Senior Funding Manager
UWS Nepal is a charity dedicated to improving educational opportunities for underprivileged children. We started operations in 2015 as a non-profit, the same year our country witnessed a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Post-earthquake UWS Nepal has constructed 636 earthquake-resistant classrooms across 321 communities, educating 20,690 students in our Sankhuwasabha, Gulmi, Bhojpur, Taplejung and Tanahun districts. We aim to provide quality education to all children, and to reach that goal; we work to improve educational opportunities for children living in marginalised communities and remote regions. Our education transformation philosophy is maintained by developing and introducing child-friendly pedagogies that allow for more significant innovation in the classroom and greater engagement between the in-class lessons and real life, parents-teacher relationship, and harmonised relationship between local government and local communities in a shared mission to ensure a future for children in the communities where we work. Our vision is Zero Education Poverty.
Details / requirements:
Shape the future with UWS: Senior Funding Manager
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Department: Fundraising (Global)
Contract: Full-time, permanent (renewable)
Reports To: Global Head of Programme Funding (Based in Kathmandu) Dotted line to UWS Nepal Country Director (based in Kathmandu)
Working hours: 40 hours per week
Salary: Competitive, based on experience
Benefits:
As per the Labour Act
Medical and health insurance
Apply by: 6th June 2025
Interviews: First round - week commencing 16th June 2025
About UWS
UWS is an international nonprofit working to end education poverty. With a historical reach of working with 70,000 children in 320 communities, UWS today educates 25,000 children in 180 schools and is scaling our impact through bold partnerships with governments to strengthen public education systems.
We’re entering an exciting new phase - and we’re looking for a strategic, dynamic fundraiser to help drive it forward.
The Role
As Senior Funding Manager—Nepal, you will shape and drive the delivery of UWS Nepal’s fundraising strategy, mobilising support from local philanthropists, institutional donors, foundations, and global partners. You’ll play a key role in localising our fundraising approach, ensuring it is grounded in the national context while aligned with UWS’ global ambitions. As an integral part of the global Programme Funding team, you’ll also contribute to fundraising efforts across all UWS countries of operation, helping to power our mission worldwide.
This is a pivotal role with both local and global influence. You will be matrix-managed by the Global Head of Programme Funding (based in Kathmandu) and the UWS Nepal Country Director. This is a rare opportunity to shape a new function and play a leadership role in UWS’ next chapter - scaling our impact and ensuring every child can access a quality education.
Key Tasks and Responsibilities
Fundraising and Proposal development (65%)
Lead the development and delivery of UWS Nepal’s fundraising strategy, securing support from a range of in-country and international donors, including trusts, foundations, institutional funders, corporate partners, and local philanthropists.
Lead the strategic design and delivery of high-quality, competitive grant proposals that align with UWS’ programmatic priorities and maximise positioning with institutional donors.
Monitor global funding trends and proactively identify relevant opportunities, advising internal stakeholders and coordinating informed go/no-go decisions.
Oversee the full lifecycle of proposal development- from opportunity identification to submission- in close collaboration with global and country teams across programmes, MEAL, and finance.
Facilitate high-quality project design processes, ensuring the integration of clear theories of change, logical frameworks, robust budgets, and strong narrative content aligned with donor requirements in collaboration with MEAL and programme teams.
Produce compelling concept notes, outreach materials, and tailored proposals that speak to the priorities of diverse funders.
Guide budget development in partnership with finance colleagues, ensuring donor compliance and strategic cost recovery, and engage key stakeholders throughout the process.
Where relevant, lead engagement with consortium partners and other NGOs to develop collaborative, strategic funding bids.
Drive knowledge sharing and best practice dissemination across the global fundraising team to strengthen UWS’ overall fundraising capacity.
Oversee and coordinate complex donor due diligence processes in collaboration with relevant functions.
Achieve financial KPIs and targets.
2. Pipeline development and Donor Engagement (25%)
Lead comprehensive analyses of the funding landscape to identify and assess opportunities aligned with UWS’ educational delivery model
Maintain up-to-date intelligence on donor priorities, funding mechanisms, and strategic interests to inform organisational positioning.
Develop and manage detailed donor intelligence tools, including briefing notes and cultivation plans, to support targeted engagement strategies.
Provide strategic insights to senior leadership to inform decision-making and donor interactions.
Foster regular and strategic dialogue with programme colleagues to identify and cultivate key external relationships.
Support the identification and development of strategic partnerships and consortia that align with UWS’s mission and funding strategy.
Collaborate with country teams and senior staff to design and implement proactive donor engagement plans.
Ensure donor engagement plans are aligned with organisational priorities and effectively executed to maximise funding opportunities.
Serve as a senior representative and point of contact for key global donors.
Lead efforts in donor positioning, stewardship, and the cultivation of multi-year funding relationships pertinent to both Nepal and global initiatives.
Work closely with the Country Director and senior staff to identify opportunities for local collaboration and strategic partnership development.
Represent UWS Nepal and UWS Global at donor meetings, events, and sectoral forums, positioning the organisation for new funding and partnership opportunities.
3. Tool development and capacity building (10%)
Support the Global Head of Programme Funding in strengthening and embedding systems and processes for high-quality project design, proposal development, and internal knowledge sharing.
Provide strategic input to the wider fundraising team to enhance the quality and competitiveness of proposals aimed at securing large gifts from institutional donors and foundations.
Coordinate the post-award set-up of newly secured grants, working closely with programme and MEAL teams to ensure a smooth transition from acquisition to delivery.
Ensure donor compliance requirements are clearly communicated, understood, and integrated by relevant leads through collaborative handover processes, especially for large or complex grants.
Other responsibilities
Provide technical leadership and strategic input to colleagues in-country (and across the global team) involved in fundraising, programme design, and donor engagement - sharing best practices and supporting complex funding development.
Represent UWS at senior-level donor meetings, sectoral working groups, or funding forums where relevant, in coordination with the Global Head of Programme Funding.
Act as a key link between the global fundraising team and UWS Nepal, contributing to global fundraising planning while driving national implementation.
Collaborate with senior colleagues across functions and geographies to align efforts and ensure a joined-up approach to fundraising.
Please note, this is not an exhaustive list, and other duties may be required in agreement with your line manager.
Candidate Specification
You’re an experienced fundraiser and relationship builder with a proven track record of securing donor support and leading strategic engagement. You’re confident in developing high-quality funding proposals, adept at managing donor relationships, and able to craft compelling, context-driven cases for support that connect programme needs with donor priorities. Experience working in international development, particularly education-focused programmes, is highly desirable.
You’re proactive, collaborative, and eager to contribute to a growing organisation with global ambitions and a firm commitment to the localisation agenda.
Every individual at UWS needs to:
Be committed to the UWS vision, mission and values and apply them in their daily behaviour and work.
Be committed to undertaking UWS’s safeguarding training and adhering to relevant policies, to ensure everyone who come to contact with UWS are as safe as possible.
Experience, Knowledge and Competencies
Essential
Experience working in a programme funding role and building and maintaining a pipeline
Proven track record of leading successful £200k+ grant proposals
Experience working with diverse and international teams
Understanding and experience of international development programmes, tools and approaches.
Deep understanding of the programme cycle and process for securing high-value grant funding
Proficiency in IT packages and grant management systems
Highly organised and resilient
Exceptional English writing skills, with the ability to tailor complex technical content into a compelling and accessible case for support for different audiences
Excellent attention to detail
Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders
High-quality research and analytical skills
Ability to build, understand and work with complex budgets.
Ability to organise own work, and to manage time and resources effectively.
Desirable
Experience in developing proposals for major grant-making donors such as the EU, FCDO, USAID, or large foundations.
Experience in developing proposals for development programmes on the theme of education
Prior knowledge of the funding policies and strategies of key grant-making donors in relevant countries
Experience in remote project management, with the ability to work effectively across cultures and geographies
Proficient in the development and use of theories of change and logical frameworks.
Apply Now
Send your CV and a cover letter (max. 2 pages) outlining your suitability to info.nepal@uwsglobal.net. Additionally, please include your salary expectations and the names, positions, organisations, and telephone contact details of two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer. References will only be taken with your express permission.
UWS is committed to the safeguarding of children, and ensuring we recruit safely is central to this commitment. All applicants will be required to undertake a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service check or country-equivalent background check) as a condition of employment.
UWS is an equal opportunity employer and commits to treating all applicants fairly. We actively promote diversity and inclusion and encourage applications from under-represented groups. We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
All successful candidates must satisfactorily complete a 3-month probation period.