Grants and Partnerships Lead

BURN is seeking a high-calibre Grants and Partnerships Lead to own and drive the company's end-to-end grants function — from opportunity identification and pipeline strategy through to proposal development, submission, and long-term funder stewardship. This is a senior individual contributor role reporting directly to the Director, and it sits at the intersection of impact storytelling, strategic positioning, and development finance.

BURN operates one of the most sophisticated grant pipelines in the clean cooking and energy access space in Africa. The portfolio spans GHG reduction, energy transition, climate adaptation, gender-responsive programming, and industrial development — with funders including GIZ, UNCDF, the World Bank, and a wide range of bilateral and multilateral windows. If you thrive on crafting winning proposals for major development institutions and building meaningful funder relationships, this role is built for you.

• Own and continuously develop BURN's grant pipeline across bilateral, multilateral, foundation, and climate finance windows.
• Conduct systematic horizon-scanning to identify new funding opportunities aligned to BURN's strategic priorities and programme portfolio.
• Assess funder fit, eligibility, and strategic alignment before committing proposal development resources.
• Maintain a structured capture process, tracking opportunities from identification through submission and award.
• Lead the writing, structuring, and quality assurance of grant proposals and concept notes across all programme areas.
• Translate BURN's technical operations, impact data, and strategic priorities into compelling, funder-appropriate narratives.
• Develop programme logframes, theories of change, results frameworks, and budgets in close collaboration with technical and finance teams.
• Manage proposal timelines and internal review processes to CEO sign-off, ensuring deadlines are met without compromising quality.
• Build and maintain relationships with programme officers and key contacts at priority funders.
• Represent BURN at donor engagements, pre-proposal meetings, and sector convenings as appropriate.
• Identify and leverage warm introduction pathways through BURN's partner network.
• Position BURN proactively with funders ahead of open windows, including through targeted expressions of interest and strategic communications.

• Must demonstrate at least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in grants writing, development finance, or partnerships within the NGO, INGO, or impact enterprise space.
• Must be able to write and structure compelling, technically rigorous grant proposals targeting bilateral and multilateral donors (e.g. GIZ, UNCDF, World Bank, EU, USAID).
• Must be able to independently develop logframes, theories of change, and results-based monitoring frameworks aligned to donor requirements.
• Must be able to manage complex, multi-stakeholder proposal processes — coordinating technical teams, finance, and senior leadership — while meeting hard deadlines.
• Must demonstrate experience building and maintaining relationships with programme officers at major development finance institutions and philanthropic foundations.
• Must be able to conduct funder landscape analysis and horizon-scanning, translating findings into actionable pipeline strategy.
• Must hold a Bachelor's degree (BA/BSc/HND) in a relevant discipline; a postgraduate qualification in international development, environmental studies, or a related field is an added advantage.
• Must be based in or able to work from Nairobi.

This role is benchmarked at the senior NGO/impact enterprise level. Estimated monthly compensation ranges between KES 250,000 – KES 400,000, commensurate with experience and track record. BURN offers a performance-oriented environment with opportunities for career growth as the grants function scales. Specific benefits are subject to confirmation at offer stage.

Ideal candidates are seasoned grants professionals with a proven track record of securing funding from major bilateral or multilateral donors, ideally within the energy access, climate, or clean cooking sectors. You are a sharp writer, a strategic thinker, and someone who takes genuine ownership of outcomes — not just outputs. You are comfortable working in a fast-paced, commercially minded environment where impact and revenue go hand in hand.

Do not apply if you have fewer than 5 years of hands-on grants writing experience, if your background is limited to domestic Kenya government grants, or if you require heavy supervision to manage complex proposal processes from start to finish.

Interested and qualified candidates should apply through BURN's official careers portal or the job platform where this vacancy was listed. Prepare an updated CV and a concise cover letter (no more than one page) clearly demonstrating your most relevant grants wins and the funders you have worked with. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. BURN does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process.