Role overview
Based in the US and working within the Strategic Partnership and Business Development team, this role will manage VSO’s relationship development and positioning with implementing partners, and other priority donors. The role will include management of a focused engagement plan for USAID in youth and livelihoods, subsequent engagement and relationship development and high quality bid development. This will enable VSO to position for and secure high value new business opportunities to grow VSO’s global programme portfolio and deliver significant impact.
The candidates for this role must have the right to work in the US and live commutable distance to Washington DC and we welcome applicants from the National Capital Region.
Relationship Coordination and Management
• Lead VSO’s relationship development and proactive positioning with North America based bilateral and multi-lateral agencies, particularly USAID, and major global foundations with a focus on VSO’s livelihoods and youth work • Lead VSO’s donor and implementing partner engagement building strong relationships with major North America based agencies, particularly USAID, and major global foundations, and their key implementing partners.
• Ensure that priority donors centrally and globally understand how VSO can help deliver their priorities • Influence priority donors on issues of mutual interest
• Work directly and proactively with Practice Area technical leads, Country teams, Programme Design, Knowledge Evidence & Learning, and others to ensure proactive and widespread engagement with USAID centrally and in-country
• Grow VSO’s new programme funding by identifying and creating opportunities, building winning partnerships with implementing partners, developing and submitting outstanding proposals and negotiating successful new VSO programmes.
• Proactively build VSO’s understanding of North America based donors and key implementing partners in order to inform programmatic direction and content and ensure decision making is based on sound market knowledge and business intelligence.
• Relationship development and opportunity response for other priority donors and their key implementing partners as may be required in the pipeline. Strategic Partnership Team
• Proactively coordinate with VSO’s other Strategic Partnership Leads, Country Representatives and the Business Intelligence Unit, acting as part of a single, unified global team and sharing knowledge and learning to effectively respond to new business opportunities across our geographic and programmatic portfolio.
• Coordinate, manage and deploy VSO’s and the Strategic Partnership Team’s resources to secure new programme funding, ensuring effective, high quality and timely response to agreed priority opportunities.
• Contribute to and help drive VSO’s Project Magenta proposal development process and stage gate decisions to continuously improve VSO’s ability to prioritise, develop and win outstanding new opportunity proposals.
• Engage with the Business Intelligence Unit, ensuring provision of ongoing, high quality research and funding intelligence for new business pursuit activities across the organisation Safeguarding, Security and Risk Management
• Commit to VSO’s vision and values, including safeguarding and taking a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and harm. Ensure plans are developed and being implemented with the programme’s Duty of Care Lead team and stakeholders (staff, volunteer, primary actors, etc.) are aware and comply.
Essential Skills and Experience
• A minimum of 5 years business development/ partnership management/ proposal development (for
USAID) experience in a development context
• Excellent knowledge of a range of North America based bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors (incl. USAID,
GAC, WB, etc.) and global foundations (incl. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, etc.), their priorities and
ways of working
• Proven ability to research new opportunities and provide analysis and recommendations including tracking
and analysis of funding rules, requirements and positioning
• Proven success in accessing high value funding – including cooperative agreements, grants and contracts
• Demonstrable experience of relationship building including ability to take the initiative in seeking and
following up on prospects
• Experience developing technical and cost proposals for USAID
• Familiarity with USAID compliance and cost principles
For a comprehensive role description including full list of competency and expereince required please download the role description using the link below.
Competencies and Behaviour
At VSO we believe progress is only possible by working together. Whether you want to join us as an employee, or as a volunteer working in your own country, overseas or online, our selection process includes an assessment based on these core competencies:
• Ability to be open minded and respectful
• Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations
• Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships
• Ability to seek and share knowledge
The benefits package for the role includes:
• Affordable medical cover for you and your dependents
• 50% of the monthly contribution to insurance policy for individual dental coverage
• Pension – contribution, 5% of salary paid into a 401K Retirement plan operated by Paychex.
• Paid time off - up to 37 days paid annual leave, inclusive of designated US Federal holidays
• Flexible work arrangements based on flexible hours and communications systems to
facilitate global working hours and working from home
• Opportunities for professional learning and development
• Travel Insurance coverage for employees traveling on VSO business for less than 3 Months
• Access to an employee assistance programme
• Access to shared co-working space
How to apply:
Equal Opportunities
VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.
VSO reserves the right to close this job early if we receive a sufficient number of applications.
If you’re interested in applying for this role, please download the job description for more information.
Once you’re ready to apply, click on ‘make an application’ below to complete the online form here: