Business Development Associate

Summary

Laterite is looking for a business development analyst or associate to support our offices in Africa and Latin America. The role will coordinate the development of proposals for research projects, manage relationships with partners and clients, and support communications and knowledge management across the company.

We are open to hiring someone at either an analyst or associate level, depending on the experience and skills of the selected candidate. Associate-level candidates will bring additional years of experience and ability to independently lead initiatives and proposal teams.

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 and office:

The Business Development Analyst / Associate will join the Business Development and Communications (BDC) team in our Amsterdam office. Laterite’s Amsterdam office includes 14 people including the three-person BDC team, the analytics team, and several researchers who support the 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, as well as maintaining and updating the company knowledge base.

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 Analyst / Associate, 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 (at the analyst level) or 3-5 years (at the associate level) of demonstrated experience working in partnerships, business development and/or proposal & grant writing in our sectors
• Experience in the development sector, specific experience in 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, 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 the analyst role will start at EUR 32,000 annual gross inclusive of holiday allowance, commensurate with experience and the salary range for the associate role will start at EUR 40,100 annual gross inclusive of holiday allowance. This includes a stipend for health insurance and the holiday allowance which is paid out with your monthly pay. We are advertising a full-time role at 40 hours per week, but we would be open to a part-time arrangement (32 hours per week, for example) as well. Salaries are pegged against Laterite’s pay matrix, and pay bands are reviewed every 12 months.