Growth & Partnerships Consultant
JOB LOCATION - REMOTE
ABOUT YLABS
YLabs is a leading global design and research organization designing technologies that amplify youth power, agency, and opportunity. Founded in 2014 at the Harvard Innovation Lab, YLabs partners with young people to co-create inclusive digital products and services that improve their lives. Our design process opens spaces where young people’s ideas can become a reality – where they are the architects of the solutions to their most pressing challenges.
YLabs multidisciplinary team delivers youth-driven innovation and impact at scale. Our team combines expertise in youth-driven design with adolescent health, climate, livelihoods, digital product design, behavioral science, and epidemiology. Based in Rwanda and the USA, we’ve worked in 18 countries to date on projects spanning three focus areas: optimum health and wellness, improved economic opportunity, and increased climate resilience.
Find out more about our projects here: https://www.ylabsglobal.org/work
JOB OVERVIEW
We are seeking a Growth & Partnerships Consultant to support our Growth & Partnerships team and oversee diverse workstreams, leading comprehensive business development efforts, identifying partnerships, and driving project proposals focused on our core offerings of youth-driven research, design strategy, innovation and acceleration.
The ideal candidate will possess a strong institutional partnership and full-spectrum business development background, bring management experience to a talented and growing team, and have a passion for social impact. They should have a track record of leading successful multi-country proposals, thrive in a collaborative environment, and excel in building relationships across fundraising verticals.
This is a full-time, fully remote contractor position reporting to the CEO and requires the ability to work with our global team. Depending on the candidate's location and position, from time to time, it may be necessary to travel for in-person meetings, conferences, and/or other miscellaneous events. This travel is fully reimbursed by YLabs.
JOB TYPE
[Independent Contractor]
This is an independent remote contractor (Consultancy) position. The initial contract term for this role is 9 months, to be reviewed on a quarterly basis in line with specified deliverables.
LOCATION
[For RW based Candidates] This role is based out of YLabs’ office in Kigali, Rwanda and requires the ability to legally work in Rwanda. Our Rwanda office has a remote working environment, due to the global nature of our organization.
[For US, Remote Candidates] This role requires the ability to legally work in the US.
[For Location-Agnostic Remote Candidates] This is a remote role, ideally based in the Global South.
Depending on the candidates’ location and position, from time to time, it may be necessary to travel for in-person meetings, our annual retreat, and/or other miscellaneous events. This travel is fully reimbursed by YLabs..
ABOUT YLABS’ COMPENSATION
YLabs adheres to Project Fair’s principles and standards to establish equity in pay with the overriding principle of “equal pay for work of equal value” outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. All salary ranges are based on level within the organization and are competitive to regional and national salary benchmarks, based on the respective office location.
PAY RATE
The pay range for this position is $2,000 - $4,320 per month, commensurate with experience and regional location of the selected candidate.
This is an independent contractor position; no benefits will be provided, however remuneration may be negotiable to accommodate potential self-administration of benefits and tax withholdings.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategic Partnership Leadership
Collaborate with the Growth and Partnerships Coordinator and Senior Leadership Team to understand key organizational processes, impact areas, and strategic priorities
Review and assess existing fundraising resources including proposals, budgets, capability statements, and donor engagement materials
Develop and finalize a comprehensive fundraising strategy that aligns with YLabs' brand, mission, and organizational goals
Present strategic findings and recommendations directly to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team
Donor Engagement & Relationship Management
Review and strategically develop YLabs' 100 Strategic Donor List to identify high-potential funding opportunities
Initiate and manage outreach to potential funders, building relationships that support both unrestricted and project-specific funding needs
Identify and cultivate at least 3 new strategic partnerships with organizations that can enhance fundraising efforts
Engage with existing funders to discuss future opportunities, partnerships, and renewal commitments
Proposal Development & Grant Writing
Write and submit high-value project proposals (minimum $1M per proposal ) that demonstrate clear alignment with organizational goals and measurable impact metrics
Collaborate with the Impact team to incorporate SMART goals and robust impact measurement frameworks into all funding proposals
Develop compelling case statements and funding requests that articulate YLabs' unique value proposition in addressing youth-driven solutions
Work closely with program leadership across research, innovation, design, and implementation teams to ensure proposal accuracy and feasibility
Campaign Management & Execution
Design and launch targeted fundraising campaigns aimed at high-net-worth individuals, incorporating personalized outreach and engagement strategies
Optimize YLabs' presence on funding platforms including the GlobalGiving network
Implement and maintain comprehensive tracking systems for all funding opportunities, proposals submitted, and donor interactions
Coordinate with Marketing and Communications teams to align annual communication priorities with fundraising objectives
Documentation & Knowledge Transfer
Contribute to and enhance the existing Growth & Partnerships Playbook, ensuring team members have access to current best practices, key data, boilerplates, and fact sheets
Document lessons learned, successful strategies, and sector-wide best practices for organizational knowledge retention
Provide Board talking points and briefings to support leadership in donor meetings and strategic discussions
Performance Targets
Over the 9-month engagement, you will be expected to:
Secure $750,000 in unrestricted funding commitments to support YLabs' operational flexibility
Generate $7,500,000 in project-related grants to fund specific program initiatives
Submit a minimum of 7 high-value proposals (each requesting $1M)
Establish relationships with at least 8 new potential funders through targeted outreach
Create sustainable fundraising systems and processes that support long-term organizational growth
YOU ARE:
A natural connector, energized by building new working relationships and partnerships
Willing to dive into proposal writing teams, and at times acting independently when drafting proposals
Committed to operationalizing equity in our work and decolonizing global health
A thoughtful leader who makes decisions with trust and transparency; you are collaborative and consultative in your work style.
Data-driven with a high degree of integrity, valor, and care in your decision-making
Entrepreneurial, flexible, and excited to help grow a dynamic, creative organization
Enthusiastic about building and supporting a talented multi-disciplinary team to learn, grow, and deliver high-quality, impactful work
Committed to building trusting, convivial working relationships that support wellness, psychological safety, creativity, and collective joy
Willing to work flexible hours to accommodate morning/evening calls with staff in other timezones
Adaptable and optimistic when faced with changing circumstances and challenges
YOU HAVE:
At least 8-10 years of professional experience, including a track record of success leading business development opportunities; you have successfully developed and launched large-scale projects and multi-partner initiatives
Experience supporting or leading the thoughtful growth of early-stage, fast-growing organizations
A mix of experience working across business development verticals, including demonstrated experience leading complex bids for USG and other institutional funders, experience stewarding relationships with foundations/corporate partners
Experience developing and sustaining business development processes, including pipeline management systems
Experience in work planning, proposal development, proposal management, and managing proposal teams consisting of Growth & Partnerships team members, members of other teams, and consultants
Experience in hiring, mentoring, and collaborating with, and managing Growth & Partnerships professionals and consultants
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Strong collaboration skills with attention to addressing power differentials, and ensuring equity in our work and in our organization
Robust network of partners and collaborators
DESIRABLE:
Specialized expertise in a relevant field to our work (public health, adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, economic inclusion, and/or climate resilience)
Language skills in French, Spanish, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, and/or Portuguese
APPLICATION PROCESS
This posting will be open from August 8 to August 31, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by our Hiring Committee. YLabs recognizes the effort that goes into submitting an application; all applications received during the posting period will be reviewed, and selected candidates will be notified of their application status once the hiring process begins.
All YLabs offers of employment are conditional on satisfactory background and professional reference checks, and criminal record clearances.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
YLabs is committed to building teams and policies that promote equity, justice, and belonging at work. We strongly encourage people from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender, and physical abilities to apply. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status, marital status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
