About the Organisation

Womankind Worldwide is a global women’s rights organisation working in partnership with women’s rights movements and organisations to transform the lives of women and girls. We strengthen and support women’s movements in our focus countries in Africa and Asia, and take collective action at regional and global levels, to ensure women’s voices are heard, their rights are realised, and their lives are free from violence.

Currently, Womankind has staff based in Kenya and the UK; and this position can be located in Kenya or the UK. 

Who we are looking for

You will have a collaborative and hands on mindset and commitment to feminism, anti-racism and social justice. You will be joining a dedicated team of people who care deeply about the difference we are able to make, working with women’s movements across the world. You will find more information about Womankind on our website (www.womankind.org.uk).

In this role and working as part of the wider Policy, Programmes and Learning team, you will contribute to the successful delivery of Womankind’s Influencing Strategy in collaboration with the Policy and Advocacy team. The influencing strategy is anchored on the organisation’s ground-breaking and exciting 2030 Strategy- Our Feminist Future.

This is a fixed-term global position. Applicants must have the right to live and work in Kenya or the UK, we are unable to provide Visa Sponsorship. The Her Voice Fund Manager will work on a hybrid virtual with teams located in UK and Kenya as well as supporting grantees in all Womankind focus countries. You will be joining a dedicated team of people who care deeply about the difference we are able to make, working with women’s movements across the world. You will find more information about Womankind on our website.

Role Purpose

To lead and manage grant-making process, program management and support Donor Advocacy aimed at increasing quality funding to women's rights organisations, activists, and feminist movements especially those in the Global South. Additionally, you will lead the fund’s learning and research efforts to enhance Her Voice Fund’s impact and inform effective advocacy strategies and contribute to organisation-wide strategy and learning around grant-making.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Grant Making:

• Design and manage the grant-making process, ensuring adherence to feminist best practices of flexible funding to support policy and advocacy work.

• Review and evaluate grant applications, assessing their alignment with the fund's objectives and priorities and Womankind’s overall grantmaking strategy and approach.

• Conduct due diligence alongside Womankind’s Finance and Resources team on informal groups applicants shortlisted to be recipients of the funds to ensure they are aligned with our criteria for funding informal groups.

• Collaborate with the Policy team to select eligible applicants for funding.

• Draft Partnership Agreements for selected Funds recipients and collaborate with Finance and Resources Team on timely transfer of Funds.

• Work closely with partners and informal groups receiving funding to understand and support them in line with the support they need from Womankind.

2. Donor Advocacy:

• Drawing from HVF grantees and wider feminist movements, develop compelling narratives and evidence-based research that demonstrate the importance of quality funding for WROs and Feminist Movements and the role of quality funding in strengthening the Feminist voices and transformative agenda.

• Work closely with the Policy and Advocacy and Fundraising & Marketing teams in engagement with donors and effective donor advocacy.

• Work closely with the Fundraising & Marketing team to cultivate relationships with existing and potential donors to secure sustainable funding for Her Voice Fund.

• Foster collaboration with like-minded Organisations and wider Feminist Movements including Women’s Funds to build/strengthen a common agenda for donor advocacy which incorporates learnings from Her Voice Fund grantees.

• Develop learning papers, policy briefings and lead relevant convenings related to communicating the results of Her Voice Fund and for advocating for quality funding for WROs and feminist movements centering the leadership of feminist movements.

3. Program Management:

• Oversee the overall program management, ensuring efficient implementation and allocation of resources.

• Coordinate with partner organisations and informal groups to ensure that they get the support they need from Womankind.

• Support partners and informal groups in their reporting ensuring that the reporting is used as a learning exercise both for Womankind and partners and Informal groups.

• Using partners reports and any information provided by partners , assess and compile learnings from the implemented projects – this should be done at least once a year.

4. Learning:

• Lead work on any Her Voice Fund related research in collaboration with relevant colleagues.

• Working closely with Womankind’s Impact and Learning Advisor, lead the learning efforts of the Her Voice Fund to improve flexible funding practices to partners and informal groups.

• Work closely with Impact and Learning Advisor as well as Managers for other Womankind’s Flexible Funds (Movement Strengthening Fund and Strategic Grants) to ensure alignment of Womankind’s flexible funds and our learning from these across the Organisation.

• Through convenings and various engagements with grantees and like-minded organisations, identify trends, best practices, lessons learned to inform analysis and knowledge products such as learning papers for continuous improvement.

• Share insights, knowledge and learnings from the Fund with various key stakeholders especially Donors to influence their Funding approaches and practices.

• Contribute to the development of Womankind’s overall grantmaking strategy and approach.

5. Research:

• Conduct Feminist participatory research on critical issues related to quality funding for Women’s Rights Organisations and Feminist Movements centering the voices of partners and informal groups we work with

• Utilize research findings to inform evidence-based advocacy strategies and policy recommendations in form of policy briefs and statements.

• Collaborate with partner organisations, informal groups and like-minded Feminist Organisations and Feminist researchers to conduct joint studies and assessments.

• Stay updated with the latest developments in quality funding for WROs and Feminist Movements to inform Organisation’s learning and practices.

Values and Behaviours

The ideal candidate must be committed to the mission, vision, values and aims of Womankind Worldwide as it works towards a feminist workplace which is fit for the future and supports our staff equitably across our locations.

All posts are expected to contribute towards developing a supportive working environment, to demonstrate a commitment to inclusion, professionalism and respect, transparency and accountability and to uphold quality standards as outlined in policies and procedures, and in compliance with Womankind Worldwide’s 2030 Strategy.

Reporting Structure

This position reports to the Director of Policy and Communications and sits within the Policy and Communications Team.

Person Specification

Essential Experience and Skills

• A strong commitment to advancing women's rights and promoting feminist agendas.

• Over 5 years’ proven experience in grant-making, programme management, or similar roles in the development sector.

• Experience designing effective and efficient grant-making systems and processes that do not compromise principles of flexible funding.

• Familiarity with the policy landscape and advocacy spaces related to women's rights in the Global South.

• Excellent participatory feminist research and analytical skills, with the ability to center the voices of those affected by the research questions.

• Demonstrated ability to engage with donors, advocate for quality funding, and build sustainable partnerships.

• Experience in managing complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.

• Knowledge of and focus on intersectional feminist approaches

• Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills.

• Experience working closely and collaboratively in remote teams

• Proficiency in collaboration and fostering strong partnerships and relationships with diverse stakeholders.

Terms and Conditions

Hours: Full time 35 hours

Salary: £53,562-£56,927 

Contract: Fixed term 12 months

Probation: 6 months

We actively encourage applications from minority and marginalised groups, including people from the global majority, Deaf and disabled people, members of the LGBTQ+ community and people with experience of supporting women’s rights and/or stand in solidarity with our values, mission and vision.

Due to the high volume of applications, we receive, we regret we will not be able to respond personally to applicants who are not short-listed. If you have not heard from us within three weeks from the closing date, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Deadline for applications: 6th April 12pm GMT

1st round interviews: Week Commencing 28th April 2025

2nd round interviews: Week Commencing 6th May 2025