The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) has announced new employment opportunities for professionals seeking to build their careers in business development, resource mobilisation, fundraising, partnerships and institutional development. The latest vacancies are based at the icipe Duduville Campus in Nairobi and include positions at both managerial and officer level.
The organisation is recruiting a Business Development Manager under reference number HR/694/26 and a Business Development Officer under reference number HR/695/26. The Business Development Manager vacancy is scheduled to close on 28 September 2026, while applications for the Business Development Officer position close earlier, on 18 September 2026.
icipe is an international scientific research organisation headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Its work centres on insect science and related research and development activities, with its programmes contributing to areas such as food and nutritional security, human and animal health, environmental sustainability, capacity development and livelihoods. The Centre operates from its headquarters as well as country and field offices.
These vacancies provide opportunities for professionals interested in supporting the institutional and business development functions that enable research organisations to identify opportunities, develop partnerships, prepare competitive proposals and secure resources for programmes.
Applicants should pay particular attention to the closing date attached to the position they intend to pursue. The two vacancies have different application deadlines.
Current icipe Vacancies
- Business Development Manager – HR/694/26
Location: icipe Duduville Campus, Nairobi
Application deadline: 28 September 2026, GMT+3
The Business Development Manager is a senior-level position focused on strengthening icipe’s business development, fundraising and institutional resource mobilisation activities.
The position is responsible for providing technical and strategic leadership to scientists, programme teams and other staff involved in developing proposals and pursuing funding opportunities. It also involves assessing potential opportunities, supporting donor positioning and strengthening partnerships that contribute to icipe’s institutional objectives.
The role requires a professional who can work across scientific, programme and management teams and translate institutional capabilities into competitive proposals and partnerships.
Job Description and Key Responsibilities
The Business Development Manager will undertake responsibilities that include:
- Exercise professional judgement when identifying, assessing and prioritising business development opportunities available to icipe.
- Analyse donor calls, funding priorities, strategic plans and investment opportunities to determine their relevance to icipe’s mandate, scientific priorities and institutional capabilities.
- Advise icipe Management and scientists on how the Centre’s expertise and value proposition should be positioned in response to relevant funding opportunities.
- Make recommendations concerning proposal strategies, approaches to partnerships and donor positioning while working within icipe’s established policies and procedures.
- Resolve complex issues arising during proposal development and coordination through consultation and collaboration with relevant internal stakeholders.
- Provide technical guidance and leadership to scientists, programme teams and other members of staff participating in resource mobilisation and proposal development.
- Guide and mentor scientists and staff on proposal development and donor requirements.
- Provide guidance on important proposal development areas, including theories of change, logical frameworks, budgeting and donor positioning.
- Help strengthen institutional capacity for the preparation of proposals that are high quality, competitive and compliant with donor requirements.
- Support the development and strengthening of strategic partnerships that contribute to icipe’s fundraising and broader institutional objectives.
The position therefore combines business development with proposal management, donor engagement, internal coordination and institutional capacity building. The successful holder will be expected to work closely with different teams rather than treating business development as a stand-alone activity.
A significant component of the position involves identifying which funding opportunities are strategically suitable for icipe. This requires reviewing donor calls and other opportunities against the Centre’s mandate, research priorities and capacity. The role also supports decisions on how icipe should position itself when responding to opportunities.
Another important component is proposal development. The Business Development Manager will provide technical guidance to teams preparing funding proposals and will help ensure that submissions are appropriately structured, competitive and responsive to donor expectations.
The manager will additionally support scientists and other staff in areas such as theories of change, logical frameworks and budgeting. This capacity-building function is intended to strengthen the organisation’s ability to prepare successful proposals consistently.
Requirements and Qualifications
Applicants for the Business Development Manager position should have:
- A degree in Social Sciences with strong Project Management skills or a related field.
- 15 years of progressive experience in proposal development, business development, programme/project management or a related field.
Core Competencies
The competencies identified for the position include:
- Experience in developing successful proposals and concept notes for institutional, development, philanthropic, private-sector or other funding partners.
- Experience in reviewing grant calls and aligning institutional capabilities and priorities with donor requirements.
- Experience in conducting quality assurance and compliance reviews of proposals before submission.
- Experience in donor relations.
- Experience in partnership building.
- Understanding of systematic tools and approaches required to successfully deliver funded projects.
Reporting
The Business Development Manager will report to the Director General.
Application Details
Applications for the Business Development Manager position will be accepted until 28 September 2026 and may be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Applicants are expected to prepare the application documents specified by icipe, including:
- A confidential cover letter.
- A detailed curriculum vitae containing the names and addresses of three referees, including their email addresses.
- A statement demonstrating the applicant’s suitability against the listed qualifications, competencies, abilities and skills.
Candidates should ensure that the information submitted accurately demonstrates how their background relates to the requirements of the position.
Apply Now – Business Development Manager
- Business Development Officer – HR/695/26
Location: icipe Duduville Campus, Nairobi
Application deadline: 18 September 2026, GMT+3
The second current opportunity is for a Business Development Officer. The position is also based at the icipe Duduville Campus and falls within the Centre’s business development function.
The Business Development Officer role supports the organisation’s business development activities and the processes through which institutional opportunities are identified and pursued. As an officer-level position, it forms part of the wider function supporting icipe’s ability to develop opportunities and advance its institutional objectives.
The role should be distinguished from the Business Development Manager vacancy. Candidates should therefore review the official vacancy notice for HR/695/26 carefully and apply specifically against the requirements provided for the officer position.
Job Description
The Business Development Officer will work within icipe’s business development environment, supporting the Centre’s institutional efforts in this area.
Applicants should refer to the complete official job description for the detailed assignment, responsibilities, reporting arrangements, experience requirements and qualifications attached to reference HR/695/26.
This is particularly important because candidates should assess themselves against the requirements published by icipe rather than relying on requirements from similarly titled business development positions elsewhere.
The vacancy is located at icipe’s Duduville Campus in Nairobi and has an earlier closing date than the Business Development Manager position. Interested candidates therefore have until 18 September 2026 to complete their applications.
Apply Now – Business Development Officer
About icipe
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology is a research organisation with its headquarters in Nairobi. Established in 1970, the Centre conducts research relating primarily to insects and other arthropods and translates scientific knowledge into solutions intended to address development challenges.
The organisation’s research and development activities extend across areas that include plant health, animal health, human health and environmental health. Its work also contributes to scientific capacity development and the advancement of research and innovation.
Because research institutions depend on partnerships and external resources to implement programmes, business development and resource mobilisation functions play an important supporting role. They help connect scientific priorities with potential funding opportunities while ensuring that proposals respond to donor requirements and institutional objectives.
The two advertised positions are therefore relevant to icipe’s broader institutional development work. The Business Development Manager provides senior technical and strategic leadership, while the Business Development Officer vacancy provides an additional opportunity within the business development function.
Recruitment Process at icipe
Jobseekers considering these opportunities should also be aware of icipe’s official recruitment procedures and its warning concerning fraudulent recruitment activities.
According to icipe, genuine vacancies are advertised through its official jobs section, official social media platforms or mainstream media. Genuine advertisements provide information about the job description and the experience required for the respective position.
The organisation’s recruitment process follows several stages.
- A vacancy is officially advertised.
- Applications are reviewed and shortlisting is conducted by a panel.
- Candidates who successfully pass the shortlisting stage are invited to interviews using official icipe communication channels.
- Candidates who are successful following the interview process receive an offer letter.
- Successful candidates subsequently sign their employment contracts when joining icipe.
Applicants should therefore be cautious about unsolicited communications that do not follow the organisation’s recruitment procedures.
Important Recruitment Fraud Warning
icipe states that it does not charge applicants any fees during recruitment.
Candidates are not expected to pay money to apply for a vacancy, obtain shortlisting, attend an interview or secure employment with the organisation. Any request for money supposedly intended to facilitate employment with icipe should therefore be treated with caution.
The organisation communicates directly with shortlisted and successful candidates through its official communication channels.
Successful applicants are only expected to provide their original certificates and other relevant documents for verification when they report to an icipe office.
Jobseekers are consequently advised to conduct due diligence before responding to recruitment communications, particularly where an individual asks for money in exchange for employment, preferential consideration, interviews or appointment.
icipe has indicated that requests for payment to secure employment are fraudulent and inconsistent with its recruitment practices and organisational values. Such cases should be reported to the police for appropriate action.
Applicants who encounter an icipe vacancy on another website, social media page or digital platform should verify the opportunity against the organisation’s official communication channels before providing personal information or proceeding with an application.
The organisation can also be contacted through [email protected] or telephone number 020 863 2000 for enquiries.
Application Guidance for Candidates
Applicants interested in the Business Development Manager or Business Development Officer vacancies should begin by identifying the correct vacancy reference.
The Business Development Manager is HR/694/26 and closes on 28 September 2026.
The Business Development Officer is HR/695/26 and closes on 18 September 2026.
Candidates should not assume that the two positions have identical requirements simply because both are within business development. Each vacancy should be assessed independently against the official job description.
For the Business Development Manager position, applicants should pay particular attention to demonstrating their experience in proposal development, business development, programme or project management, donor relations and partnership building where applicable to their background.
The position specifically calls for extensive progressive experience, making it important for applicants to present their career history in a manner that clearly shows the progression and relevance of their responsibilities.
Experience with proposals should also be presented clearly. Where an applicant has developed concept notes or proposals for institutional donors, development organisations, philanthropic organisations, private-sector partners or other funders, this experience should be described accurately without exaggerating the applicant’s individual contribution.
Similarly, applicants with experience reviewing grant calls should demonstrate how they have interpreted donor requirements and helped align those requirements with organisational capabilities or priorities.
The Business Development Manager position also places emphasis on proposal quality assurance and compliance. Relevant candidates should therefore ensure that their applications accurately reflect experience reviewing proposals before submission where they have undertaken such responsibilities.
Donor relations and partnership building are also specifically identified among the core competencies. Candidates should make these areas visible in their CVs where they form part of their genuine professional experience.
The vacancy additionally involves providing guidance and mentorship to scientists and programme teams. Applicants should therefore consider whether their career history demonstrates experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams, guiding colleagues through proposal development or supporting organisational capacity building.
Application Deadline
The Business Development Officer vacancy closes on 18 September 2026 at GMT+3.
The Business Development Manager vacancy closes on 28 September 2026 at GMT+3.
The different closing dates are important. Candidates interested in the officer position have significantly less time to submit their applications and should not use the manager’s 28 September deadline when planning their submission.
Applications should be completed through the official recruitment channel provided for the respective vacancy.
