This position provides leadership for the cost proposal development function of new business development, assisting the agency to secure large-scale, multi-million dollar grant and contract funding from USAID and other institutional donors. S/he will sit on the Proposal Pricing Team within the New Business Development (NBD) Unit of the Portfolio Growth & Performance department. The position will interact most closely with Proposal Managers, Technical Leads, Award Managers, Finance Managers and consortium partners in both the U.S. and in the field.
Cost Proposal Development (60%)
Lead, support or review cost proposals while working with staff in Country Offices and technical teams in the headquarters office. This will include:
- Serving as full-time member on proposal teams;
- Review and analyze solicitation documents;
- Create and outline cost and price strategy in collaboration with Proposal Manager;
- Develop complex Microsoft Excel-based budget templates, Microsoft Word-based budget narratives, partner instructions/guidance
- Negotiate budget matters with consortium partners to produce a compliant cost proposal.
- Produce cost proposal volume for donor submission.
Tools and Templates (20%)
Create or update current tools and templates and identify the need for new tools, templates and guidance for cost proposal development for U.S. Government (USG) proposals (for both Cooperative Agreement and Contracts). This will include:
- Execute technical updates to resources based on a monthly and quarterly review schedule;
- Support continuous improvement of Proposal Pricing Team’s tools and templates (identify need for revision/overhaul or creation of new solutions as business practices evolve);
- Troubleshoot and support end-user issues with use and application of tools and templates.
Knowledge Management and Learning (20%)
Participate in the execution of the NBD Learning Strategy, which is a learning and training plan to develop and enhance core business development competencies. This will include:
- Create and adapt content for the “Developing a Compliance Cost Proposal” curriculum;
- Deliver trainings through a variety of modalities (in-person instructor-led trainings, virtual instructor-led trainings, mentoring and coaching, job aids, and on-the-job learning).
- .Three to five years’ experience in preparing cost/business proposals with different cost structures, especially in response to USAID grant and contract solicitations.
- Advanced proficiency in and knowledge of budget development in Microsoft Excel.
- Knowledge of pertinent US government regulations, trends and practices, including OMB Circulars, FAR and AIDAR.
- Experience and familiarity with industry-standard proposal development/project design process
- Experience working and negotiating with international and local consortium partners.
- Delivering training and capacity building in cross-cultural environments.
- Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously with accuracy and attention to detail, and work under pressure with flexibility for competing/evolving priorities
- Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced and intense, deadline driven work environment.
- Excellent written/verbal English as well as communication skills required.
- Proven interpersonal skills and ability to work successfully as part of a cross-cultural team.
- 15-25% travel anticipated.
Preferred Qualifications
- Ability to create and write macros and/or VBA code.
- Foreign language skills (especially French) preferred.
- Experience working with other institutional, multi-lateral, corporate and foundation donors.
- Meaningful work, with a knowledge that you are changing the lives of children all around the world
- A family friendly work environment
- Highly collaborative and innovative teams
- Generous paid vacation days, holidays, family leave days, and sick time
- Healthcare plans including medical, dental, and life insurance
- Retirement savings account with matching company contributions
- Structured and formalized management development and coaching programs for mid and senior level managers
- Extensive e-learning opportunities on a variety of topics offered through our affiliation with several prestigious universities as well as language learning opportunities.