Grants Writer

Partners in Health (PIH)

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE:
Partners in Health (PIH) is a non-profit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, whose mission is to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. Through service delivery, training, advocacy and research, PIH works globally to bring the benefits of modern science to those most in need and to serve as an antidote to despair. PIH has programs in Haiti, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Rwanda, Lesotho, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Kazakhstan and Boston.

PIH began working in Malawi in 2007, where today we support the Ministry of Health (MOH) to serve a catchment area of 165,000 through 12 health centers and two hospitals in partnership with our sister organizations. Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo (APZU) has its headquarters in Neno District with operations across the country.

We therefore seek to recruit suitably qualified and experienced candidates for the following positions;

Position: Grants Writer
Department: Policy, Partnerships and Advocacy Department (PPA)
Reports to: Director of Strategic Partnerships and Grants Acquisition
Second Line Reporting : Senior Management Team (SMT)
Commitment: Full Time (Monday-Friday)
Working Hours: Regular Office Hours (40Hrs/Week)
Location: Neno

POSITION SUMMARY

The Grants Writer will report to the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Grants Acquisition within the Partnerships, Policy, and Advocacy Department. This senior role is responsible for leading, coordinating, and executing high-quality writing functions across the full Pre-Award and Award stages of the PIH/APZU grant lifecycle, working collaboratively with cross-functional PIH/APZU teams. The incumbent will proactively identify and analyze new funding opportunities through the RFF process, develop competitive and compelling proposals, drive resource mobilization efforts, and support the review of new grant contracts in coordination with the Contracts and Legal teams and the Institutional Partnerships teams (Private and Public Sector).

As a key member of the dynamic Partnerships, Policy, and Advocacy department, the Grants Writer will work closely with APZU’s Senior Management Team, technical managers across the organization, OnePIH global teams, the Ministry of Health, donors, and key health sector partners. The role will ensure that program designs align with Ministry of Health priorities at district and national levels, meet PIH/APZU strategic objectives, and reflect strong evidence, innovation, and rigorous research. This position requires a highly motivated and results-driven professional with exceptional writing standards, creativity, analytical skills, and the ability to lead complex grant development processes with minimal supervision.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

A. Proposal Development

  • Lead and manage the full proposal development process by coordinating proposal teams, guiding inputs from technical, operational, and M&E units, and ensuring a highly efficient workflow. Develop clear work plans, proactively track deliverables, and drive teams toward on-time, high-quality submissions that meet or exceed donor standards.
  • Serve as the primary writing lead, ensuring exceptional quality, consistency, and accuracy across all proposal components, even under tight deadlines or simultaneous assignments.
  • Manage cross-site communication with Public Sector Partnerships and Foundations teams, ensuring responses, well-defined timely workflows, and seamless collaboration across PIH global teams or any other partner
  • Conduct and synthesize discovery, scoping, and funding opportunity analyses; share actionable intelligence with technical and leadership teams to support aligned decision-making.
  • Draft compelling, persuasive, and tailored concept notes, program briefs, pitch materials, teaming agreements and other donor and/or partner-facing communications that reflect PIH/APZU’s strategic priorities and capabilities.
  • Support the Director in analyzing and advancing the fundraising pipeline, contributing to quarterly presentations to the Joint Management Team.
  • Help nurture donor relationships by producing accurate, credible, and strategic communications that strengthen funding partnerships and open pathways for new grants.

B. Resource Mobilization

  • Proactively mine, forecast, and analyze potential funding opportunities, positioning intelligence, and partner landscapes to inform bidding and collaboration strategies.
  • Contribute to the development of systems and metrics to better measure, evaluate, and strengthen resource mobilization efforts (cash and in-kind).
  • Collaborate closely with donors, partners, and government entities to identify pre-bid activities and ensure APZU/PIH teams are well-prepared for timely, strategic engagement.
  • Oversee or contribute to rigorous competitive analyses, assessing partner strengths/weaknesses and informing strategic decisions to strengthen proposal positioning.
  • Support PPA and SMT in developing targeted local, regional, and global engagement strategies aimed at identifying high-value funding agencies and securing resources through consortia, sub-grants, and both solicited and unsolicited opportunities.

C. Business Development

  • Work with PPA and SMT to cultivate new strategic relationships with public and private sector funders, foundations, and corporations to broaden funding streams.
  • Contribute to the development and execution of annual and multi-year business development strategies that leverage PIH’s strengths and position the organization for long-term financial sustainability.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

A. People & Performance Management

  • Collaborate with PPA and APZU teams to foster a strong, high-performing grants environment characterized by professionalism, excellence, and continuous learning.
  • Engage collaboratively with SMT and ELT through dotted reporting lines to support cross-organizational alignment and grant development success.
  • Stay current with APZU strategies, programs, models, and
    data, maintaining strong working relationships with staff across all districts and departments.
  • Identify capacity gaps within teams and support skill-building, mentorship, and cross-team collaboration to strengthen internal grant development capabilities.
  • Deputize for the Strategic Partnerships and Grants Acquisition Director as required, supporting departmental leadership and continuity.
  • Promote a culture of teamwork, accountability, and results-oriented performance.

B. Operational Oversight

  • Manage grant development work plans and coordinate logistics collaboratively with PPA and technical teams, ensuring timely, efficient, and high-quality execution.
  • Liaise with procurement, communications, and logistics teams to guarantee timely support for PPA activities and grant deliverables.
  • Support Lilongwe office operations, contribute to budget planning, and participate in work plan development and review.

C. Research, Data & Quality Improvement

  • Collaborate with M&E, Research and clinical teams to access, analyze, and apply data in ways that strengthen proposals and inform strategic programming.
  • Lead or contribute to operational research, abstracts, presentations, and publications that enhance PIH’s reputation and inform partnership or advocacy efforts.
  • Participate in and help organize data review meetings and other strategic evidence-driven initiatives.

D. Resource Planning & Budget Oversight

  • Contribute to the development of accurate and donor-compliant grant budgets that align with proposed work plans.
  • Provide timely data and narrative inputs to support donor reporting and internal PPA reporting systems.
  • Participate in donor visits and contribute to proposal development processes as needed.

E. Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

  • Support the PPA team in building and nurturing strong, trust-based relationships with donors, technical partners, CSOs, government stakeholders, and multilateral/bilateral institutions.
  • Represent APZU/PIH in relevant technical working groups, district coordination forums, and regional or international engagements as required.

EXPECTED COMPETENCIES, ATTRIBUTES, AND BEHAVIORS

  • Exceptional coordination/ and communication skills, with the ability to clearly conceptualize, articulate, and persuasively present funding needs to diverse donor audiences.
  • Demonstrated excellence in technical and proposal writing, including the ability to translate complex health information into compelling, accurate, and donor-ready materials.
  • Proven track record in leading and coordinating successful proposal development, with strong organizational skills and an ability to consistently meet tight deadlines without compromising quality.
  • Strong ability to navigate complex government, donor, and multi-stakeholder environments, including managing multiple influencers and compliance expectations with professionalism and diplomacy.
  • High level of independence and self-direction, able to excel in fast-paced, high-pressure settings and manage multiple tasks or deadlines simultaneously.
  • Comfort working in ambiguity, with the ability to move teams from reactive processes to forward-looking,
    structured, and strategic approaches.
  • Cultural humility and strong interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with diverse teams across geographies and organizational levels.
  • High proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and online applications, with strong digital organizational skills.
  • Entrepreneurial mindset, with the ability to work autonomously, demonstrate initiative, and identify and drive new opportunities with minimal supervision.
  • Analytical and strategic problem-solving skills, with a solutions-oriented approach and a strong bias toward action and results.
  • Vision Setting and Execution: Able to translate strategy into actionable work plans and inspire cross-functional teams toward a unified, high-impact vision.
  • People Development: Demonstrated commitment to mentoring, strengthening team capacity, and fostering a culture of learning, excellence, and shared accountability.

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

  • Master’s Degree strongly preferred (e.g., Public Health, Global Health, International Development, Public Policy, Economics, or related fields).
  • At least 5 years of experience in policy and partnership
  • Demonstrated history of leading and winning large, competitive grants, particularly from major bilateral, multilateral, and foundation donors (e.g., USAID, CDC, EU, FCDO, Global Fund, Gates Foundation).
  • Evidence of producing high-quality proposals independently, with minimal oversight, under tight deadlines.
  • This position is based in Lilongwe, with regular engagement at both national and district levels.
  • Must be willing to travel within Malawi to support
    partnership development, donor engagement, and field-level coordination.
  • Expected to uphold the highest level of integrity, discretion, and professionalism, particularly when managing sensitive partnership or donor-related matters.

BENEFITS AND REMUNERATION

An attractive remuneration package will be offered to the successful candidates commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Qualified and interested persons should apply strictly to the email address below, enclosing their cover letter; copies of relevant certificates and Curriculum Vitae indicating three names of traceable referees with valid telephone numbers and email addresses not later than 5th January 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Email: apzurecruitment@pih.org

with the title of the position indicated on the subject of the email addressing;

The Director of Human Resources and Administration
Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo (PIH/APZU)
P.O. Box 56
NENO