Program Development Specialist – Africa

Project HOPE is an international NGO of more than 900 engaged employees and hundreds of volunteers who work in more than 25 countries, responding to the world’s most pressing global health challenges. Throughout our 60-year legacy, Project HOPE has treated millions of patients and provided more than $3 billion worth of medicines to local health care organizations around the world. We have helped build hundreds of health programs from the ground up and responded to humanitarian crises worldwide.

Code of Conduct

It is our shared responsibility and obligation to treat each other with respect, take affirmative steps to prevent matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse and Trafficking in Persons, and to disclose all potential and actual violations of our Code of Conduct, which may include Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption, Discrimination or Harassment. Together we can reinforce a culture of respect, integrity, accountability, and transparency.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Program Development Specialist – Africa provides input and support at every stage of the program development process. S/he will take a lead role in technical proposal/application write-up with inputs from regional and technical experts. Other key functions include the timely identification of USG-funded procurement opportunities that align with HOPE’s mission, development of proposal development schedules, conduction of compliance checks, provision of support to the cost and technical volume leaders during proposal development and ensures quality proposal production and submission. The position holder will play a key role developing and capturing content during design workshops as well as incorporating feedback from reviewers to improve the application package.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serves as HOPE’s central focal point for navigating US Government and other public sector funding opportunity sites for potential opportunities for HOPE’s Africa country offices. S/he regularly monitors grants.gov, sam.gov, and other pertinent websites; identifies US Government funding opportunities that are relevant and appropriate for HOPE’s work; and reviews, analyzes, and communicates the solicitations and corresponding amendments in a timely manner.
• Plays a key role in the proposal development process in close coordination with the assigned Business Development Manager/Technical Lead by: developing and maintaining proposal development calendar, supporting efforts to ensure compliance with proposal checklist for both technical and cost volumes, establishing electronic proposal file access and tracking protocols for ensuring the security and integrity of all proposal documentation, and preparation of application packages (proposal write-up)
• Lead or contribute to the writing/editing of proposals through close collaboration with technical and country staff.
• Conduct research related to the competitive environment, potential local and/or international partners, and other topics as needed
• Lead or assists the technical lead with final edits, proofreading, graphic design, needed research, during proposal development, and ensures that final proposal documents are appropriately and timely filed/archived after each proposal submission.
• Supports with budgeting and research on basis of cost estimates, government certifications, assurances and representations, and evidence of responsibility during proposal development.
• Leads final proposal production and submission, ensuring strict adherence to solicitation instructions.
• In conjunction with the Director or Manger, maintains an accurate and detailed database reflecting HOPE’s business development pipeline and activities under fiscal year goals, including proposal outcomes, revenue, workload, and USG trends. The PDS-A also compiles, presents, and updates all information weekly at BD team meetings and/or for organizational reports and presentations.
• Maintains and ensures accuracy of BD-related knowledge products such as Past Performance References (PPRs) and capacity statements by collecting and cross-checking historical and current project information with other HOPE sources including technical units, country offices, and financial records. The PDS-A maintains a PPR and Capacity Statement Database to organize, store and update existing knowledge products.
• On successful contract award, work with others on the BD team to ensure a successful hand-over of the project to the execution team.
• Other duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree is a requirement and Master’s degree is a plus
• Five years of professional experience and of which three years in development/emergency programming, NGOs and/or grant/proposals writing.
• Detail-oriented, well-organized, and clear communicator.
• Experience in proposal writing, editing, and formatting.
• Exposure to technical and grant writing as well as proposal submission.
• Experience in program development and partnership cultivation
• Ability to interact with staff members of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and departments.
• Ability to understand and meet funder requirements and organizational policies.
• Ability to grasp new concepts, multi-task, work under tight deadlines, and work independently.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be mobile in an office environment and able to use standard office equipment.
• Must be able to communicate in verbal and written form and must be able to travel internationally.
• Project HOPE employees may be required to travel or work in countries where working conditions are classified as “hardship.”

Work environment:

• Typical office environment with exposure to a minimal noise level.
• Emergency deployments may be in resource-deprived environments with austere living conditions.
• Travel for extended periods may be by air and/or other modes of transportation.
• While international travel is not a regular part of every job, programmatic needs may require it intermittently.
• Project HOPE employees may be required to travel or work in countries where working conditions are classified as “hardship.”