Business Development Specialist II, Generalist/ Proposal Writer

About CRS

JOB DESCRIPTION

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS' relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Background

CRS’ Institutional Donor Engagement and Advancement (IDEA) department advances the agency’s strategic position by engaging new and existing institutional donors to acquire and steward resources that deliver excellent programs to advance CRS’ mission and agency strategy (Vision 2030). Teams within IDEA focus on three main functional areas: engaging donors, prospects, and strategic partners; delivering on outcomes as outlined in the institutional award agreements, in compliance with donor requirements; and acquiring new resources through business development activities.

Job Summary

The Business Development (BD) Specialist is part of IDEA’s Growth Strategy and Support Unit (GSSU). The GSSU supports the department’s acquiring new resources functional area by providing high-quality business development surge support to CRS country programs, regions and global teams on strategic funding opportunities. The GSSU also provides BD subject matter expertise in the development of new CRS business development resources, such as guidelines, trainings and orientations. Reporting directly to the GSSU BD Manager, the position will be expected to provide specialized assistance across all dimensions of the BD cycle to cross-discipline and cross-functional teams, though a particular focus will be placed on capture and proposal coordination. When needed, the position will also provide proposal writing surge support and will work closely with the GSSU’s Proposal Writing team during those assignments.

Roles And Key Responsibilities

Providing Business Development Surge Support:

• Provide BD expertise in positioning, capture planning and proposal preparation for specific opportunities with institutional donors (government and inter-governmental award issuing organizations as well as foundations, corporations and other awarding non-governmental organizations). Emphasis will be on US government donor agencies (including USAID, USDA and Department of State) across both assistance and acquisition mechanisms.
• Serve as a capture/proposal coordinator or other lead role on a proposal team, ensuring the timely submission of high-quality proposals that are responsive to donor requirements, applicable regulations, and CRS' technical and cost standards.
• Support and guide 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.
• Serve as a lead writer or supporting writer, working closely with the proposal coordinator, technical design lead and sector leads, other proposal team members and stakeholders, including partners, to develop well-written, well-organized and cohesive concept notes, expressions of interest and proposals aligned with donor requirements and CRS standards.
• When needed, provide temporary BD Specialist coverage at the country program or regional level, managing the relevant funding pipeline, serving as capture/proposal coordinator or lead/supporting writer of specific funding opportunities, and working with the regional/country leadership team to ensure resources are committed to complete necessary capture and proposal deliverables.
  
  

Supporting The CRS Business Development Community Of Practice

• Lead and/or support development of CRS BD tools, resources and guidance on BD best practices and CRS approaches across the BD cycle.
• Train and mentor staff, as needed, to improve their skills in proposal development, representation to donor and partner organizations, intelligence gathering, and marketing within their country program or portfolio.
• As appropriate, support senior management to cultivate and strengthen institutional relationships with institutional donors, partner organizations and other stakeholders.
• As appropriate, contribute to internal and external data gathering and analysis to support internal BD reporting and decision-making.
• Actively contribute to CRS' Business Development Community of Practice and advance CRS' Business Development practices through contributions to strategic initiatives and annual summits.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Strong knowledge of business development terminology, standards and best practices, including win themes and discriminators.
• Extensive familiarity with standard proposal requirements, including structure and content.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute as part of a team to produce high-quality deliverables under tight deadlines.
• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking and problem-solving skills, with a capacity to both see the big picture and give attention to detail.
• Extensive familiarity with Microsoft 365 suite of tools (MS Windows, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams), and information management systems.
• Strong knowledge of English grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage and familiarity with Associated Press Stylebook.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts and ideas in compelling, audience-focused prose.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience utilizing diverse, proactive strategies to competitively position his/her organization for new funding and productive institutional relationships.
• Demonstrated experience leading and producing competitive applications and proposals in programming contexts similar to those in which CRS operates. Strong preference for experience leading complex US government proposal processes.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a lead writer of competitive applications and proposals for institutional donors strongly preferred.
• Willingness to learn and write about a broad range of technical sectors.
• Comprehensive familiarity with a broad range of institutional donor technical and cost proposal requirements, with a strong preference for those of key US government donor agencies (USAID, USDA, Department of State).
• Knowledge of and experience with both USAID RFP and RFA funding mechanisms highly desirable.
• Familiarity with relevant institutional donor regulations, policies, procedures and priorities.
• Demonstrated experience managing teams and processes, leading teams to produce deliverables under tight deadlines and at exceptional quality. Experience providing remote support to diverse teams strongly preferred.
• Experience in developing content for and facilitating trainings related to key business development practices. Knowledge of adult learning approaches desired.
• Experience working full-time in a BD position for a non-governmental organization.
• Knowledge of CRS programs, justice agenda and Catholic Social Teaching principles a plus.
  
  

Required Languages – Fluency in English required; working ability in Spanish and/or French preferred.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 20%.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships

• Internal: Growth Strategy and Support Unit team members, the Institutional Donor Engagement and Advancement Department, the Business Development Community, country program staff; regional office staff; program quality staff, management quality and finance staff
• External: Business development staff of collaborating partner organizations; select donor representatives as appropriate.
  
  

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in international development, international relations, or related field. Master's degree a plus.
• Minimum five years of international development experience.
• Three years' experience in a developing country preferred.
  
  

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. 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.

• Personal Accountability – consistently takes responsibilities for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.
• Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
  
  

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

Note: All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

About Us

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

About The Team

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer