Overview

Since 1963 and in 148 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that designs and delivers technical and management solutions in agriculture, economic growth, and resilience to promote economic prosperity and social inclusion. Beyond our competitive compensation, full array of insurances, generous 401(k) plan, parental leave, commuter subsidy, career development, we also offer a vibrant, friendly, diverse, inclusive, passionate, and inspiring work environment.

The Sr. Director, Business Development provides leadership and oversight of the design and delivery of competitive proposals for the Resilience and Growth (R&G) portfolio.

• Master’s degree required in international development, agriculture, finance, economics or other relevant field. Additional years of experience in lieu of a master’s degree will be considered.
• Minimum eight (8) years of experience, plus three (3) or more years of managerial experience, including overseas work, in international development or related field.
• Fluency in English required. Professional proficiency in French or Spanish required.

The salary range for this position is $100,936 to $150,748; candidate's relevant experience and skills, as well as our internal equity, will be considered before an offer is extended.

Responsibilities

• Oversee R&G portfolio of new business opportunities, identify resources, and engage directly in opportunities based on the demands and priorities of the proposal processes and proposal team needs.
• Lead proposal teams and contribute to the technical design process for multiple bids, depending on bid size, complexity, and strategic value.
• Serve as Lead Writer on strategic bids or as contributing writer by providing extensive technical content.
• Lead teams conducting in-country investigations of new project opportunities and recruiting candidates for proposed staff positions.
• Research, analyze, and plan for new funding opportunities, competitive intelligence, and ACDI/VOCA’s competitive positioning on a continuous basis within the marketplace in collaboration with the R&G and Inclusive Market Systems (IMS), Technical Learning and Application (TLA), and the Business Development Group (BDG).
• Oversee effective internal communication and information management processes to ensure access and use of business development information by relevant Head office and country-based stakeholders.
• Provide business development skill and capacity building to guide and/or lead R&G proposal teams in opportunity analysis, capture planning, proposal preparation, proposal review, and after-action review.
• In collaboration with BDG, contribute to the development and dissemination of standardized business development materials (learning resources, guidelines, tools and templates, and online information) and build capacity of R&G and Project Operations staff on their application, through staff mentorship, modeling of good practices, and training.
• Provide proactive, timely ongoing support and advice to R&G proposal teams during proposal development, and collaborate with R&G staff to develop, implement, and monitor country program resource capture strategies.
• Develop and maintain key relationships with donors, collaborating organizations, and private sector actors with an eye toward opportunity identification, shared value creation, strategic alliance formation, and global brand positioning.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with current and potential partners and donors, including participating in appropriate professional organizations to raise the profile of ACDI/VOCA and identify strategic partnering opportunities.
• Identify project tools that can be incorporated into proposals and/or business development processes; collaborate with TLA, BDG, and others as appropriate to establish technical core materials, information resources and trainings.
• Lead the R&G team through business development strategy and prioritization exercises, working closely with the Department Head.
• Conduct regular check-ins with R&G team members on specific business development opportunities.
• Supervise the other Business Development staff within the R&G team.

Other duties:

• Instill, strengthen, and promote a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within the team, driving behaviors that staff will emulate.
• Ability to host or attend in person meetings when required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required; reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Master’s degree required in international development, agriculture, finance, economics or other relevant field. Additional years of experience in lieu of a master’s degree will be considered.
• Minimum eight (8) years of experience, plus three (3) or more years of managerial experience, including overseas work, in international development or related field.
• Minimum of five years’ experience working on USAID and other donor business development, including writing winning technical proposals.
• Experience conducting international development research and gathering information from multiple sources including desk and field research.
• Able to work independently in a self-directed, results-oriented environment at a fast pace.
• Proven organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks successfully under tight deadlines.
• Experience with multi-media applications, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft programs.
• Fluency in English required. Professional proficiency in French or Spanish required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally required; may be required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 based on country requirements.
• Must be available during core business hours and/or operating hours for international time differences; flexibility to work more hours when needed.
• Flexibility to work in office based on work demands.
• Must adhere to our company's Health Safety Code of Conduct and demonstrate the organization's commitment to sustaining a healthy and safe work environment.