Associate Director Business Growth

Associate Director of Business Growth

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the USA, the UK, the EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine, and project operations worldwide. DAI tackles fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability: it works on the frontlines of global development, transforming ideas into action-action into impact. DAI is committed to shaping a more liveable world.

Main purpose of role:

DAI is seeking an experienced and dynamic Associate Director of Business Development to join our team in the UK to spearhead the establishment and management of a market-leading bidding and proposal development function. This pivotal role involves driving the company's growth through strategic proposal development, enhancing our competitive edge in the international development sector. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional leadership and stakeholder management qualities, a sharp eye for detail, a proven track record in developing winning strategies, orchestrating high-calibre proposal teams and securing substantial contracts in a highly competitive environment.

Key tasks, duties and responsibilities, include but are not limited to:

1. Bidding function leadership
   • Establish and manage a market-leading capture and bidding function, meeting high standards for proposal quality and competitiveness; maintain guidance documents, tools and templates.
   • Develop and implement best practices, tools and processes for effective bid management; provide training and guidance to team members across the organisation to strengthen cross-company bidding capabilities.
   • Ensure relevant procurement regulations and DAI's own internal controls are followed.
   • Monitor FCDO's (and other clients') evolving procurement strategies and practices e.g., new procurement law 2024 and ensure these are communicated across the business and understood.
   • Monitor trends in client programming priorities and emerging changes in procurement evaluation criteria (e.g. Social Value, or localisation) to ensure DAI is able to respond.
   • Establish and maintain a process for bid compliance checking.
   • Maintain and further develop suite of support documents needed for bids, including policies and supporting information needed for bid supplier qualifications.
2. Strategic proposal development
   • Lead and oversee team initiatives to develop new business opportunities within relevant client markets.
   • Keep abreast of market developments and work with technical teams to identify new opportunities that support the generation of a new business pipeline.
   • Monitor client portals and share information in a timely way with technical teams.
   • Work with technical teams to develop and implement winning bid strategies, including effective information capture, and communications and proposal development plans.
   • Oversee effective resourcing for priority bids.
   • Undertake reconnaissance visits where appropriate.
   • Assess the risks and challenges (financial, operational and technical) with specific opportunities.
   • Oversee, maintain, and develop a network of client contacts and partner firms.
   • Oversee the production of both technical and financial proposals.
   • Ensure high quality written proposals, including reviewing and as a contributing writer.
   • Liaise with Commercial Team to prepare a competitive and viable commercial proposal.
   • Undertake and/or assist team members with negotiations with subcontractors and partners.
3. Team management
   • Build and lead a high-performing team, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement.
   • Coach and mentor team members to develop their skills in bid management and proposal writing (own team and other staff members involved in business development activities).
   • Support resource planning and recruitment for Business Growth UK, including preparation of work schedules for the team, in line with turnover and profit targets.
   • Deputise for the Head of Business Growth UK when required, e.g. attending meetings, point of authorisation in the Head's absence, acting as point of consultation and escalation for the Business Growth UK team and around business development activities more generally.
4. Performance monitoring and reporting
   • Monitor and report on performance of the bidding function, including proposal outcomes, return on investment and lesson learning.
   • Provide insights and recommendations to the Head of Business Growth and senior management for enhancing business development strategies and practices.
5. Strategy
   • Provide strategic and technical support to the Business Growth UK team.
   • Facilitate collection and dissemination of market intelligence, including opportunities for working with new clients (and any associated risks).
   • Facilitate opportunities for other business units to bid for work with the relevant clients, in support of meeting turnover and profit targets.

Qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience:

• Postgraduate degree in a relevant field or equivalent in relevant experience.
• Knowledge of best practices in capture and proposal development required; certification by the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) or similar would be an advantage.
• Experience of working overseas in a developing country.
• Strong organisational skills.
• Proven ability to manage people and lead effective and highly motivated teams that meet tight deadlines and high targets.
• Commercially astute with demonstrable aptitude in client development and management.
• Proven negotiation skills.
• Strong understanding of proposal development process, project management systems and best practices.
• Strong understanding of the different types of risks faced in managing programmes in developing countries in general and in Fragile and Conflict Affected Environments specifically.
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
• Proactive, assertive and action-oriented with strong intellectual agility and ability.
• Excellent interpersonal skills - able to establish and maintain positive working relationships both internally and externally to achieve the goals of DAI UK.
• Able to be flexible, versatile and tolerant in a changing work environment whilst maintaining effectiveness.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Advanced level of MS Office and proven ability to work with various MIS systems.
• Ability to travel internationally.

Desirable:

• Ability to communicate effectively in English and at least one other language.

The salary offered will be commensurate with relevant experience. DAI offers a generous benefits package and there are several day-to-day perks of working at DAI that help keep us happy and motivated! Please provide a covering letter including your salary expectations.

There is no closing date for applications and interviews will be held progressively. We are recruiting for these vacancies on a rolling basis, meaning there is no fixed deadline and applications will be assessed as they are received, and the vacancies will remain open until they are filled.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the location the role is based within the UK, without the need for sponsorship.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, age, religion, sex, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

This job description details the key elements of the role and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Job roles evolve over time and job-holders may be required to complete additional tasks in line with business needs.

You will be pleased to know that we strive to uphold the highest ethical standards and that we are working with our clients to reduce the opportunity for people who are known to have breached ethical standards to work in our field. Any staff and/or consultant contract with DAI, therefore, will be subject to satisfactory reference checking and vetting.

If you require any adjustments to the interview or recruitment process, please contact (Please do not send applications directly to this inbox).

If this role sounds interesting and you would like to be part of DAI's growing business, bidding for and managing donor-funded projects round the world, we look forward to hearing from you.