Business Development Manager at Options Consultancy Services Limited

Options Consultancy Services Limited was established in 1992 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marie Stopes International. We are a consultancy organisation providing technical and management expertise in the health and social sectors to governments and international development partners to transform the health of women and children.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Business Development Manager

Location: Abuja
Department: Business Growth (New Business and Partnerships team)
Reporting to: Assistant Director of New Business and Partnerships
Liaison with: Nigeria Country Representative, Nigeria country team members, Options’ global staff, clients, partners and consultants
Hours: Full time
Type of contract: Fixed Term (1 year), renewable

Position

• Options’ energetic and dynamic Business Growth team is seeking a new member! You are highly motivated, entrepreneurial, and able to drive new business growth in Africa and Asia.
• You will be experienced in positioning for new opportunities, engaging with diverse stakeholders, and proactively managing high-quality programme design and proposal development (technical & financial).

Summary Purpose and Objective of Role

• Contribute to the implementation of Options’ new business strategy, supporting our approach to new clients, and expansion into new markets.
• Analyse and position for new opportunities, pursue and develop prequalification documents, and develop high quality technical, innovation and commercial proposals for new business.
• Feed into pipeline reporting to monitor progress against targets and contribute to forecasting.
• Establish and nurture collaborative relationships with clients, partners, consultants and other stakeholders across our global teams and contribute to formation and development of meaningful partnerships.
• Work closely with Options’ Nigeria Country Representative to help raise Options’ profile and drive business growth in Nigeria

Main Purpose of Job

• The Business Development Manager (BDM) will play a pivotal role in expanding our growing portfolio of work across Africa and Asia, building on numerous successes in the last few years and working with new clients.
• The BDM will work within the energetic New Business and Partnerships Team (NBP) and Department of Design and Innovation (DDI), reporting to the Assistant Director of New Business and Partnerships.
• The NBP team co-ordinates and manages the business development (BD) process, in collaboration with colleagues across Options’ global teams.
• The BDM will analyse and position for new opportunities, pursue and develop prequalification documents, and develop high quality technical, innovation and commercial proposals for new business.
• The BDM contributes to the implementation of Options’ new business strategy, supporting our approach to new clients, and expansion into new markets.
• Some international travel will be required.

Main Duties
Identification and tracking of new business:

• Identification and analysis of new business opportunities with existing and new clients, including gathering of intelligence about future opportunities through client mapping, in-house knowledge management, research, external engagement and international and local travel when appropriate.
• Contribute to Options’ understanding of the market and landscape, including the funding priorities of current clients and potential investors and developments in their policies, procedures, requirements, organisational structure and key personnel.
• Track progress of identified opportunities, contribute to the maintenance and development of pipeline and forecasting reports monitoring the progress of identified opportunities against targets.

External Engagement:

• Contribute to the implementation of Options’ strategy and development and implementation of the Nigeria country strategy, including developing external engagement strategies and building relationships to ensure Options is well placed to win work from new clients, in new technical areas and in new markets.
• Establish and nurture collaborative relationships with consultants, partners and international development organisations to build strong partnerships for collaboration on new business, including representation of Options at external meetings and forums.
• Ensure client relationship management systems are updated.
• Proactively identify opportunities to raise Options’ profile and brand awareness in Nigeria
• Work with the Nigeria Country Representative to carry out intelligence gathering and actively build partnerships with existing and potential clients and funders.

Pursuit and development of new opportunities and proposals:

• Work with colleagues to analyse tender documents to assess requirements, including go / no go analysis, reviewing potential partners/ competitors, personnel inputs, and themes that are likely to maximise the potential for contract award.
• Lead / facilitate investigation and forming of consortia, including preparation and negotiation of teaming agreements, with oversight from the Director of Business Growth and/or Assistant Director NBP.
• Prepare and coordinate the development of Expressions of Interest, concepts, pitches, capability statements and pre-qualification documents to a high standard and ensure they are submitted on time.

Preparation of technical and commercial proposals:
Manage development and submission of proposals. Lead the overall BD process on selected bids and manage the process on larger bids, liaising between teams to create well-crafted, winning proposals. Where Options is the lead and on large value bids, take responsibility for the preparation of technical and financial proposals. Where Options is not in the lead, manage Options’ inputs to proposals. Tasks may include:

• Work with the Bid Lead and Lead Technical Writer to hold discussions with consortium partners and manage consortium relations, including negotiation of partner roles and coordinating inputs from partners and other team members.
• Lead / facilitate team design, identification and recruitment of appropriate long- and short-term personnel as needed in consultation with bid team.
• Working with colleagues in Business Growth and other departments and offices, lead / support development of commercial aspects of proposals as agreed, including production of commercially viable budgets and narratives that demonstrate value for money to clients. Lead on / support negotiating budgets and commercial arrangements with partners.
• Develop budget templates in line with clients’ requirements, including aligning proposed budgets to appropriate structures for salaries / fee rates, expenses and running costs.
• Provide budget templates for partner organisations (in consultation with Finance), guide partners through the completion, quality assure submissions and consolidate into an overall proposal budget. Support and/or lead budget negotiation as needed.
• Write and edit sections of proposals, as agreed with the Bid Lead and Lead Technical Writer.
• Supervise and support other bid team members in the preparation of bidding documents (e.g. formatting CVs etc.) and other bid administration tasks.
• Facilitate and coordinate the bid review process to maximise potential to win.
• Ensure that proposals are submitted on time, in the correct format and meeting all tender requirements.
• Manage or facilitate negotiation and final arrangements with contracting agencies and/or sub-contractors.
• Ensure effective handover to Programmes Department to facilitate a smooth transition for programme delivery after a bid has been won.
• Promote internal learning on achievements and challenges around proposal development and make recommendations for adjust approaches.
• Ensure knowledge management systems such as the consultant database are updated and post-bid processes are completed.

Innovation Funding:

• Work with the Design and Innovation team to analyse innovations from a commercial lens and develop budgets.
• Keep abreast of the latest market trends on global health innovations and track key innovation funding opportunities.
• Develop relevant tools and templates to facilitate DDI in making decision from a commercial perspective

Other Duties:

• Support implementation of Options’ new business strategy, including:
  • Development of work with new clients, design and innovation, and new markets;
  • Resource leveraging for Options’ flagship programmes;
  • Leading aspects of our geographical strategy development and implementation, in close consultation with Nigeria Country Representative and global programme teams.
• Deputise for the Assistant Director where necessary.
• Support development of wider commercial models, including fee rate benchmarking, analysis and demonstration of value for money and payment by results approaches.
• Promote continuous learning and knowledge sharing across Options, identifying opportunities for collaboration, sharing of resources, leveraging relationships, and developing staff knowledge and capacity.
• Along with the rest of the team, seek ways to improve BD systems and processes to enhance the team’s efficiency and knowledge management.
• Act as Options’ Framework Manager on selected frameworks, overseeing day-to-day administration, including reviewing all call-downs and facilitating go / no go decision-making.

Qualifications

• Education to Degree level, or equivalent experience, in a related/relevant subject

Experience:

• Extensive experience in business development, resource mobilisation or programme management in international development (Essential)
• Experience building successful relationships with clients, collaborators and consultants (Essential)
• Experience in team design, sourcing and contracting consultants (Desirable)
• Experience in identification, analysis and tracking of business opportunities (Essential)
• Experience managing the development of successful proposals for government, foundation and other donors, including experience responding to competitive tenders, developing technical and commercial proposals (Essential)
• Experience developing budgets and commercial proposals (Essential)
• Experience managing or engaging in co-creation / design processes with foundations and/or social investors (Desirable)

Skills and attributes:

• Time management and organisational skills, and an ability to multi-task (Essential)
• Excellent attention to detail, with ability to digest and act on complex information in a timely manner (Essential)
• Strong financial skills including budgeting, analysis of budgets and development of commercial proposals (Essential)
• Advanced level user of Microsoft Office particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint (Essential)
• Ability to work as part of a team and use own initiative (Essential)
• Excellent communications skills, both verbal and written (Essential)
• Knowledge of landscape of partner / competitor organisations and individuals working in Options’ core areas of expertise (Essential)
• Knowledge of International development strategies of key donors, including DFID, USAID (Desirable)
• Entrepreneurial spirit - good instincts, commercial nous and ability to identify creative solutions (Desirable)

Other requirements:

• Commitment to equal opportunities (Essential)
• A commitment to the Options’ principles of Safeguarding, Do No Harm and to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (Essential)
• Pro-choice (Essential)
• Fluency in written and spoken English (Essential)
• Language skills in a second language (especially French) - (Desirable

Application Closing Date
31st July, 2022.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here for more information (PDF)

Note

• All levels of position in the organisation assume some degree of responsibility for safeguarding. Your accountabilities will align with the level and scope of the position and appropriate training will be provided
• This job description reflects the present requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the job holder.