Business Development Specialist II
Catholic Relief Services
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Sierra Leone
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About the role
- Lead the production of high-quality funding applications in support of CRS’ engagement with institutional donors and initiatives involved in international development to serve the poor and vulnerable.
- Provide BD expertise to country leadership and proposal teams in positioning, capture planning and proposal preparation for specific opportunities with institutional donors.
- Manage pre-positioning, capture and proposal development processes to ensure timely execution and submission of high-quality proposals that are responsive to donor requirements, applicable regulations, and CRS’ technical and cost standards.
- Deploy as proposal coordinator, and advise on opportunity analysis, lead go/no-go decisions, capture planning, coordinate partner inputs, proposal review panels and ensure BD data is updated and accurate.
- Deploy as a lead or support writer on proposals, contributing both technical and non-technical content and integrating inputs from staff and partners into a responsive, coherent proposal with a compelling vision and clear win themes.
- Deploy as budget lead or to support the lead in developing proposal budgets.
- Guide and advise on partner identification and negotiating CRS’ role in proposal consortia.
- Liaise with senior management and donor engagement focal points to develop a resource mobilization strategy.
- Research, track and analyze new opportunities and CRS’ competitive position within the marketplace.
- Lead and/or support development of CRS BD tools, resources and guidance on BD best practices and CRS approaches across the BD cycle.
- Train and mentor staff to improve their skills across the CRS BD Cycle.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in international development, international relations, or related field.
- Minimum eight years of international development experience.
- Master's degree in international development, international relations, or related field preferred.
- At least three years' experience in a developing country preferred.
- Demonstrated experience utilizing diverse, proactive strategies to competitively position an organization for new funding and productive institutional relationships preferred.
- Demonstrated experience leading and producing competitive proposals in programming contexts similar to CRS preferred.
- Experience with both grants and contract funding mechanisms preferred.
- Demonstrated experience leading project teams and processes to produce deliverables under tight deadlines and at exceptional quality preferred.
- Experience providing remote support to diverse teams preferred.
- Experience in developing content for and facilitating trainings related to key business development practices. Knowledge of adult learning approaches preferred.
- Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills.
- Familiarity with relevant institutional donor regulations, policies, procedures and priorities preferred.
- Comprehensive familiarity with a broad range of institutional donor technical and cost requirements.
- Experience with pursuing funding with donors including World Bank, FDCO, EU, USG, foundations and corporations preferred.
- Strong relationship management skills.
- Excellent negotiation skills.
- Exceptional writing skills with expert command of English grammar and AP style.
- Ability to write proposals in French, or another common institutional donor language a plus preferred.
- Strong communications and presentation skills.
- Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented mindset preferred.
- Knowledge of CRS programs, justice agenda and Catholic Social Teaching principles a plus preferred.
Benefits
- CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.
- Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.
- CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
proposal developmentbudget developmentgrant funding mechanismscontract funding mechanismsbusiness development strategiestraining facilitationproposal writinganalytical skillssystems thinkingproblem-solving
Soft Skills
relationship managementnegotiationwriting skillscommunication skillspresentation skillsstrategic thinkingproactive mindsetresourcefulnesssolutions-orientedresults-oriented
Certifications
Bachelor's degree in international developmentMaster's degree in international development