Senior Proposal Lead

JOB SUMMARY

Champion of the proposal effort and primary decision maker responsible for leading priority bids for the organization, including proposals for global awards and multisectoral bids. The Senior Proposal Lead will be ultimately responsible and accountable for high quality and fully compliant bids, from capture to submission. They will be responsible for developing and implementing proposal capture plans, including analyzing opportunities, customers, and competition. They will lead the development of a win strategy, technical solution, management and staffing, and partner and key personnel selection with support and collaboration from other key proposal team members. The Senior Proposal Lead will facilitate design sessions, contribute written inputs to proposal drafts, provide quality assurance of the bid, oversee key personnel selection and partnerships, support the finalization of proposal monitoring and evaluation plans, and work to ensure budgets are aligned with the technical design and are costed appropriately. S/he may also serve in other line proposal roles, as needed.

This individual will also contribute to capacity development initiatives for FHI 360 staff, including mentoring staff on business development skills/roles; designing and facilitating training workshops; and/or developing tools or other resources to support proposal development efforts and staff skills development.

RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES

Complexity & Problem Solving:

• Demonstrates ability to determine unique client problems and key stakeholders who will inform outcomes.
• Identifies technical specialists and reviewers with appropriate expertise
• Leads team to design the technical solution, create specific bid strategy, prepare competitor analysis, and lead decisions on partnering, personnel, and past performance references
• Accountable for decisions on proposal content, including conceptual framework and other key graphics,
• overall quality and content, and for control of costs of bid spend.
• Contributes to creation and implementation of strategies for success in proposal design.
• Identifies gaps in knowledge and processes and recommends and/or leads improvements.

Expertise & Influence:

• Senior business development subject matter expert who has expertise and ability to influence at all levels.
• Strong ability to describe and sell organizational technical expertise, country capacity, and institutional capacity.
• Experienced in leading global, or integrated bids, which are complex, dynamic, and highly visible
• Highly skilled at project management, staff management, and/or business development management with a vision to understand and present the best FHI has to offer.
• Ability to indirectly manage people and operate within the bidding process, lead multi-dimensional teams in securing wins, and influencing to ensure timely decisions and enforcement of timelines.
• Mentors staff both within the Business Development and Partnerships team and across the organization to standardize and institutionalize best practices for proposal design.

Collaboration & Interaction:

• Collaborate closely with a variety of staff profiles across the organization
• Liaise expertly with technical specialists, proposal writers and editors, proposal managers, finance experts, contractual specialists, security specialists, and various business teams to effectively coordinate proposal needs to drive the win strategy
• Partner with department director to select priority bids to be led, along with partner on level and needs of capacity strengthening activities for the organization.
• Involves extensive interaction with technical, regional, and country office staff to gather actionable business intelligence to apply to bid strategy.
• Effectively negotiate significant matters with senior management, executives, and key stakeholders, ensuring that all collaborative efforts are aligned with organizational goals.

Task Management & Efficiency:

• Team leader, ultimately responsible and accountable for bid; primary decision maker.
• This individual will also contribute to capacity development initiatives for FHI 360 staff, including mentoring staff on business development skills/roles; designing and facilitating training workshops; and/or developing tools or other resources to support proposal development efforts and staff skills development.
• Lead the development and implementation of the most complex proposal capture plans, including conducting desk research; planning and facilitating proposal strategy workshops; conducting capture trips; and engaging with funders, potential partners, and other stakeholders
• Ensure that the proposal is high quality and fully compliant with solicitation documents.
• Provide design, technical, and cost leadership to priority bids, that are often global, or multi-sectoral
• Lead development of technical solution, including identification of win themes and risk mitigation plan
• Identify necessary technical specialists across various sectors, and reviewers with appropriate expertise.
• Lead development of complex conceptual framework and other key graphics.
• May lead or co-lead the development of the management and staffing components.
• Identify partners that fill gaps in technical capacity or otherwise strengthen bid.
• Develop/negotiate partner scopes of work.
• Coordinate with other technical writers, country office experts and partners to ensure that their inputs are linked in the overall technical approach.
• Participate in reviews, get clarity from reviewers on proposed revisions, and ensure that the writer is given clear feedback for revisions needed for next draft.
• Select projects for past performance references; provide input into capability statement.
• With Cost and Pricing (C&P) Lead, COBL and TBL, assist in determining appropriate levels of funding for technical interventions for both FHI 360 and partners.
• Review drafts and final version of FHI 360 and partners’ cost Proposals.
• Identify staffing needs, draft position descriptions and submit requisition forms (or delegate).
• Select candidates to interview, attend interviews, and select final candidates.
• Conduct final flip through of proposal and approve for submission.
• Escalate decisions to their leadership that falls outside their purview
• Plan, prioritize, design and facilitate trainings for staff on business development topics

Embraces other duties as assigned, contributing to the team’s multifaceted and evolving responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge & Skills:

• Must leverage their understanding of the business development life cycle and the international development funding system to drive proposal strategy to success.
• Thorough knowledge of industry capture and proposal process, craft winning proposals in response to the organization’s mission and programmatic priorities.
• Proficiency in US government (domestic and international) is essential, with foundation, corporate, multilateral, and other government funding systems preferred.
• Previous experience in an NGO or international organization is crucial, along with a comprehensive understanding of organizational structures, policies, practices, and their impact.
• Requires a proven track record of meeting budget, schedule, and performance requirements.
• Strong leadership abilities.
• Expert critical thinking and problem-solving skills,
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent in Business Administration, International Management, Public Policy, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 10 years related experience in business development related to international development
• Strong understanding of the federal procurement process
• Demonstrated success in qualifying and nurturing new or ongoing business opportunities
• Demonstrated record of successful capture, proposal strategy, and execution
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including verbal and presentation skills to individuals and groups, internally and externally
• Strong writing skills to include development of content incorporating key win themes in a clear and concise manner
• Demonstrated experience serving in leadership roles on proposal teams
• Experience leading USAID and other donor-funded proposals preferred

TRAVEL

• Up to 25% travel, including international travel. Depending on the location, travel to or between Washington DC and Durham may be needed.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Typical office environment. Constantly uses a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer. Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.

TECHNOLOGY

• Computer/Laptop, Microsoft applications (i.e., Office 365, SharePoint, Skype/Zoom/Teams), cell phone/mobile technology, and standard office equipment.

The expected US Based hiring salary range for this role is listed below. Candidate FHI 360 pay ranges represent national averages that vary by geographic location. When determining an offer amount, FHI 360 factors in multiple considerations, including but not limited to: relevant years of experience and education possessed by the applicant, internal equity, business sector, and budget. 

Base salary is only one component of our offer. FHI 360 contributes 12% of monthly base pay to a money purchase pension plan account. Additionally, all US based staff working full-time, which is calculated at 40 hours/week, receive 18 days of paid vacation per year, 12 sick days per year, and 11 holidays per year. Paid time off is reduced pro rata for employees working less than a full-time schedule.

US Based Hiring Salary Range: $155,000 - $190,000

International hiring ranges will differ based on location.

This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

FHI 360 is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.

Our values and commitments to safeguarding: FHI 360 is committed to preventing any type of abuse, exploitation and harassment in our work environments and programs, including sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment. FHI 360 takes steps to safeguard the welfare of everyone who engages with our organization and programs and requires that all personnel, including staff members and volunteers, share this commitment and sign our code of conduct. All offers of employment will be subject to appropriate screening checks, including reference, criminal record and terrorism finance checks. FHI 360 also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), facilitated by the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response. In line with the MDS, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any substantiated findings of sexual abuse, exploitation and/or harassment during the applicant’s tenure with previous employers. By applying, job applicants confirm their understanding of these recruitment procedures and consent to these screening checks.

FHI 360 will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws.

FHI 360 will never ask you for your career site username or password, and we will never request money, goods or services during the application, recruitment or employment  process. If you have questions or concerns about correspondence from us, please email CareerCenterSupport@fhi360.org.

FHI 360 fosters the strength and health of its workforce through a competitive benefits package, professional development and policies and programs that support a healthy work/life balance. Join our global workforce to make a positive difference for others — and yourself.

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