Job Description:
DAI’s Economic Growth Sector is seeking a well-organized, highly motivated individual to work as a core member of its home office team. Qualified candidates will have practical technical expertise in private sector development and in one or more of the following areas: food security, value chain strengthening, agribusiness, competitiveness, and improving the business environment. Proven experience providing consulting services, managing international development projects, and writing winning proposals is required. Strong foreign language skills preferred.
The Senior Development Specialist reports directly to the Technical Area Manager of DAI’s Private Sector Development Team in Bethesda, MD. This individual will interface directly with DAI clients, and lead internal DAI teams for successful business development and contract management. Clients will include bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, host country governments, and private entities. Experience working with USAID preferred.
Duties and Responsibilities:
New Business Development:
• Serve as technical lead in writing winning proposals
• Manage proposal development teams
• Track and follow up on business intelligence leading up to bid opportunities
• Organize and lead reconnaissance efforts in target countries
• Help strategize winning approaches to bid opportunities
Project Management:
• Maintain supportive and ongoing communications with field-based senior personnel
• Manage teams of home office and field based project staff to ensure a high standard of technical and financial excellence in delivery of results according to client expectations
• Maintain regular and supportive communications with clients
• Help set and monitor performance goals and objectives for field and US based staff working on project management teams
• Deliver regular technical and financial reports on project performance to the Technical Area Manager
• Assist field teams in preparing work plans and reports in compliance with contracts
• Serve as a “knowledge management” champion, drawing best practices from projects and channeling relevant best practices to projects as needed
Consulting Services:
• Undertake short-term technical assignments, typically ranging from one to six weeks, providing consulting services in the field as well as high quality technical reports, assessments, and recommendations as requested
Corporate Initiatives:
• Lead trainings and brown-bags
• Present results of technical work at conferences or other public events
• Mentor Junior Staff
• Participate in cross-sector process improvement and strategic planning teams
Basic Qualifications:
• MA/MS in a field related to agribusiness with a minimum of 9-11 years progressively responsible work experience in international development
• Solid understanding of proposal development process, and project management systems and best practices
• Proven ability to win and manage multi-million dollar USAID and/or other donor contracts
• Strong interpersonal, communication (written and oral) and motivation skills
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task in a rapidly changing environment
• Action oriented with strong intellectual agility and ability
• Able to learn quickly and to apply results oriented problem solving methods
• Must be willing and able to travel to all DAI project locations, including conflict settings such as Afghanistan
• Ability to communicate effectively, speaking and writing, in at least one foreign language – preferably French, Portuguese, or Arabic.
Must be eligible to work in the US
How to apply
Please apply using the following link:http://careersdc.dai.com/apply.asp?dai?dai1885?lhasson?10