Senior Manager: Strategic partnerships, Resourcing & MEL

Hashtag Nonprofit NPC; Pietermaritzburg; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A nonprofit organization is seeking a Senior Manager for Strategic Partnerships, Resourcing & MEL in Pietermaritzburg. This role involves driving fundraising strategies, managing donor relationships, and overseeing monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Ideal candidates should have at least five years of relevant experience, particularly in fundraising and project management, as well as a post-graduate degree in a related field. Applicants must be proactive and capable of working collaboratively within teams focused on social impact.

Qualifications

• Five years of relevant experience in a supervisory or management role.
• Knowledge and practical experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning.
• Strong relationship-building skills with donors, partners and government stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead fundraising strategy and identify new funding opportunities.
• Oversee SaveAct’s MEL framework for scale.
• Manage relationships with strategic partners and stakeholders.

Skills

Fundraising

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

Strategic Partnerships

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Post-graduate degree in a relevant field

Tools

MS Office

Cloud-based systems

Job description

Senior Manager: Strategic partnerships, Resourcing & MEL at SaveAct

Deadline: 12 January 2026

Region: Pietermaritzburg, KZN

Type of employment: Full time

Job Description

Are you interested in a senior role in managing an expanding innovative programme that brings agency to women and youth? Come and work for SaveAct!

Location

The candidate should ideally be Pietermaritzburg-based or be willing to spend extended periods there.

Contract

Full or close to full time, one-year contract with probable extension.

Purpose of this role

To drive SaveAct’s strategic fundraising, donor development, MEL oversight and high-level strategic partnership management, helping to position the organisation for scale.

Background

SaveAct is building a multi-stakeholder, partner-driven programme for southern Africa. It has been tested and refined over 20 years. Our approach has proven impact in providing opportunities for women and youth to advance their wellbeing, agency and livelihoods. There is high demand for our savings methodology especially from rural women. Our programme involves a combination of financial literacy, life pathway development, agroecology and micro-enterprise development. Over 115 000 members contribute R650m (USD36m) pa towards investment in livelihoods and the social security of their families. 92% are women. SaveAct has the goal of scaling its programme with partners to reach two million women over 10 years, equipping them with the tools to develop their livelihoods and acquire resilience to climate shocks.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Fundraising & Donor Development
• Lead SaveAct’s fundraising strategy and pipeline development aligned with the scale vision
• Identify new funding opportunities and cultivate relationships with donors, foundations, corporate funders and government partners
• Coordinate and lead the writing, budgeting and submission of high-quality funding proposals
• Oversee donor stewardship, reporting cycles and grant compliance
• Work with the ED and finance team to ensure financial sustainability and multi-year resourcing.
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)
• Oversee SaveAct’s MEL framework and support its evolution for scale
• Manage or commission evaluations, research, and evidence-building initiatives
• Strengthen data systems and processes to support programme performance, partner quality and reporting
• Support the organisation to embed learning into programme design and decision-making.
• Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Building
• Manage relationships with strategic partners, donors and national ecosystem actorsSupport the ED and management team in shaping SaveAct’s partner-led scale model, including new partnerships and collaborative initiatives
• Draft scopes of work and oversee contracting processes for partners and evaluators
• Represent SaveAct in high-level meetings, forums and sector engagements.
• Organisational Strategy & Leadership
• Work closely with the ED and management team to translate strategic goals into actionable steps
• Contribute to annual planning, performance management and cross-organisational coordination
• Support programme teams with high-level planning, resource alignment and partner engagement
• Strengthen internal systems for fundraising, donor reporting and MEL
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative culture that supports staff and partners to thrive.

Qualifications And Requirements

• Five years of relevant experience, including supervisory or management experience
• A post-graduate degree in a relevant field
• Demonstrated experience in fundraising, including proposal development, budgeting and donor engagement
• Knowledge and practical experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning, including commissioning or managing evaluations
• Experience working with NGOs or multi-stakeholder partners
• Strong planning and analytical skills
• Excellent presentation, writing and communication abilities
• Strong relationship-building skills with donors, partners and government stakeholders
• Ability to think critically and innovatively, work reflectively, and contribute constructively to an experienced team
• Proficiency in MS Office, cloud-based systems, and visual presentation of ideas.

How to apply

Please submit a short letter of motivation, CV and contactable references to [e-mail] . The closing date for applications is 12th January 2026.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. SaveAct reserves the right not to make an appointment.

Date posted: 11 December 2025