Job Description

Opportunity

Abt Associates seeks a qualified Vice President and Director of Business Development – International Development Division (IDD). The Vice President and Director of Business Development: IDD (VP) is the key advisor and facilitator of new business development, strategic growth programs, and client account management for Abt’s International Development Division. The VP is accountable, along with division leadership, for business development processes and results. S/he is IDD’s “go-to” person for business development strategy, capture planning and bid & proposal execution oversight as well as strategic proposal quality assurance.

The VP will provide vision for and contribute leadership to business development strategy, new client development, client account management, and marketing strategies for Abt capabilities and offerings targeting addressable International markets. In collaboration with executive leadership, the VP will develop a comprehensive, market-facing new business development strategy and model designed to support the short- and long-term growth goals of Abt’s international businesses.

Along with the Division Vice President (DVP) and Deputy Division Vice President (DDVP), the VP will be part of the core executive leadership of IDD, with approximately 1500 staff across 40+ countries worldwide. The VP will have additional responsibilities for: 1) internal representation of IDD across the company; and 2) external representation of Abt’s international development business.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Develop business development and marketing strategies that support Abt’s international business growth goals:
  • Help to capitalize on our established business to realize full potential of its capabilities and offerings that are relevant to international markets.
  • Work to lead/drive growth across Abt’s international business, including developing strategy, and focusing Abt resources on the highest potential and highest impact captures and bids.
  • Work to qualify the international pipeline, focusing Abt resources on the highest potential and highest impact captures and bids.
  • Collaborate with Account managers to establish priorities, targets and budgets for business development with key clients.
  • Assure that business opportunity pipelines for key clients, and International Business overall, are sufficient to support sales target achievement and Book-to-Bill ratios.
• Ensure that Abt applies industry best practices across the entire Business Development Life Cycle and participate as a player-coach in execution, especially supporting highest priority targets:
  • Lead identification of strategic long range business capture opportunities and Global Priority Bids. Verify that best practice, ‘next generation’ business development and proposal processes are applied to Global Priority Bids.
  • Coordinate, support or lead strategic capture and business development initiatives, supporting capture meetings, and serving on capture and proposal teams for strategic bids with key clients.
  • Be a driving force in instilling rigor in the business development process across the International Business.
  • Coach and mentor managers and staff account leads at all levels involved in business development on best practices and the development of client account management skills.
  • Leverage the full capabilities and resources of the Global Business Development Unit (GBDU).
• Help strengthen Abt’s brand in target and emerging markets through market- and industry-facing activities:
  • Identify and assist in the pursuit of key partnerships that will enable rapid growth in market share in a traditional market or accelerated success in an emerging market opportunity (‘big market breakthrough’).
  • Ensure that Abt is well-represented in Government and Industry professional organizations and associations, especially those where Abt is not yet well known and where there is considerable upside in market penetration.
• Identify opportunities for, and facilitate execution of, cross-selling of Abt capabilities throughout the international client portfolio, including collaboration with Abt’s U.S.-based businesses.
• Serve as senior executive of the core leadership of the International Development Division, advising on strategy, business development, operations and staffing.
• Participate, as assigned, in cross-company leadership groups and fora addressing strategic issues for the company.

Preferred Skills / Prerequisites

• Minimum of 15 years of business development experience at a professional services organization that focuses on delivery of professional services to the U.S. federal government.
• Past success leading a business development function, including capture planning, proposal management, marketing outreach, and communications and branding.
• Experience responding to RFPs, leading proposal teams and writing winning proposals.
• Experience managing technical consulting operations at an executive level.
• Very strong business acumen and the ability to work in a structured corporate environment.
• Proven ability to represent the firm at an executive level.
• Highly developed communications skills including oral and written presentations of complex topics to a wide array of audience types, as well as experience in outward marketing and branding.
• Track record for leading and managing large, diverse teams.
• Experience leading efforts with USAID.
• Some experience with global health, international economic growth, democracy and governance practice areas.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or PhD preferred

Minimum Qualifications

• BA (10 – 15) years of experience OR the equivalent combination of education and experience.

About the Organization

Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1965, Abt Associates was built on the concept that sound information and empirical analysis are the best foundations for effective decision making. The firm blends the subject matter expertise of our staff with technical capabilities in applied research, program implementation, and data collection to shape policy, strengthen systems, measure performance, and deliver other solutions to our public and private sector clients. Examples of Abt Associates’ work include nationally recognized research, evaluation, and technical assistance to improve the efficiency of healthcare systems, the effectiveness of government housing programs, the production of food, and the measurement of public opinion. Abt’s staff of more than 2000 includes national and international experts who are known for their understanding of communities and governments worldwide, innovative research techniques, and insightful—and often groundbreaking—analyses and recommendations. Approximately 51 percent of our staff has graduate degrees; one in six has a doctorate. Our staff’s educational and professional disciplines include economics, engineering, environmental analysis, epidemiology, food security, health, housing, international development, psychology, social science, statistics, and survey methodology. Abt’s research staff is experienced with prominent statistical software packages, including SPSS, SAS, and STATA, along with qualitative software such as NVIVO and Atlas. In 2011, Abt Associates was ranked among the top 20 global research firms and one of the top 40 development innovators. Abt has offices in Atlanta, Ga.; Rockville, Md.; Cambridge, Mass.; Chicago, Ill.; Durham, N.C.; and New York City and program offices in nearly 40 countries in Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa. www.abtassociates.com