Creative Associates International
Overview
Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, governance, and post-crisis stabilization. Based in Chevy Chase, MD (metro DC area), Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well regarded by competitors and partners alike.
Position Summary:
Creative seeks a Director of Business Development (BD) to work under EG senior leadership supervision, performing complex activities across various technical areas to ensure
proposal quality and alignment with corporate growth strategy. Work involves providing in-depth input into division and company-wide growth strategies; leading the EG BD team; and
assisting the Vice President in adjusting the division strategy as needed to respond to the forward market. Serve as technical lead writer (TLW) and mentor other EG TLWs on strategic
bid decision-making and high-quality technical writing. Lead development and oversight of EG capture and live proposal budgeting and productive utilization, working closely with the
Practice Area Directors (PADs) and the Director of Finance and Operations. Undertake market and/or field research to ensure we use knowledge for business development and innovation that improves EG’s win rate. Complete detailed new business win/loss and data analyses and reports, with recommendations for continual improvement. Engage across the industry to understand trends, innovations, and relationships that drive EG partnerships. Support a learning culture within the division by taking lessons harvested from the field to enrich EG’s business and proposal strategy. Collaborate with other divisions and support offices within the company, to complete tasks and to promote cross-technical exchange and collaboration. As a lead on the HQ team, the Director of BD for EG is responsible for establishing a
network of partners and technical experts to support teaming strategies, key personnel recruitment, and overall bid quality. The Director travels internationally to perform many of
the responsibilities of the role.
Reporting & Supervision:
The Business Development Director, EG reports to the Vice President in the EG division and may supervise Directors, Managers, and/or Associates.
Expected Outcomes:
Leadership
Provides expert level contributions for business development and projects. Helps balance the distribution of resources in the division to best meet strategic goals and targets for business development budgets, productive utilization, and win rates. Works with the Business Development Division (BDD) to assign adequate support to division efforts and troubleshoots bid-specific needs as required. Collaborates with the Growth Office for strategy alignment and to contribute technical and business expertise into new growth areas for the company.
Technical Leadership
Performs expert level research to further the division’s strategic vision including building partnerships that support business development as well as communication and thought
leadership that best positions EG vis-à-vis key clients. Undertakes client relations as requested and actively maintains a nuanced understanding of markets per technical area, geographic area,
and client. Brings technical expertise into strategy discussions as well as in support of field projects to inspire entrepreneurialism and innovation. Works to enhance policy and best practice materials that improve EG business processes as well as technical approaches for use on proposals.
New Business Development
Oversees the success of division BD efforts and actively seeking out new opportunities. Guides and trains staff to ensure outstanding and timely design and technical writing on bids.
Undertakes capture activities, writes proposals, participates in color teams, and engages in all aspects of the BD process for the division, including cost proposal strategy and
development. Undertakes market research and/or field research to create and use knowledge in new business. Completes regular detailed win/loss analyses. Engages actively in communities
of practice and other platforms in the industry to inform on technical trends and innovations and build partnerships. Leads division capture and live proposal budgeting and resourcing and
ensures bid decisions align with division strategy.
Learning & Adaptation
Supports a learning culture within the division by utilizing lessons from the field and industry innovations to advance BD strategy, tools, and approaches, in coordination with technical
advisors and Practice Area Directors (PADs). Collaborates with the Knowledge Management team, the Development Lab, and the Communications team to consistently improve bid design
as well as to strategically market Creative to outside audiences, in line with EG’s growth strategy. Participates in Pause-and-Reflect sessions to capture salient technical learning for replication or scale up across EG’s BD efforts.
Staff Management
May supervise Directors and Managers serving as TLWs and/or Associates, and intermittent consultants. Ensures staff meet their stated goals and have the resources and support they need to be successful.
Responsibilities
Primary Responsibilities:
- Take a lead role in EG division strategy, based on technical innovations and market
- trends, and in collaboration with Creative’s Growth Office.
- Supports learning and adaptation by ensuring that project lessons and technical
- innovations enrich the division strategy and improve bid design and quality and are
- used externally to best position Creative for growth.
- Work with PADs and proposal teams to build in level of effort for advisors and other
- home office staff as technical experts in proposals, making sure this includes
- documenting technical knowledge gained for use in BD strategy and growth efforts.
- Drive strategic bid decision-making and overall division business development
- processes in line with division strategy and budget. Lead regular analysis of market
- and division performance per technical area, geographic focus, and client.
- Ensure top-quality, innovative bid design and development, in close collaboration
- with division Vice President, PADs, and BDD.
- Train, mentor and develop a cadre of technical BD assets in the division that can
- undertake effective capture, conceptualize, and design potential new opportunities
- using industry innovations and deep contextual knowledge, partnering strategies,
- and writing winning technical proposals. Serve a technical lead writer and/or contributing writer on bids as needed.
- Optimize a one team approach through effective coordination and communication
- with BDD and other technical divisions including proposal managers, pricing,
- contracts, recruiting, and others.
- Oversee the systematic application of Creative and industry good practices in
- business development, including standardized processes, gates, and tools.
- Participate in proposal reviews, after-action debriefs, and color teams, identifying
- improvement opportunities for future proposals.
- Represent the division at informal/formal client and industry events.
- Establish a network of partners and technical experts to support teaming strategies
- and key personnel recruitment and actively contribute to writing successful
- proposals.
- Manage and ensure targets are met for capture and live BD budgets, productive
- utilization, and win rates, in close collaboration with PADs and the division Director
- of Finance and Operations
Qualifications
Minimum Skills & Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field and fifteen years of relevant experience, or a
- master’s degree and twelve years of relevant experience;
- Experience serving in a technical and/or business development advisory and
- leadership role.
- Experience in working with project management, technical advisors, and COPs and
- DCOPs in the implementation of technical programs to achieve project objectives;
- Experience in establishing networks, partnerships, and relationships with technical
- experts to support teaming strategies and key personnel recruitment;
- Expertise in the development of BD strategies for USAID, Department of State
- and/or other donor programs including articulating theories of change, developing
- results frameworks, and constructing program strategy and activities;
- Demonstrated ability to meet technical and business results, including quality
- proposals and win rates, working across diverse country and program contexts.
- Considerable skill and experience in U.S. government donor regulations;
- Experience in interacting with client representatives and other project stakeholders;
- Strong writing and editing skills; excellent communication, organizational, and
- analytical skills;
- Ability to work well in a team environment as well as independently;
- Ability to multi-task under tight deadlines; ability to travel internationally on short
- notice; and
- Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project, etc.).
- Desired Skills and Qualifications
- Proficiency in a language other than English preferred.
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.#LI-IB1
Please view Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.
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