Creative
Overview
Background:
Creative Associates International is a fast-growing, social impact company that specializes in the areas of education, economic growth, democratic transitions and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Chevy-Chase, Maryland, this global development organization has a field presence is more than 25 countries and a strong client portfolio of that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department. Since its founding in 1977 by four enterprising women, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.
Position Summary:
Creative is seeking a dynamic, self-driven professional to serve as the Associate Director, Business Development for Education. The Associate Director is expected to be a lead contributor to Creative’s growth strategy and worldwide impact, with particular focus on our education portfolio. Representing the Education Division and working closely with Regional Business Development Directors in the Business Development department, you will be responsible for developing, tracking, and managing a robust pipeline of focused opportunities that align Creative’s vision for expanding our global education strategy with our business objectives. This position will be the primary liaison between the Education Division and the Business Development department. You will help spearhead efforts to ensure the Education Division’s growth plan is well informed, responsive to client priorities, are underpinned by a communication and marketing strategy and ultimately serve to expand our capacity to support children around the world through increased equitable access to quality education.
You will work strategically with senior BD Leadership, ED leadership and external partners to develop and implement strategies and plans for successful opportunity capture. In conjunction with Regional Business Development Directors, you will coordinate resources needed to establish capture teams, create viable win strategies, and ensure divisional readiness for responding to proposals. This includes collaborating with the subject matter experts, proposal teams, as well as contracts, pricing, and talent acquisition staff. You will build and strengthen relationships with counterparts across the division to promote company collaboration and leverage corporate cross cutting capacity.
Reporting & Supervision:
The position reports to the Vice President, Education Division. The position regularly interacts with the ED Division’s regionally oriented Portfolio Directors and Director of the Education Technical Unit team, the Business Development department (BDD), particularly the VP of BD and the four Regional Business Development Directors, as well as the Senior Directors for the Growth Office’s other departments: Proposal Quality & Design, Growth Strategy, and Marketing and Communications.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities
Expected Outcomes:
- Key contributions to the Education Division’s growth strategy, including a well-conceived marketing strategy, coordinated with the Communications and Marketing department, that elevates probability for new target opportunities;
- Strengthened coordination and collaboration between ED and the BD department and improved capacity of staff to prepare and respond to business development opportunities;
- Well-coordinated and managed use of divisional resources to support capture and proposal efforts;
- Represented Creative and, specifically, the Education Division within the international development industry and stays abreast of latest developments, innovations, and best practices; and,
- Achieved bid and win targets according to the divisional annual business plan.
Primary Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities fall under the following two categories:
Education Division Portfolio and Pipeline Management
- Overseeing the Ed Division’s development and execution of its business development strategy, including ongoing market strategy and multi-year position planning activities, a long-term bid pipeline that enhances our win probability and achievement of growth objectives.
- Leveraging professional relationships and market knowledge to identify and qualify new education related business opportunities that align to Creative’s target capabilities and development approaches, specifically, within USAID, DFID, World Bank and other international development funders.
- Evaluating education specific business portfolio trends and develop market level strategic studies to support new market entry, expansion, or business model design.
- Representing the ED Division, assist Regional BD Directors in managing the opportunity assessment process to recommend bid/no bid decisions.
- Building relationships with key partners for education opportunities, including identifying U.S. small businesses, regional and local partners and private sector partners for consideration.
- Maintaining current knowledge and understanding of relevant policies, news, and industry trends for education (e.g. CDCS, host-country policies and initiatives).
- Conducting client and industry partner visits to understand current and emerging customer needs and requirements. Obtain competitive intelligence and data pertaining to targeted pursuits.
- Guide proposal development process within the division for strategically important small bid opportunities (under $2.5 million)
Capture and Proposal Leadership/Support.
- Serving as the Ed Division’s main driver in working with Business Development Division and other corporate stakeholders in capturing new USG and international donor government contracts for the division.
- Populating, updating, and maintaining a consultant database for the array of SME and proposal development STTA needs that may arise during capture and proposal development, with specific focus on education sector. Managing the contracting process for capture and marketing consultants.
- Assisting Proposal Managers and Technical Lead Writers develop capture plans and shape initiatives for the pursuit and successful capture of key qualified opportunities.
- As needed, serve as Technical Lead Writer or other key proposal team function by leading end-to-end capture and proposal development within the Education business portfolio to include quality capture plans, proposal solutioning, and bid package development.
- Supporting ED and proposal development teams to apply Creative’s business development best practices, policies, and procedures as outlined in QMS to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
- Working with ED Leadership, serve on proposal teams to define capture team resource requirements and costs associated with bids and presenting budgets to Division Director for approval.
- Representing ED division and serving on proposal teams to conduct formal, but rapid assessment of corporate/team capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses, develop win themes, and differentiators; and coordinate with other capture and corporate support teams (e.g., finance/pricing, marketing, human resources/recruitment).
- Participating in proposal draft reviews as needed.**Qualifications**
Minimum Skills & Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, International Development or a related field and at least 12 years of relevant experience OR a Master’s degree in a related field and at least 10 years of relevant experience, with at least 5 of those years leading new business development efforts, including experience with international education programs
- Ability to make significant contributions to development and execution of business plans, including marketing strategies and tactics that strengthen the position of the Education Division
- Significant prior experience marketing, capture management, and USAID/Department of State proposal development.
- Has existing connections and networks within the development industry.
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate, influence and manage risk.
- Demonstrated dynamic leadership ability and ability to be a team builder and player at all levels
- Ability to engage successfully in solution development for large scale ($20M+), highly strategic, and complex deals.
- Proven ability to conduct competitive assessments.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and lead teams.
- Excellent English language oral, written and presentation skills with ability to present to senior level executives as well as represent the company at public service or industry forums.
- Business acumen and solid understanding of contracting with federal agencies/entities.
- Ability to interact with high level internal and external personnel.
- Ability to travel up to 20%.
Desired Skills & Qualifications:
- Professional fluency (written and oral) in French and/or Spanish
- Experience using SharePoint
- Experience working and/or living abroad
Only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (gender/race/disability/veteran) and provides equal opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.
Please view Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.
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