Head of Business Development & Partnerships (JHB hybrid) **Pvt Sector exp ess**

Overview

Head of Business Development & Partnerships (JHB hybrid) **Pvt Sector exp ess** Jobs in Johannesburg Metropolitan Area at Aperture Recruitment

Title: Head of Business Development & Partnerships (JHB hybrid) **Pvt Sector exp ess**

Company: Aperture Recruitment

Location: Johannesburg Metropolitan Area

Head of Business Development and Partnerships Johannesburg (Hybrid)

**Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer

Private-sector experience/Corporate Affairs/NGO/NPO

A high-impact, mission-driven organisation focused on digital skills development and youth employment is seeking an experienced Head of Business Development and Partnerships.

This executive role is ideal for a senior professional from Corporate Affairs, business development, strategic partnerships, fundraising, or the NGO/NPO sector who has strong private-sector experience and an established network across South Africa’s corporate and skills-development ecosystem.

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will lead fundraising, commercial growth, and strategic partnerships. You will secure the resources and alliances needed to expand youth employment and skills-development programmes across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Candidate Requirements (Must Haves)

• 8-10+ years’ experience in business development, fundraising, corporate affairs, or strategic partnerships.
• Private Sector experience essential, whether gained in a corporate environment or through corporate-facing NGO/NPO roles.
• An established network across South African corporates, including relationships with CSI leaders, transformation executives, CHROs, learning and development leaders.
• A proven track record of securing and managing high-value, multi-year funding and commercial partnerships.
• Strong relationships with relevant institutional funders, SETAs, government stakeholders, and international grant-making organisations.
• In-depth knowledge of South Africa’s skills-development environment, including B-BBEE scorecards, Skills Development, Socio-Economic Development, SETAs, and relevant employment-funding mechanisms.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate and close complex, multi-million-rand funding or commercial agreements.
• Strong commercial judgement, stakeholder-management capability, and strategic leadership skills.
• Exceptional communication, proposal-writing, presentation, and negotiation abilities.
• High emotional intelligence and the credibility to engage effectively at board and C-suite level.
• Experience with CRM and pipeline-management systems would be advantageous.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Commerce, Development Studies, or a related discipline. A master’s degree or MBA would be advantageous.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an integrated business development, fundraising, and partnership strategy.
• Secure funding through Corporate Social Investment (CSI), B-BBEE Skills Development, SETAs, government programmes, international donors, and grant-making institutions.
• Build and manage C-suite relationships with corporate decision-makers, funders, government stakeholders, and strategic partners.
• Position the organisation as a trusted partner for workforce development, digital talent pipelines, and youth employment initiatives.
• Identify, package, and commercialise customised skills-development and talent-pipeline solutions for private-sector clients.
• Convert suitable grant-funded and CSI relationships into sustainable, long-term commercial partnerships.
• Negotiate and conclude service-level agreements, grant contracts, corporate partnerships, and other high-value commercial agreements.
• Secure multi-year funding, including operational and stipend funding for programme participants.
• Lead partnership development and fundraising efforts supporting expansion into additional South African and Sub-Saharan African markets.
• Represent the organisation at conferences, industry events, government forums, and other relevant platforms.
• Collaborate with operations, marketing, and finance teams to prepare compelling proposals, programme budgets, impact reports, and funding applications.
• Manage the partnership pipeline, revenue forecasts, partner retention, and reporting to executive leadership.

Why Join?

• Play a leadership role in addressing youth unemployment and closing critical digital-skills gaps.
• Shape strategic partnerships with corporates, government, funders, and international stakeholders.
• Lead sustainable commercial growth within a purpose-led organisation.
• Support expansion across South Africa and into Sub-Saharan African markets.
• Receive competitive executive remuneration with performance-based incentives.

If you have the network, credibility, private-sector experience, and commercial acumen to secure transformational partnerships and funding, we would like to hear from you.

If you feel you are a suitable fit for this role, please send us a copy of your CV to Robin Perks – [email protected] and cc [email protected]

If you do not hear back from us within 2 weeks, please consider you application unsuccessful