Website Development Consultant at African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA)

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES

The selected company will be responsible for:

• Building, maintaining, and integrating core platforms and tools, including but not limited to:
• The Deal Share Platform
• ASIEX Platform
• AVPA Conference Platform
• Member Area / Membership Portal
• Learning Management System (LMS)
• Ensuring these systems are interoperable, secure, and aligned with AVPA’s strategic objectives.
• Designing and developing new features, functionality, and web pages that are fully responsive, accessible (WCAG 2.1 AA compliant), and aligned with AVPA branding and UX best practices.
• Ensuring cybersecurity and technical optimization across all platforms and associated digital assets, including:
• Proactive implementation of security protocols (SSL/TLS, regular patching, intrusion detection, etc.)
• Compliance with applicable data privacy and protection laws (e.g., GDPR or regional equivalents).
• Optimization for performance (fast load times, high availability, minimal downtime).
• Providing technical upgrades, ongoing support, and strategic guidance, including:
• Regular technical audits and recommendations for improvements.
• Keeping all systems current with industry standards, emerging best practices, and relevant innovations in web technologies.
• Training and knowledge transfer to AVPA’s internal team where needed.

DELIVERABLES

• All items listed under this section are the current AVPA WordPress website, built and operated in WordPress, and other AVPA web-hosted sites or microsites.
• Design and develop new features, pages, and microsites in WordPress, fully aligned
• with AVPA’s branding guidelines and optimized for accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA
• compliance) and responsiveness across devices and browsers.
• Rebuild and maintain the Membership Platform with a scalable, modular architecture, ensuring robust user authentication, role-based access control, and integration with AVPA’s CRM and communication tools.
• Build, optimize, and integrate the existing Deal Share Platform into the ASIEX platform, ensuring seamless data migration, API integration where applicable, and maintaining data integrity and user experience throughout the transition.
• Deploy industry-standard cybersecurity tools and best practices (e.g., SSL/TLS encryption, firewalls, intrusion detection, regular vulnerability assessments) to ensure data privacy, Data Protection Regulations (DPA, Kenya), GDPR compliance (or applicable regional laws), and protection against common threats (e.g., XSS, CSRF, SQL injection).
• Coordinate effectively with third-party technology partners and vendors to implement integrations, ensuring compatibility, stability, and documented handoff of APIs and other connection protocols.
• Deliver comprehensive system documentation, including technical architecture, admin/user manuals, maintenance procedures, and well-documented source code.
• Ensure a full transfer of intellectual property (IP), administrative credentials, and code repositories to AVPA.
• Submit monthly analytics and performance reports covering key metrics (e.g., uptime, load times, traffic, conversions, error rates) and recommendations for optimization. Include data from Google Analytics (GA4), Search Console, or other relevant tools.
• Implement effective SEO/SEM strategies (e.g., meta tags, schema markup, keyword optimization, page speed improvements) in line with best practices and provide
• regular reports on search engine rankings, traffic, and campaign performance.
• Deliverables clause
• The contract may be amended upon mutual agreement to accommodate new developments or additional requirements as they arise.

WORK SETTING

• This will be an ongoing engagement governed by the terms of the contract.
• The selected company will work in close collaboration with, and under the supervision of,
• designated AVPA team members. Regular check-in meetings will be scheduled to review progress, address challenges, and align on deliverables, informed by briefing documents provided at the outset of the engagement and for each specific project.
• AVPA will ensure timely access to all necessary information, resources, and support required to facilitate successful delivery throughout the engagement.
• The company will be expected to maintain clear and timely communication, providing regular status updates and submitting periodic progress reports in a format agreed upon with the AVPA team.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• The successful company or individual must meet the following requirements and demonstrate a proven track record of delivering similar services to a high standard:
• 5–8 years of experience in full-service web development, including both front-end and back-end development, with expertise in WordPress and related ecosystems.
• Proficiency in front-end and back-end technologies, such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (including libraries/frameworks like React or Vue, if applicable), PHP, MySQL, and XML; and experience integrating APIs and third-party tools.
• Demonstrated success in designing and delivering platform-oriented websites and web applications, particularly with a focus on scalability, security, and cross-platform interoperability.
• Proven experience in data migration and integration, including moving legacy systems into new platforms with minimal downtime and no data loss.
• Strong understanding and application of cybersecurity and data privacy best practices, including implementing SSL/TLS, access controls, penetration testing, and protection against common vulnerabilities (e.g., SQL injection, XSS, CSRF).
• Familiarity and compliance with data protection and privacy regulations, including the EU
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Kenya Data Protection Act (2019), ensuring that all solutions safeguard user data appropriately.
• Experience implementing and optimizing SEO/SEM strategies, including on-page SEO, technical SEO (sitemaps, schema markup, page speed), and analytics/reporting using tools like Google Analytics (GA4), Search Console, etc.
• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA or higher) and ability to deliver sites that are inclusive and compliant.
• Ability to develop and deliver comprehensive documentation, including technical architecture, admin/user manuals, maintenance guides, and well-documented source code.
• Experience conducting a full handover of intellectual property, administrative credentials, and code repositories, securely and systematically.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects and deliver within tight deadlines, while maintaining a high standard of quality and responsiveness.
• Availability to maintain regular communication and check-ins during East Africa Time (EAT) business hours, ensuring effective collaboration with AVPA’s team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders clearly and professionally.