Business Development & Partnership Manager

WE ARE 20 YEARS. HELP US WRITE THE NEXT 20 YEARS OF OUR HISTORY.

Twenty years ago, in 2005, Challenging Heights was born out of a refusal to stay silent in the face of slavery. For two decades, we have been the barrier between vulnerable children and the darkness of Lake Volta. We have wiped tears, healed wounds, and restored dignity.

But the war is not over, and the silence is still deafening.

There is a tragedy unfolding on Lake Volta that the world rarely sees. There are thousands of women stuck on the water, trapped in the unforgiving grip of poverty. Many of them were trafficked as children themselves. They could not escape. They grew up in bondage, they gave birth in bondage, and now, even though they hold their children in their arms, they watch helplessly as those children become slaves to other fishermen.

It is a cycle of tears that refuses to dry. These children will never see the inside of a classroom, just as their mothers never did. They will grow up in the shadows, and eventually, they too will give birth to children destined for forced labor.

Back in our coastal communities, the nets are empty, and the soil is hard. The poverty here is not just a statistic; it is a predator. It is the reason a desperate parent lets a child go.

At Challenging Heights, we are fearless.

We have rescued thousands of children. We have supported thousands to go to school. We have lifted thousands of women out of the dust of poverty. But the roots of this evil run deep. We are scaling up because we must go deeper. We are supporting farmers not just to grow food, but to grow freedom - because a stable livelihood stops a child from being sold. We are supporting fishmongers and women along the coast because when a mother is empowered, her child is safe. We tackle the environment not because it is trendy, but because environmental degradation breeds the poverty that drives trafficking.

As we stand at our 20-year threshold, we are moving from a charity model to a sustainability model.

We are looking for a Business Development & Partnership Manager who understands that a bag of fertilizer, a fishing net, or a scholarship is not just an item - it is a weapon against slavery.

We do not just want a fundraiser; we want a strategist. We want someone who can look at our entire organization and see revenue streams where others see only projects. We want someone to build the fortress that will secure our next 20 years.

THE ROLE: THE ARCHITECT OF SUSTAINABILITY

You will report directly to the President and work from our Accra Head Office. You will be the commercial brain in a humanitarian body.

You will be supported by a powerful team - a Programs Director, Senior Field Manager, Senior Recovery Manager, Research Manager, M&E Manager, Communications Officer, and Finance Manager - who will give you the data and the stories you need. But you will be the one to turn those stories into gold.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (The Income Matrix)

1. STRATEGIC AUDIT & DEVELOPMENT
   • You will review our existing fundraising strategy. What is working?
   • You will systematically assess our income pathways.
   • You will develop a master plan to diversify our revenue.
2. GRANT MAKERS & FOUNDATIONS (The Storyteller)
   • You will identify foundations whose mandates align with our holistic approach (human rights, environment/climate, youth, and women’s livelihood).
   • You will write high-value grant proposals. You will take the raw pain from the field and the hard evidence from our Research/M&E Managers to write narratives that demand funding.
3. CORPORATE SECTOR & CSR (The Hunter)
   • You will not just send letters; you will build business cases. You will approach companies and show them that partnering with Challenging Heights is not just charity - it is smart social investment.
   • You will secure both cash and in-kind support. We need tools for our farmers, books for our survivors, and equipment for our women.
4. INDIVIDUAL DONORS & PHILANTHROPY (The Movement)
   • You will cultivate individuals looking to double their impact, and willing to walk the journey with us.
   • You will turn supporters into family, ensuring they feel the heartbeat of the mission in every update you send.
5. INTERNAL INCOME & SUSTAINABILITY (The Entrepreneur)
   • You will explore and develop internal income-generating activities. How can Challenging Heights use its assets, its expertise, or its brand to generate its own funds? You will treat this stream with the same seriousness as a grant application.

WHO YOU ARE?

• • International Mindset (Preferred): You have an international background or exposure. You understand global funding trends and can speak the language of international donors.
  • Business Acumen: You think like a CEO. You understand ROI, pipelines, and conversion rates. You are organized, systematic, and data-driven.
  • Emotionally Intelligent & Intense: You are not a cold corporate suit. You feel the urgency of our work. You can laugh with the survivors we rescue, and you are angry enough about child slavery to work tirelessly to fund its end.
  • A Master Writer and a Strategist: Your writing is your sword. It must be sharp, clear, and compelling, with tactical gloves.

HOW TO APPLY

Do not send us a generic CV. We want to see your mind and your heart. Write a cover letter that tells us how you would approach writing the next 20 years of an organization that has fought slavery for 20 years.

Send your applications to: jameskofiannan@gmail.com, with a subject: Business Development and Partnership Manager Application - The Next 20 Years

Challenging Heights is an equal opportunity employer. We have cried for the lost, and we have laughed with the rescued. Join us, and let’s write the next 20 years together.

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