Business Development/Proposal Manager

Devex is assisting a non-profit international development organization with headquarters in the Netherlands in identifying candidates for the position of Business Development/Proposal Manager. 

Duration: Full time position

Location: Washington D.C., USA

Overview of the Company:

For over four decades, the organization has worked with national, regional and local governments, entrepreneurs and citizen associations to alleviate poverty. Services are funded by public and private sources. The organization achieves its mission by providing technical assistance, investment advisory services, knowledge development, brokering, advocacy and project implementation at the national and international levels. Agriculture development, renewable energy, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are its focus sectors.

Summary of Role:

Client is seeking a Business Development / Proposal Manager skilled at facilitating and writing competitive grant and contract proposals for international development organizations to join its business development team. The Business Development / Proposal Manager will work with an integrated, global team (US, The Netherlands and Regional Program Offices) to secure program funding from a variety of sources, with a special emphasis on USAID. S/he will manage the proposal development process from inception through successful submission, and be an active participant of the organization’s (BD) Team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop a solid understanding of the organization’s approach in agriculture, renewable energy, and WASH sectors;
• Research and identify viable programs, relevant USAID funding opportunities and other proposal-related correspondence in order to secure formal proposal submission invitations;
• Oversee proposal development process for large, complex bids by working closely with program and operations staff and with external partner organizations. This includes partner negotiation, pre-proposal and proposal planning, and facilitation of meetings in collaboration with a proposal development team as appropriate;
• Track USG and USAID contracting and procurement developments to understand trends  as well as specific initiatives in agriculture, renewable energy and WASH, and understand their implications for the organization
• Assist in the preparation of program budgets and forecasts related to all proposal and grant activities, including assessments of projected goal achievement;
• Draft sections of technical proposals such as the management plan, capability and staffing sections and other areas as appropriate; contribute to the technical approach sections of proposals as required;
• Write, synthesize and edit proposals and oversee the submission of the completed packages, including all necessary attachments, and other favorable deliverables;

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field. Master’s preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years grant and proposal writing experience with at least 3-4 years’ experience in proposal development for USG agencies, especially USAID;
• Given that the primary focus is securing USAID funding, candidates need to have significant experience working with USAID and in a home office based business development capacity;
• Strong familiarity with US Government procurement and contracting policies;
• Demonstrated track record of leading the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of various types of donors including foundation, government, and bilateral/multilateral institutions;
• Experience in developing program budgets with field, program and technical personnel;
• Experience managing donor-funded projects in agriculture, renewable energy, or WASH; expertise in at least one of the organization’s focus sectors is preferred;
• Experience living and working in a developing country in a project management, business development or fundraising capacity, preferably on issues related to agriculture, renewable energy or WASH;
• Exceptional editing/proof-reading skills to ensure production of documents that are clear, concise, responsive, and grammatically correct;
• Available for occasional international travel
• Foreign language skills in French and/or Spanish a plus.

To be considered for this position, please click “Apply Now” or send your CV to . So that we may best assess your skills and experience in relation to this opportunity, we encourage you to submit a cover letter highlighting your relevant experience for this position.