PROFESSIONAL NGO CHARITY MANAGERThe world of international development is changing, and while the COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened them, these underlying trends have been visible for some time; engaging a public that is rightfully more critical, heightened expectations from partners around impact, the exciting developments opened up by localisation and disintermediation, building organisational financial sustainability in the face of dramatic changes across the fundraising landscape, and of course, the critical importance of ensuring the communities we support are treated with dignity, respect, and are kept safe from harm. The status quo has frankly not been an option for some time, and charities need to recognise this, or sadly get left behind. As a seasoned senior NGO manager, I believe these trends, while a challenge, offer wonderful opportunities to increase the impact we can have in the world. I specialise in developing strategy that allow NGOs to navigate what’s ahead, with a special emphasis on ensuring income stability, building strong teams, and developing wide-ranging shared value partnerships. As an African, I passionately believe in the localisation agenda, and without doubt feel a key role of international NGOS and donors is to help build the capacity and agency of our southern development partners, so they're fully empowered to take ownership of their own programmatic and development agenda.__________________________________________________________________I am an occasional visiting lecturer in development at London South Bank University and sit on the board of the Livingstone Tanzania Trust. I've lived in, and travelled across, the UK, Europe, Asia, the US, and Africa. Despite its many problems, this world of ours is amazing, and I'm proud to be part of a sector that unashamedly seeks to make it a better place, for all of us.SPECIALTIES: NGO managementCharity governanceOrganisational strategy and planningDeveloping partnerships and shared value collaborationCommunication and storytellingInnovation and ideation