Director - Strategic Transformation & Business Development

A strategic partnership of European NGOs
Working together for a just and sustainable world free from poverty and hunger

Alliance2015 is a strategic partnership of seven leading European INGOs working across 90 countries with a combined annual income of €1 billion to achieve greater scale and quality of humanitarian and development impact through smart collaborations. In an era of unprecedented disruption to traditional humanitarian and development financing—marked by significant ODA cuts and the closure of USAID operations—Alliance2015 requires effective operational coordination to maintain network cohesion, facilitate knowledge sharing, and support member organizations through these challenging times.

Position Overview

• Job Title: Alliance2015 Director - Strategic Transformation & Business Development

• Reports to: Alliance2015 President

• Direct Reports: Alliance 2015 Hub staff in Brussels

• Location: Brussels (with some travel)

• Contract: Belgian open-end contract

Context & Strategic Imperative

The traditional development funding landscape has fundamentally shifted. With major bilateral donors reducing commitments and the closure of key funding streams, Alliance2015 must rapidly evolve from a coordination platform to a dynamic, entrepreneurial alliance that creates new opportunities for collective action. This role demands a transformational leader who can simultaneously drive innovation, build new partnerships, and position Alliance2015 at the forefront of global development discourse.

Role Purpose

The Director will serve as Alliance2015's chief opportunity architect and external catalyst, leading the organization's strategic transformation while building new ecosystems of influence and funding. This role combines entrepreneurial vision with facilitative leadership to unlock the collective potential of Alliance2015 members in an increasingly complex and resource-constrained environment.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development & Opportunity Creation

• Pioneer in identification of New Funding Ecosystems: Identify & profile emerging donors including climate funds, private foundations, impact investors, sovereign wealth funds, and innovative financing mechanisms

• Build Strategic Partnerships: Identify tech companies, academic institutions, think tanks, and other non-traditional partners to expand Alliance2015's influence and reach

Thought Leadership & External Influence

• Position Alliance2015: Represent the alliance at high-level forums, conferences, and policy dialogues

• Drive Policy Engagement: Identify policy gaps and opportunities where Alliance2015 can shape critical and emerging frameworks in areas like climate-food systems-development nexus, digital governance, and humanitarian-development coherence

• Cultivate Media Presence: Build Alliance2015's profile through strategic communications, thought pieces, and engagement with key journalists and influencers

• Lead Diplomatic Engagement: Develop relationships with new EU leadership, emerging economy diplomatic missions, and multilateral institutions beyond traditional development actors

EU Institutional Relations

• Navigate New EU Architecture: Build relationships across the European Commission's evolving structure, particularly focusing on the Green Deal, Digital Decade, and Global Gateway initiatives

• Maximize EU Funding Access: Lead sophisticated bid development for EU programmes while identifying ways to blend EU funding with other sources

• Engage with EU general policy framework: Position Alliance2015 as a key partner in developing new EU approaches to global challenges, particularly in climate-food systems-development integration

Internal Alliance Ways of Working

• Facilitate Strategic Visioning: Lead Alliance2015 through strategic planning processes that align member organizations around new opportunities and approaches

• Drive Collective Action: Design and implement initiatives that demonstrate the power of collaborative programming and advocacy

• Build Internal Innovation Culture: Foster entrepreneurial thinking across the alliance while maintaining member autonomy and diversity

• Strengthen Network Resilience: Develop new models of member engagement and resource sharing that increase collective sustainability

Administrative, Finance & Team Management

• Oversee Brussels Office: Ensure smooth day-to-day operations and compliance with administrative requirements

• Manage Direct Reports: Supervise 3 staff, conducting annual appraisals and ensuring staff development and team building

• Liaise with hosted/seconded staff: (4) and maintain effective working relationships

• Prepare and manage budget: Ensure financial reporting requirements are met

• Support Governance Functions: Provide secretariat support to the Executive Board and President