Democratic Republic of the Congo: Business Development Specialist II, DRC

Job Title: Business Development Specialist II
Dept/Location: DRC – Kinshasa
Position Type: Long-term
Reports To: Country Representative
Band: D
FLSA: Exempt

Background
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has operated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since 1961 and currently implements a diverse portfolio of programs valued at $25 million (FY16) in the sectors of emergency response, health, education, food security, agriculture, livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene, peace building and protection. The DRC country program has 180 national and 20 international staff working out of the Kinshasa head office, and sub-offices in Kananga, Lodja, Dungu, Goma, Bukavu, Kalemie, Lubumbashi, Ango, Kikwit, and Mbandaka.

CRS DRC strives to achieve quality program outcomes within an extremely challenging and ever-changing operating environment. Project funding comes from a diverse portfolio of public and private donors – including USAID, DFID, the European Union, and various UN agencies – each with its own funding priorities, solicitation mechanisms, and operational regulations. This complex landscape requires CRS to display strong, full-cycle business development competencies in order to mobilize resources to meet urgent humanitarian and development needs.

This Business Development Specialist position supports CRS’ acquisition of resources from a wide range of donors, including US Government, foreign governments, multi-lateral organizations, foundations, corporations, and a variety of emerging, non-traditional sources of funding. CRS’ business development staff constitute a specific line of expertise within a comprehensive approach to business development that involves technical, managerial, financial, and operational staff and local partner organizations, working together to enhance CRS’ competitive positioning for donor attention and funding.

Primary Function
The Business Development Specialist will support the agency’s positioning for and pursuit of institutional donor resources, with an emphasis on competitive funding mechanisms. S/he will provide business development expertise and leadership to cross-discipline and cross-functional teams in the development of proposals to ensure the highest quality standards and competitiveness. S/he will contribute to and support internal learning processes that improve CRS’ business development practice, enhance the agency’s value propositions, and leverage innovative, evidence-based results into new revenue and programming.

Job Responsibilities

1. Research, track and analyze new business opportunities, competitive intelligence, and CRS’ competitive positioning within the marketplace.
2. Maintain accurate business pipeline and performance data through CRS’ online system to inform executive and senior management decisions.
3. Support senior management’s cultivation and strengthening of institutional relationships with donors, partner organizations, and other collaborators in the international relief/development arena.
4. Provide business development expertise in positioning, capture planning and proposal preparation for specific opportunities. As appropriate, serve as proposal coordinator or other lead role in proposal team, and participate in bid analysis and proposal review panels.
5. Coordinate processes and mentor staff to ensure timely submission of high quality proposals that are responsive to donor requirements, applicable regulations, and CRS’ technical and cost standards.
6. Support and guide the identification of partners and negotiation of CRS’ role on proposal consortia, ensuring a competitive position for CRS that adheres to the agency’s partnership principles and strategic directions.
7. Work with senior managers and advisors to develop effective fundraising strategies involving donor research and intelligence, product development, marketing, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
8. Work with appropriate staff to maintain data on past performance and corporate capacity, in order to provide timely information for proposal submissions worldwide.
9. Contribute to, disseminate, and model the use of standardized business development processes and resources (training/capacity-building materials, guidelines, tools and templates, and online information).
10. Lead and contribute to agency learning, through analysis of proposal successes and failures, analysis of CRS competitiveness and the funding environment, and active participation in CRS’ global business development community of practice.
11. Assist the Program Quality department with guidance on high-quality project start-up and close-out, including development of relevant Gantt charts and tracking of timelines.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

Key Working Relationships
Internal: Country Program staff; regional office staff; relevant HQ departments, and global business development community. External: Business development officials of collaborating partner organizations; select donor representatives as appropriate.

Qualifications
• Masters Degree in Development, International Relations, or relevant field preferred; equivalent experience acceptable.
• Minimum five years of international development experience, including at least two years in a developing country.
• Demonstrated experience leading and producing competitive proposals in programming contexts similar to CRS required. Comprehensive familiarity with technical and cost application requirements of USAID RFAs required. Experience with USAID RFPs and with non-USAID and non-USG donors and funding mechanisms highly desirable.
• Familiarity with relevant federal regulations and with the agency-specific policies, procedures and priorities of USAID and the United Nations.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated experience managing people and processes, leading teams to produce deliverables under tight deadlines and at exceptional quality.
• Exceptional writing ability.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Knowledge of CRS programs, justice agenda and Catholic Social Teaching principles, a plus.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required, experience with Access or other data base programs is a plus.
• Ability and willingness to travel within the DRC as needed, up to 40% of job time.
• Fluency in English and working ability in French required. French fluency preferred.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

EOE

Apply online: http://bit.ly/2lCctdk