Application Guide
How to Apply for Development Manager
at Lafiya
🏢 About Lafiya
Lafiya is a mission-driven nonprofit making contraception accessible in hard-to-reach communities in northern Nigeria through a network of female health professionals. Their unique model empowers local women as 'Lafiya Sisters' to provide essential reproductive health services, combining social impact with grassroots innovation.
About This Role
As Development Manager, you will build and manage Lafiya's funding pipeline, securing grants from foundations, philanthropists, and donors to scale their impact. This role is critical to ensuring financial sustainability and expanding access to contraception for thousands of women.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with reviewing donor correspondence and updating the CRM, followed by researching new foundation opportunities. You could spend the afternoon drafting a concept note for a bilateral donor, then meet with the programs team to align fundraising priorities with upcoming project needs.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Lafiya Is Looking For
- 5–8 years of fundraising experience in global health or development, with a proven track record of securing 6- to 7-figure grants.
- Exceptional writing and editing skills, able to craft compelling proposals tailored to diverse funders.
- Strong strategic thinking and comfort with data, outcomes, and budgets to align funding opportunities with programmatic needs.
- Proficiency with digital tools like CRM systems, Google Workspace, and project management software.
📝 Tips for Applying to Lafiya
Highlight specific grants you've secured in global health or reproductive rights, including dollar amounts and funder types.
Tailor your resume to emphasize experience with foundations, bilateral/multilateral donors, and proposal writing in a nonprofit context.
In your cover letter, mention your familiarity with northern Nigeria or similar hard-to-reach contexts, even if indirect.
Quantify your impact: use metrics like 'increased funding pipeline by X%' or 'secured $Y in grants.'
Demonstrate understanding of Lafiya's model by referencing the 'Lafiya Sisters' and how your fundraising aligns with their mission.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your passion for reproductive health and gender equity, and why Lafiya's community-based model resonates with you.", 'Specific examples of securing large grants from foundations or government donors, with measurable outcomes.', 'Your ability to build relationships with funders and manage the full grant lifecycle from prospecting to reporting.', 'Your strategic approach to diversifying funding sources and aligning donor priorities with organizational goals.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review Lafiya's website and recent annual reports to understand their programs, impact metrics, and current funders.
- → Research the reproductive health landscape in northern Nigeria, including key challenges and stakeholders.
- → Familiarize yourself with common funders in global health (e.g., Gates Foundation, USAID, DFID) and their priorities.
- → Look up Lafiya's leadership team on LinkedIn to understand their backgrounds and potential interviewers.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention Lafiya's specific model or context.
- Overlooking the requirement for grant management experience; be ready to discuss specific grants you've managed.
- Failing to demonstrate cultural sensitivity or understanding of working in low-resource settings.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!