Sr. Business Development Advisor

Business Development – STS Sub Proposals

STS serves as a sub partner to larger primes on USG- and FCDO-funded, large-scale education programs. STS may also serve as a sub partner on opportunities funded by other donors, as appropriate. For proposals where STS seeks a sub role, the Sr. BD Advisor will:

• Collaborate with STS’s Sr. BD Manager in tracking upcoming and live proposal opportunities—including, but not limited to opportunities on the USAID Business Forecast, FCDO Procurement Forecast, and key sites where opportunity updates and solicitations are published.
• Facilitate potential prime partner outreach, discussions, and STS scope of work negotiations. Collaborate with STS’s Sr. BD Manager and Executive Director on bid/no-bid and prime partner teaming decisions.
• Lead STS’s role on sub proposals, including, but not limited to interaction with prime partners, joining all required meetings organized by the prime, ensuring responsiveness to prime’s requests, providing and negotiating technical and budget inputs to prime, and providing all required annex or additional documentation requested by the prime.
• Lead recruitment process for local candidates for inclusion in STS budgets, as applicable.

Business Development – STS Prime Proposals

STS primes smaller technical assistance opportunities, including evaluations of USG- and FCDO-funded programs. STS also submits small prime proposals to other funders, as appropriate. For proposals that STS seeks to prime, the Sr. BD Advisor will:

• Collaborate with Sr. BD Manager in tracking upcoming and live proposal opportunities.
• Collaborate with STS’s Sr. BD Manager and Executive Director on bid/no-bid decisions.
• Lead the development of STS prime proposals including, but not limited to, preparation and submission of solicitation clarification questions to the funder, writing technical proposal narratives, leading STS budget preparation, and developing all required annexes.
• Research, evaluate, and coordinate inputs from potential sub partners, including negotiating clear SOW and budget for inclusion in STS’s prime proposal submission, as needed.

Business Development – Overarching

• Conduct research related to specific proposal thematic areas and geographic context.
• Collaborate with STS Programs Department staff in the development of realistic and appropriate budgets aligned with STS’s SOW.
• Collaborate with STS Programs Department and Evaluation & Research Department staff in the development of technical proposal narratives and approaches.
• Ensure appropriate STS internal review of key proposal decisions and assumptions prior to submission.
• Supervise, guide, and mentor STS’s Sr. BD Manager. Assign selected proposals to STS’s Sr. BD Manager and provide oversight and guidance to key proposal decisions.
• Facilitate and support the BD-to-Programs/E&R handover process of newly awarded contracts and grants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in International Relations or another relevant field
• At least six years of relevant experience; international experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in forming partnerships with prime partners and securing organizational funding via the U.S. Government and other bilateral and multilateral donors.
• Familiarity with international education research, monitoring, and evaluation processes with a focus on student learning assessment
• Familiarity with evidence-based best practices in early grade reading instruction
• Excellent writing and editing skills and attention to detail
• At least two years of supervisory or mentoring experience
• Strong computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office applications, especially Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Demonstrated ability to think critically and strategically and to carefully review work for accuracy.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to act independently to identify and analyze problems and recommend solutions.
• Fluency in English required; fluency in French, Arabic, Kiswahili, or Spanish a plus.

The Sr. BD Advisor is a full-time, salaried, temporary role – spanning June 2023 – March 2024, with the possibility of becoming permanent, pending good performance and available funding. Temporary STS employees are entitled to benefits required by State and Federal statute and according to eligibility requirements for each plan, or as otherwise stated in the STS employee handbook.