Summary
Laterite is looking for a business development and partnerships officer to coordinate the development of proposals for research projects across our offices in Africa and Latin America, and proactively develop and manage relationships with partners and clients active in development research in the countries where we work.
About Laterite
Laterite is a data, research, and analytics firm specializing in complex development challenges. We work with universities, global think tanks, international NGOs, multilateral donor organizations, and government ministries and agencies. Our clients include, for example, the World Bank, USAID, TechnoServe, the Mastercard Foundation, and more.
We currently have offices in the Netherlands, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Peru. The team brings together more than 90 full-time local and international staff, as well as 2,000+ enumerators across all countries. We are proud to be a culturally diverse organization, and we welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented in our team.
We work in socio-economic development research projects. We believe that impact is a long-term endeavor that requires being embedded in the local context. Delivering high-quality research requires building local teams and data collection systems, knowing the country, and establishing close working relationships.
One of Laterite’s key strategic goals is to create a collaborative and rewarding working environment for our staff, where every team member feels engaged, represented, and heard. Laterite is committed to creating opportunities for learning and career development within the team and across our offices.
Laterite is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
About the team:
The Business Development & Partnerships Officer will join the Business Development and Communications (BDC) team in our Amsterdam office. The Amsterdam office consists of 14 full-time team members, including our BDC and Economist teams as well as researchers who support our country offices.
The BDC team leads and supports Laterite’s business development processes including scoping for new opportunities as well as proposal development. The team is also responsible for developing and implementing the firm’s communications strategy.
What you will do:
We are looking for a team member to support on the business development tasks of the team, including scoping for new opportunities, developing proposals together with our Research, Program and Data teams, and strategically developing new business relationships with clients active in the development research sector.
As a Business Development & Partnerships Officer, you will:
- Scope for new business opportunities in all countries where we work.
- Support the team in preparing impactful and polished proposals in response to requests for proposals and terms of references, both from a project management and an editorial perspective.
- Develop a deep understanding of the client landscape in the development research sector in the countries where we work and strategize on methods of outreach
- Establish and maintain regular professional contacts and networks with current and potential clients and partners.
- Together with the BDC team, prepare collateral that showcases Laterite’s expertise in various sectors and countries, such as capacity statements or brochures.
- Support the BDC and the broader Laterite team to refine knowledge management systems and keep them up to date, especially when it comes to keeping good records of proposal and relationship management.
Requirements
What you will bring:
Our ideal candidate is pursuing a career in business development in the development sector, with an interest in research for social impact. They can quickly grasp technical concepts and explain them in an accessible way for potential clients. They are a natural communicator and relationship builder, and can be trusted to represent a diverse and international organization. They are organized, self-motivated, and can work both independently and in a team.
Laterite’s working language is English, so we expect candidates to be fluent in both writing and speaking in English.
Our future colleague has:
- At least a Bachelor’s degree in relevant field
- 2-3 years of demonstrated experience working in partnerships, business development and/or proposal & grant writing in our sectors
- Experience in the development sector, specific experience in a development research and consultancy firm is welcome
- Demonstrated experience in project management
- Excellent oral and written communications in English
- Strong text formatting skills in MS Office and attention to detail
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills, self-motivation and drive to flourish in a fast-paced environment, where timelines can often be unpredictable.
In addition, we are looking for:
- A strong understanding of, and/or interest in, social and economic research in development contexts, particularly in the areas of agriculture, education, public health, livelihoods, and gender
- Experience managing proposals according to funder and donor procurement rules (including private funders as well as multilaterals and donors such as the World Bank, USAID, FCDO, among others)
- Drive and motivation to get things done, while working in a collaborative environment.
Benefits
What’s in it for you?
We offer an initial one-year contract, with a view to extending this upon satisfactory performance.
We offer a flexible working environment, including the choice to work from home a couple of days per week and the possibility of working from a remote location of your choice for up to 6 weeks per year. We are also committed to supporting learning and development of our team members, providing an annual learning budget of up to $1,000 per person and 10 days of time off for professional learning each year. Our office is in the heart of Amsterdam, about fifteen minutes’ walk from Amsterdam Central Station.
The salary range for this role will start at EUR 32,130 annual gross, commensurate with experience. We are advertising a full-time role at 40 hours per week. Salaries are pegged against Laterite’s pay matrix, and grades are reviewed every 12 months. There is ample opportunity for growth both in terms of salary scales and roles.
