WHO WE ARE

Build Change is a global leader in systems change for resilient housing. Our engineers, builders, coders, policy advocates, and lending partners are providing urgently needed housing solutions in the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Shifting power to families since 2004, Build Change has safeguarded over $4.7 billion in housing infrastructure assets across Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, improving the lives of over 1.17 million people by building new or retrofitting more than 230,000 buildings, at a cost of $51 per safer person.

Learn more at www.buildchange.org or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

YOUR NEW OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Fundraising Officer to primarily focus on securing and managing institutional support, with a secondary but critical focus on growing corporate and major individual partnerships. This role will support the implementation of a multi-year growth strategy as part of the Global Engagement team. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Global Engagement, this role will be a part of Build Change’s Global Engagement team, which drives external partnerships for the organization across marketing and communications, advocacy and fund development.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Institutional Partnerships:

• In close collaboration with the VP of Global Engagement, research, qualify, and cultivate a robust pipeline of philanthropic foundations, focusing on those aligned with disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate adaptation, gender equity, economic development, and civil engineering.
• Write compelling, technical, and data-driven grant proposals, concept notes, and Letters of Inquiry (LOIs). Effectively translate complex engineering, policy, and technology programs into narratives that resonate with donor priorities.
• Work closely with the global Program, Engineering, and Finance teams to gather necessary programmatic data required for grant applications. Work closely with Finance and Program teams in finalizing detailed project budgets.
• Oversee narrative components of the grant compliance process, including timely, accurate, and high-quality interim and final reports. Maintain excellent relations with foundation and philanthropic staff through regular communication and stewardship activities.
• Ensure all institutional giving activities, contacts, and deadlines are tracked and managed within the organization’s CRM (Monday.com).

Corporate Partnerships and Individual Donations:

• Using Build Change’s new corporate partnerships guide as reference, identify and solicit strategic corporate partners for philanthropic contributions, sponsorships, cause-related marketing campaigns, and pro bono services (e.g., engineering, tech), aligning with their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals.
• Support the senior leadership team in cultivating and stewarding a portfolio of mid-level and major individual donors. This includes preparing customized meeting briefs, crafting personalized communications, and managing follow-up actions.

Cross-Cutting Fundraising Support:

• Contribute to the creation of targeted fundraising materials in partnership with communications and marketing colleagues, including campaign appeals, case for support documents, and partner presentations that highlight Build Change’s unique approach to resilient housing and systems change.
• Work closely with advocacy colleagues to identify key in-person engagement opportunities with potential and current donors throughout the year (e.g. Skoll World Forum, New York Climate Week, UNFCCC COP, etc.)

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE:

You have:

• 4+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising for international organizations, with a demonstrable history of securing five and six-figure grants from institutional and/or individual donors.
• Expertise in utilizing publicly available research to identify, qualify, and prioritize new institutional and corporate prospects whose mission and funding history align with complex international development projects.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to synthesize complex, technical information (engineering, policy, climate science) into clear, persuasive, and donor-facing language.
• Passion for Build Change’s mission, including the commitment to homeowner-driven implementation, gender equity in construction, and leveraging technology for scale.

Your experience includes:

• Demonstrated skill in initiating and building authentic, long-term relationships with foundation program officers and high-net-worth individuals, effectively moving them through the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycles.
• Proven ability to manage a busy grants calendar, juggle multiple deadlines, and work effectively with multi-cultural, remote program teams.
• Fluency with donor database management (CRM) and Microsoft Office Suite.

You would describe yourself as:

• Highly effective at collaboration, capable of being a self-starter while consistently coordinating with colleagues globally, possessing a high degree of cultural intelligence and professionalism.
• Optimistic, flexible, humble, patient, and possessing a good sense of humor, especially when navigating the complexities and ambiguities of working in international development and disaster recovery contexts.
• Fluent in English.

And maybe you also:

• Have direct professional or volunteer experience in the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, or Asia.
• Speak any of the languages spoken in our program countries.
• Previous work experience in an organization focused on climate change, engineering, urban development, or sustainable finance.