Jason Potter
I am an independent consultant with over 20 years’ experience leading governance, accountability, and justice programmes across Africa and South & East Asia. With a recent background as a programme team leader for the British Council, I have specialised in adaptive programme design and management in fragile settings, partnering extensively with non-profit organisations to deliver results.
For over 15 years, I have developed and managed strategic partnerships with diverse organisations, including donors, academia, NGOs, media and corporates, creating consortia of shared values to challenge inequality, injustice and poverty. During this time, I have supported non-profit organisations of all types and sizes to strategically plan, design and deliver impactful activities that meet funder and host community priorities.
Throughout my career I have honed my business development and income generation skills, securing many high-value contracts and awards. My experience includes writing and co-creating numerous grant applications with partners, as well as extensive experience as a grant reviewer, providing me with valuable grant-maker’s insights.
Based on my track record I offer time-sensitive consultancy and short-term assignments to UK and international non-profits and values-based corporates. I welcome opportunities to work with leaders and their teams to enhance organisational impact and drive social justice outcomes. My service offer includes:
• Strategic planning, including theory of change
• Income generation and proposal writing
• Partnerships development for effective delivery and results
• Grant fund design and operationalisation.
Equality, diversity and inclusion, Evaluation and impact, Fundraising and income generation, Strategic planning
Community development, Education and employment, Environment and climate crisis, Global majority, International development
Clients
• November 2025 – current. African Development Choices – Social Impact Adviser (https://africandevelopmentchoices.org/)
• July 2022 – August 2024. The British Council in Sudan – Team Leader, Strategic Support Unit
• December 2022. KPMG in Tanzania – co-facilitator of an end of programme lessons learned workshop with Tanzanian civil society partners
• August 2021 – June 2022. British Council in Nigeria – Technical Adviser on EU-financed Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation Programme
• July 2019 – June 2022. KPMG in Tanzania – Team Leader, Accountability in Tanzania Programme
Qualifications
Academic qualifications
• 1993/94 MSc Environmental Management, University of Stirling, UK
• 1987-91 BSc Geography, City of London Polytechnic, UK
Professional training
• 2019 The Horn of Africa Immersion Course, Rift Valley Institute, Kenya
• 2016 Political Economy of Public Policy (MA Module) School of Oriental and African Studies
• 2015 Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA), Harvard University (online)
• 2015 Theory of Change, IMA International, UK
• 2009 Results Based Monitoring & Evaluation, IMA International, UK
Experience
Career and experience summary:
Programmes leadership
I have led UK government-funded programmes in Sudan and Tanzania, working closely with British and international non-profits to design and implement social justice initiatives that have contributed to policy and legislative reform.
Grant fund management
I have designed, led and managed large grant funds in Sudan, Tanzania and Myanmar, including for the British Council, UK government and EU. I have shaped grant funds around agreed client and host country priorities, designing instruments that blend experimental approaches, projects support and core support with accompanying capacity development.
Business development and income generation
Based in Kenya, I led the British Council’s business and income raising strategy for its work with civil society across Africa, generating significant contract and grants awards for the organisation. Prior to this, I undertook successful BD work for the British Council in the UK and Birmingham University.
Partnerships development
I have built an extensive range of partnerships with diverse British and international partner organisations in corporate, donor, academic and non-profit sectors. Partners have included, for example, Oxford University, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), Saferworld, International Alert, Chatham House, BBC Media Action, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children and many others.
Please see my LinkedIn profile for a more comprehensive and chronological presentation.
