PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
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PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
International Grants and Business Development Leader
A results-driven International Grants and Business Development Leader with over 17 years of experience securing and managing large-scale donor-funded programmes across sub-Saharan Africa. Proven track record of building and managing regional funding pipelines exceeding $250 million, achieving a 65% win rate on major bids, and securing over $100 million annually from USG agencies, the EU, WHO and private donors. Expert in full grant lifecycle management, donor compliance, partner capacity building and remote cross-cultural programme leadership. Holds dual Master's degrees, a GPC, CPA, PMP, CFCM and PMD, combining deep technical expertise with institutional credibility across the international development sector.
30+ Active opportunities worth over $250M
65% Win rate on major bids
$100M+ Managed annually from USG, EU, WHO and private donors
$32M USAID programme directed
$34.8M New agricultural sales generated
200,000 Smallholder farmers reached
100% Compliance rate with USG procurement regulations
Career History
Senior Regional Business Development and Grants Manager
HJFMRI
$100M+ managed annually across 5+ African countries
Nairobi, Kenya (Remote)•July 2021 to PresentOngoing
- -Led business development across 15+ African countries, securing $100M+ annually from USG agencies, the EU, WHO, pharmaceutical partners and private donors through competitive proposals and strategic partnerships.
- -Built and managed a regional pipeline of 30+ active opportunities worth more than $250M by aligning technical teams with funder priorities early in the capture process, resulting in a 65% win rate on major bids over two years.
- -Streamlined pre- and post-award workflows across grants, contracts and projects, reducing proposal turnaround time by 30% and lowering compliance risks via standardised checklists and cross-functional reviews.
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Regional Business Development and Grants Manager
HJFMRI
40+ competitive bids submitted over five years
Nairobi, Kenya•November 2016 to June 2021
- -Managed the full pre-award lifecycle for proposals across sub-Saharan Africa, coordinating technical, finance and compliance teams to submit 40+ competitive bids that increased annual grant revenue by 20% over five years.
- -Oversaw post-award monitoring for $75M+ in grants, contracts and cooperative agreements from USAID, CDC and global health donors, ensuring full compliance and zero major audit findings.
- -Strengthened internal systems for opportunity tracking and risk assessment, reducing duplicate efforts across country offices and improving win-rate consistency by aligning early-stage intelligence with programme design.
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Grants Manager, USDA/K-SALES Project
Land O'Lakes International Development
$21.1M in trade deals facilitated for 200+ partners
Nairobi, Kenya•March 2014 to October 2016
- -Managed all aspects of a $20M USDA-funded livestock development grant, including sub-award design, compliance, disbursement and performance tracking across Kenya's dairy and meat value chains.
- -Conducted pre-award risk assessments and post-award monitoring for 30+ local partners, strengthening financial and operational capacity and maintaining zero material compliance issues throughout the project lifecycle.
- -Designed and delivered tailored capacity-building sessions on grant management, procurement and reporting, which improved partner submission timeliness by 40% and reduced corrective action requests by half.
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Grants Manager, USAID Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Project (KHCP)
Fintrac Inc.
Nairobi, Kenya•July 2010 to February 2014
- -Directed the grant and contract administration for a $32 million USAID project, advising the senior leadership team on strategic resource allocation to meet aggressive programme goals.
- -Generated $34.8 million in new agricultural sales by managing targeted grants that expanded market access and improved livelihoods for 200,000 smallholder farmers.
- -Supervised the performance of 50+ local sub-grantees, reconciling technical milestone achievements against budgetary disbursements to ensure 98% of funds were utilised on schedule.
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Grant/Program Accountant, USAID KNH Project
St. John's Community Centre
Nairobi, Kenya•April 2009 to June 2010
- -Managed financial oversight for a network of 30 sub-grantee organisations, ensuring all accounting and reporting met the strict transparency standards of the USAID KNH project.
- -Conducted pre-award risk and capacity assessments to vet potential partners, negotiating realistic budgets and drafting agreements that balanced project needs with donor safeguards.
- -Trained partner staff on donor financial rules and internal controls, which improved the quality of their financial submissions and reduced reconciliation delays by 50%.
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Short-Term Grants Officer, LPATH-HIV (CDC-funded)
CHF International
Nairobi, Kenya•August 2008 to April 2009
- -Designed practical monitoring tools to track sub-grant expenditures, disbursements and performance indicators across 14 local HIV-service partners under a $10M CDC-funded initiative.
- -Reviewed financial and narrative reports for compliance with CHF, CDC, USG and Kenyan government standards, providing actionable feedback that improved reporting quality within one quarter.
- -Advised partner organisations on sound financial practices and policy gaps, helping three strengthen their internal systems enough to qualify for larger awards afterwards.
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Finance, Human Resource and Administration Officer
Counterpart International
Juba, South Sudan•July 2007 to June 2008
- -Ran day-to-day finance, HR and logistics for the South Sudan office under a USAID project, keeping operations running smoothly despite frequent access constraints and staff turnover.
- -Managed one subgrant and supported security protocols, including risk assessments and movement planning, that helped keep the team safe during volatile periods without incident.
- -Streamlined monthly financial close by consolidating reporting templates, cutting reconciliation time by approximately 25% and improving cash flow visibility for programme leads.
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Program Coordinator
Sobat Development Agency
Upper Nile State, South Sudan•June 2006 to September 2007
- -Coordinated five community-based projects covering health, agriculture and peacebuilding across remote areas, ensuring timely delivery despite limited infrastructure and shifting security conditions.
- -Built relationships with local authorities, donors and NGOs to secure in-kind support and avoid duplication, leading to two joint initiatives that expanded reach by 30%.
- -Supervised a small field team in Kenya and South Sudan, resolving staffing gaps through cross-training and flexible scheduling without compromising output.
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Finance Officer
South Sudan Disabled Persons Association
Bentiu, South Sudan•January 2005 to December 2005
- -Managed full-cycle finances for three small-scale disability-inclusion projects, including budgeting, cash tracking and donor reporting, keeping all accounts reconciled and audit-ready.
- -Designed and rolled out a simple internal control system for partner organisations, reducing errors in fund transfers and improving transparency in how grants were spent.
- -Prepared final accounts in QuickBooks and supported the external audit process, which resulted in clean opinions for two consecutive years, a first for the organisation.
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Education
Now
PhD Strategic Management and Innovation
Daystar University
Nairobi, KenyaJanuary 2025 - Ongoing
In Progress
2023
Master of Science, International Business Management
University of East London
London, United KingdomDecember 2023
2023
Master of Business Administration, Project Management
Kenyatta University
Nairobi, KenyaJuly 2023
2014
Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting and Finance
Kenya Methodist University
Nairobi, KenyaJuly 2014
2008
Diploma in Project Management
I Link Institute of Development
Nairobi, KenyaDecember 2008
Professional Certifications
Grants Professional Certified (GPC)
Grant Professionals Certification Institute, USA
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
ICPAK, Nairobi, Kenya
Project Management (PMD) Certified
APMG, United Kingdom
Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM)
NCMA, USA
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Project Management Institute, USA
Professional Memberships
G
Grants Professional Association
Author and Member
Published: Emotional Intelligence and Stakeholder Management, November 2024
I
ICPAK
Member
N
National Contract Management Association
Member
N
National Grants Management Association
Member
Publications and Research
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Peer Reviewed2023
IJBM
International Journal of Business and Management
Capacity Building and Performance of Donor-Funded Projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya
John K. Kanyi and Rosemary James
Vol. 18, No. 2, 2023 | February 4, 2023
Canadian Center of Science and Education
DOI: 10.5539/ijbm.v18n2p61
Examined how technical, managerial and governance competence affect the performance of donor-funded projects in Nairobi County. All three competencies showed significant positive influence on project performance with an R-squared value of 0.853, indicating strong explanatory power.
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Strategy Paper2024
GPA
Journal of the Grant Professionals Association
Stakeholder Engagement and Emotional Intelligence
John Kanyi, CPA, PMP, CFCM, MBA, MSc
GPA Strategy Papers, Volume 11, Issue 2, Pages 39-46 | Fall 2024
Grant Professionals Association
Argues that grant managers must evolve into multifaceted project leaders and that emotional intelligence is a critical skill for navigating stakeholder engagement throughout the grant lifecycle. Connects stakeholder engagement with project management competencies as key drivers of grant project success.