Support development of best practices and institutional learning tools.
• Provide inputs into regional BD strategy.

Benefits

• Compensation and benefits will vary by location and will be determined in accordance with the policies, salary structure, and benefit programs applicable to the employing office.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level