Operations

Donor Relationship Officer At Medecins Sans Frontieres (msf)

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)·Nairobi, kenya·Full Time·Internship
OperationsFull TimeInternship
-Closes Oct 15, 2026

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.

Key skills

BA/BSc/HND

At a glance

Company

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

Location

Nairobi, kenya

Employment

Full Time

Experience

Valid until

October 15, 2026

Created

October 1, 2026