Director, Business Development

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Executive Team, Regional Directors, and Business Development Managers to shape business development strategies at the global and regional level, including approaches, tactics, and metrics.
• Propose, cost out, and oversee strategic investments in new business development and the budget planning cycle.
• Contribute to identifying emerging areas for Search to shape opportunities with funding partners.

Lead Networking and Representation to Develop New Opportunities

• Lead the Business Development Team and coordinate with program management, technical teams, and other internal stakeholders to identify, track, and position for relevant upcoming funding opportunities.
• Provide strategic guidance to country and regional teams on cultivating relationships, engaging strategically with funding partners at the local level, and developing new business opportunities at the country level.
• Represent Search's interests at relevant meetings and events and among formal, peer, and partner organizations.
• Periodically undertake and coordinate prospecting visits to Search program countries and prepare for upcoming funding opportunities by gathering and analyzing intelligence to inform collaborative proposal development strategies, including partnering.

Lead Opportunity Pursuit

• Lead teams in managing a funding pipeline typically evenly split between competitive bidding for open opportunities and cultivations towards direct awards.
• Oversee all aspects of the proposal processes, ensuring proposals are submitted on time, in compliance with requirements, and to the highest technical standards.
• Ensure proposals align with Search's overall strategy, program needs, and priorities, as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Safeguarding, and other organizational priorities.
• Lead or contribute to the identification of innovative funding or project implementation models.

Lead the Business Development Team

• Support a high-performing business development team's recruitment, retention, and professional development.
• Inspire and lead a geographically dispersed, multi-cultural business development team, ensuring high staff engagement, good team spirit, and equitable work distribution in a results-driven culture.
• Set ambitious yet achievable annual goals and support team members in balancing the demanding workload with opportunities for renewal.

Competency Behavior Indicators (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Business Development. Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and adapt business development strategies in a rapidly changing environment. Proven track record in business development and institutional resource mobilization for international NGOs or similar organizations.
• Institutional Knowledge. Deep knowledge of US government and European funding agencies, UN, and other multilateral lateral funding agencies; knowledge of trusts and foundations a distinct advantage.
• Business Acumen. Strong analytical skills and familiarity with data required for business development reporting to Executive Teams and Boards of Directors. Track record of providing sound advice on business challenges.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset. Enticed by the idea of building tools, systems, and processes. Agile and able to identify ways to get things done in a matrixed, cross-cultural global environment
• Coach and Train Others. Design programs that strengthen the skills, knowledge, and behavior of colleagues responsible for business development across the organization.
• Industry Connection and Gravitas. Have existing relationships with donors and leaders of other NGOs, able to land the meeting and hold donors' attention, and can effectively influence their thinking. Able to identify talent and outside consultants for proposal development when necessary.
• Collaborative Spirit. Active listener with strong communication skills. Ability to connect easily with your team and gain trust and respect. Agile connects with the senior management team and colleagues in other units engaged in business development and philanthropy. Willing to roll up your sleeves and pitch in.
• Multicultural Leadership. Demonstrates ability to work with diverse, interdisciplinary, and multi-national teams to produce high-quality products promptly.
• Effective Communication. Excellent technical skills in writing, editing, formatting, research, negotiation, and verbal communications. Ability to effectively communicate with and coordinate activities of multiple stakeholders, including field-based staff.
• Flexibility & Multi-Tasking. Ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously, work well under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt to shifting priorities and opportunities.
• Languages. Fluent English is required; the ability to work in French or Spanish is a distinct advantage.
• Remain alert and responsive to any safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Safeguarding Policy.

Nature and Types of Contacts

• Routinely coordinates with colleagues and consultants on-site and in the field and resolves problem situations tactfully. Has multiple and regular high-level external donor and partner contacts. It is externally-branded and visible.
• Represents, as assigned, selected programs or projects and other organizations, including donors, vendors, and international and local partners.
• Interacts with country and regional staff.