Consultancy – Business Development Lead - Latin America – Terms of Reference

Application Instructions

• We will only consider applications sent via email as instructed - Please send your application and documents by email to: jbirchenough@cafod.org.uk - indicating "Application for CAFOD Business Development Lead Global – Latin America" in the subject line.
• Applicants must be based in Colombia. CAFOD is unable to provide a work or residence permit; applicants must have the right to work in Colombia. 
• We can only accept applications submitted in English. 

 

Contracting Agency - CAFOD - Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (England & Wales)

Terms of Reference - Business Development Lead Global – Latin America Focus

Contract Type - Individual Consultancy

Location - Colombia with some regional travel

Duration of contract and dedication - 12-month contract. Full-time consultancy (Approx. 20 days per month)

Regional Programme - Latin America (CAFOD works in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Brazil, Peru, Colombia & Bolivia and with regional partner organisations)

Deadline to Apply - 17th August 2025

Start date - October 2025

 

1. Background & Context

CAFOD is the official development and international cooperation agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Founded in 1962 to fight poverty and injustice, CAFOD has been working in Latin America for over 50 years. Our international aid and emergency programmes at the global level are based on an Integral Ecology Programme Model, in which programme strategies are developed in partnership with local organisations to address and tackle the causes and symptoms of poverty, injustice, inequality and environmental degradation. CAFOD's values of solidarity, compassion, dignity and stewardship are expressed through a model of partnership, giving priority to local leadership.

In Latin America, our partners, both Church-linked and other civil society organisations, work on projects and programmes that seek to promote human rights, governance and peacebuilding; livelihoods and food sovereignty; climate and environmental justice; gender justice; and emergency preparedness and response; all while ensuring safeguarding, accessible, dignified and inclusive long-term programming with marginalised groups such as women, children and indigenous peoples, their families and communities. We are an organisation that works alongside and supports local and national civil society partners who lead on programme priorities, design and implementation. Much of this work is funded from private sources, but CAFOD is looking to grow its access to institutional funding in the region.

CAFOD is looking for a consultant based in Colombia to provide full-time support to identify institutional funding opportunities for our programmes in Latin America. The Consultant will be accountable to the Head of Integrated Funding and Business Innovation and will deliver within the Integrated Funding & Business Innovation Team based in London. Additionally, the consultant will work closely with programme staff in our Latin America (LAC) team and in particular, the Head of Region for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC HoR).

While focusing primarily on development funding in the context of CAFODs Latin America portfolio, where relevant, the consultant will be expected to work closely with CAFODs humanitarian funding team

The appointed consultant will focus on strategic fundraising and donor engagement, proposal development and grant management and reporting. The remit will also include a global thematic responsibility to support CAFOD to develop its approach to fundraising in support of its Gender Justice work.

2. Objectives of the Consultancy

The individual consultant will provide support to CAFOD's Latin America programme with our team and local partner organisations across the region with the aim of supporting CAFOD on strategic development of our institutional fundraising in the region, tasks will include:

• Finalising donor mappings, prioritisation and development/updating of regional and core programme fundraising strategies and donor engagement strategies.
• Prospecting and identification of relevant institutional funding opportunities for CAFODs programme portfolio in the region
• Representation of CAFOD to institutional donors in coordination with the LAC HoR and Core Programme Managers
• Leading proposal design, development and submissions
• Grant management and reporting

The Consultant will also provide support to CAFOD globally in the development of its approach to thematic funding within the area of gender justice. This list is not exhaustive, and the consultant may be called upon to perform other global tasks if necessary

3. Contract Duration

The contract will be for twelve (12) months, working an average of 20 days per month. The consultant’s working days and hours will be agreed upon in advance and coordinated with the programme team to ensure effective collaboration and project delivery, while respecting the independent nature of the consultancy arrangement.

4. Location

This consultancy will be based in Colombia and work remotely with other countries in our programme portfolio. The Consultant will require travel and follow-up visits to CAFOD partners across the region, agreed in advance with CAFOD's Head of Integrated Funding and Business Innovation and LAC HoR. CAFOD cannot provide consultants with a work or residence permit, and consultants will need to provide proof of residence and the right to work in Colombia.

5. Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for providing the following deliverables throughout the consultancy period: 

5.1. Support Strategic Fundraising in line with the direction set by CAFOD LAC Regional and Core Programme Strategies

• Contribute to the development of fundraising strategies, regional and Core Programme fundraising strategies based on strengthened donor mapping, target setting and performance indicators; and support cross-regional or joint programme funding opportunities.
• Participate in surge requests from other International Programmes Teams as necessary.
• Support the development of CAFODs Partner Direct Funding approaches.
• Support the development of CAFODs global approach to thematic funding streams (Gender Justice)

5.2. Support programme development and partners’ fundraising capacity

• Work with programme staff and partners in the design, development (and where appropriate, implementation) of high-quality programmes and projects in line with Core Programme strategies and the Regional LAC Strategy.
• Lead, co-ordinate or support the preparation of institutional funding applications for donors (eg FCDO, EC, UN, etc).
• Keep up to date with donor policy developments and trends; raise awareness of donor requirements and partner obligations to fulfil these; and represent CAFOD in funding review groups/networks as agreed with the line manager
• Contribute to investing in partners’ capacities, by jointly identifying funding needs, developing plans to strengthen capacities, e.g. proposal writing, programme development, monitoring & evaluation, budget development etc., or identifying sources of support and providing training where relevant.

5.3. Provide Grant Management and Reporting Support

• Lead on reporting to donors and supporting programme staff in using monitoring and evaluation data to report on institutionally funded programmes, in line with CAFOD and donor standards.
• Working with colleagues and partners to manage various contracts, including financial and narrative reporting in line with jointly agreed standards (Programme Cycle Management), donor requirements, and CAFOD’s value of Stewardship.
• Support programme staff and partners on the development of grant management and reporting plans, accounting frameworks and work plans, etc.

5.4. Conduct Internal and external representation on behalf of CAFOD

• Develop and manage donor relationships and create opportunities to communicate about CAFODs work with donors and other INGOs.
• Represent CAFOD towards donors where requested by LAC HoR and Core Programme Managers
• Communicate with other teams within CAFOD to ensure that information is available for fundraising and communication needs.
• Where appropriate, consult with IFBI colleagues to ensure coherent donor engagement strategies are developed and maintained.
• In agreement with partners and programme teams, contribute to raising the profile of partners’ work with relevant donors.

5.5. Systems and compliance

• Effectively use CAFOD’s programme management information systems to ensure programme and project information and documentation is up-to-date.
• Ensure the effective use of CAFOD’s systems to share knowledge and inform decision, regulations and requirements attached to our work and donor contracts; and keep appropriate records.
• Ensure compliance with agreements, regulations and requirements attached to our work, including monitoring adherence to proposal submission and reporting deadlines and communicating these to Core Programme Managers.

5.6. Supporting the development of new business opportunities for CAFOD

• Conduct prospect research and mapping into new funding opportunities which are aligned with CAFODs strategic direction to increase and diversify the institutional funding base of our LAC work.
• Develop donor engagement strategies, advise the Core Programme Managers about new and innovative approaches to funding development and humanitarian programmes.
• Supporting cross-organisational work if required, such for example holding a relationship with a particular donor or leading a specific piece of thematic work or reporting.

 Note: The list is not exhaustive and there may be other deliverables that are relevant and appropriate to provide the service.

6. Consultant requirements

Languages:  

• Fluency in Spanish and English (bilingual/advanced level, written and spoken). Portuguese is highly desirable.

Experience & Qualifications:

Experience:

• A track record of resource mobilisation success with institutional donors within a development/humanitarian NGO context in Latin America
• Understanding and first-hand experience of institutional funding work/projects, priorities, trends and donor conditions within the international development sector, including leading proposal design and development and reporting.
• Experience in representing NGOs towards embassies and missions.
• Experience in using programme cycle management tools effectively.
• Experience in developing Theories of Change
• Able and committed to strengthening or complementing the capacity of partner organisations and colleagues.
• Finance management and budgeting understanding and experience.
• Thematic experience in Gender Justice and in one more of CAFOD Areas (Resilient Livelihoods and Food Sovereignty, Human Rights, Governance and Peacebuilding, Climate and Environmental Justice, and Emergency Preparedness and Response).
• Direct experience with a values-based partnership approach (between northern and southern organisations and communities).
• Experience in developing proposals for US and European Donors, including the European Union, and familiarity with EU due diligence and compliance requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., social sciences, international relations, development studies, administration, or related fields); a master’s degree is an advantage.

Skills and competencies:

• Successful institutional funding resource mobilisation skills within the international development sector in Latin America.
• Excellent proposal development, writing and reporting skills
• Capacity building, mentoring skills and experience.
• Finance management, budget development and reporting skills.
• Able to travel for up to four weeks a year, sometimes to unstable and insecure environments.
• Professional level written and spoken competencies in English and Spanish. Portuguese is highly desirable.

Commitment to CAFOD Values:

Applicants must demonstrate alignment with CAFOD’s values of partnership, solidarity, compassion, dignity, and stewardship, and a commitment to safeguarding and inclusive programming.

7. Accountability and support

The Consultant will be directly responsible to the Head of Integrated Funding and Business will oversee and support the contracted person.

The Consultant may be accountable to the Latin America Head of Region for specific regional tasks. They will be expected to work closely with CAFODs LAC (Latin America and Caribbean) programme team.

The Consultant will be subject to CAFOD's safety and security policies and any other applicable policies while working with CAFOD.

8. Fees/Billing

The consultant will be remunerated against the delivery of monthly deliverables/work plan and must submit the corresponding invoice/payment request to CAFOD for the total of each payment due in relation to this consultancy.

9. Confidentiality and intellectual property

In the performance of this consultancy, all information received or obtained as a result of the contract shall be treated as strictly confidential, including information, analyses and materials produced within the scope of this provision of services, which shall remain the exclusive property of CAFOD. This intellectual property right shall remain valid even after termination of the contractual relationship. Disclosure of any material related to this consultancy shall only be permitted after written consultation with and prior written approval of CAFOD.

Protection of minors and vulnerable adults

CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, considering these interests to be paramount. All CAFOD consultants share responsibility for promoting and maintaining a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they must take given their role and responsibilities. Consultants engaged by CAFOD must adhere to CAFOD's safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD's Code of Conduct, Privacy and Data Protection, Fraud and Corruption Prevention policies, as an appendix to their contract and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with these - see policies at https://secure.ethicspoint.eu/domain/media/es/gui/105295/index.html

This consultancy involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, and applicants will be subject to satisfactory references. They may also be required to submit a police check (where applicable).  

By submitting an application, the applicant confirms that they understand and accept these procedures.

10. Expression of interest and application process

Interested persons who meet the minimum requirements and are available should submit the following documents:

• Your CV, with the most relevant experience, including the names of three professional references (they will only be contacted after the interview phase).
• Your proposal or letter in English describing how you fit the consultant profile, knowledge, experience and competencies detailed in the Terms of Reference.
• Your proposed fees and remuneration for this consultancy. These should be gross and include any local taxes.
• Proof of right of residence and the right to work in Colombia
• Example of recent English written work/comms.

If you wish, you can include a written reference or a letter of recommendation.

The consultant will be selected based on how well they meet the Language Requirements, Experience and Qualifications, and Relevant Competencies set out in these Terms of Reference, evaluated via their CV, Proposal, Interview process and Test.

Please note: Applicants with significant senior management experience or qualifications well beyond the requirements of this role may not be considered, as the consultancy is designed for mid-level professionals.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, like ChatGPT, are increasingly being used by candidates 
to assist with the application and assessment process. While we acknowledge the 
usefulness of AI tools for tasks such as checking spelling and grammar in applications, 
we strongly discourage their use for completing assessments or applications. In 
instances where it is evident that responses have been generated by AI and presented 
as if they were the consultant's work, the consultant’s application may be withdrawn from the process.

CAFOD reserves the right to accept or reject any application without giving reasons, including those exceeding our budget limit. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.

Submission/Contact Information:

Please send your application and documents by email to: jbirchenough@cafod.org.uk - indicating "Application for CAFOD Business Development Lead Global – Latin America" in the subject line.

Deadline for the submission of expressions of interest: 23:00 hours (London time) on 17th August 2025.