Hanoi – Proposal & Report Specialist At Save the Children

The Opportunity

The post holder will be responsible for writing and editing concept notes and proposals submitted to members and/or donors, including both institutional and corporates. The post holder will act as the CO focal person for proposal development, meaning she/he will coordinate the proposal design process, ensuring that the timeline includes proper time for design led by thematic experts and Director of Program Development, Quality and Advocacy (PDQA), as well as with other departments for inputs into components of the proposal development process, write/edit and submit to Director of Program Development, Quality and Advocacy (PDQA) and Award Manager.

The post holder will support Award Manager and PDQA Director in reviewing and editing narrative reports, as well as other SCI reports such as the CO annual reports. Furthermore, the post holder will contribute to the capacity building for programs staff by supporting the planned and ongoing report writing and proposal development training.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

Key Responsibilities

Development of concept notes and proposals:

• Act as the focal point within the CO for scheduling and coordinating the proposal development processes, working with each contributor (technical design, MEAL, budget, support services, etc.) to ensure proposals are completed holistically, in line with donors’ expectations and guidance, and with efficient use of staff time.
• Draft key sections of the proposals that are standard inputs – such as capability statements, country context, and programme experience.
• Consolidate inputs from technical advisors and program staff, edit and finalize quality concept notes and proposals in high quality English.
• Support the budget holders, Finance team, PDQA and TE, Operations, Supply Chain, and other necessary stakeholders to develop proposal budget.
• In close collaboration with Technical Advisors and PDQA team, support the development of concept notes and capacity statements for future programming.
• Lead on the implementation of the proposal development plan, Joint Opportunity Risk Tool (JORT) and other SCI key documents and processes related to the design of proposals and concept notes.
• Support the Award Manager to liaise with SC members to ensure the appropriateness and quality of the proposals being submitted to donors.
• Support proposal writing capacity building efforts to CO staff and partners through on the job training.

Donor reports:

• Edit and proofread key donor reports, ensuring accuracy, high quality of English and compliance with donor guidance on reporting.
• Faciliate discussions to gather and respond effectively to donors questions. Develop and lead training on quality report development for program teams and partners.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor degree in development & humanitarian, human rights, English, journalism or other related field

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Excellent writing skills, in particular previous track record drafting concept notes and proposals (at least 3 years of experience)
• Experience with a recognized national or international non-government organization.
• Native English speaker or equivalent
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Must be detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills
• Knowledge management: experience in capturing and analysing a wide variety of information and presenting this information in an attractive and clear manner.
• Ability to work well under pressure, meeting multiple and sometimes conflicting deadlines.
• Social/team competency: Ability to work smoothly and effectively with others in the team to establish constructive ideas or solutions that meet organizational objectives; comfortable in multicultural settings.
• Impact and results orientation: Proactive approach for smooth organization of internal processes; work independently with strong sense of initiative, discipline, and self-motivation.

Desireable

• Having background in at least one of the thematic areas that Save the Children is operating (i.e. Health & Nutrition, Education, Child Protection, Child Poverty, Child Rights Governance, Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response)
• Familiarity with the Vietnamese context and sensitivity to the needs and challenges of vulnerable populations.
• Innovation: Ability to easily adapt to changing technologies and constantly explore and learn new technologies, techniques, and protocols.

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information

Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document and use format. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations.

If you have any issues with applying via our system, please send email explaining your troubles to

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

We believe that gender equality is a basic right for all people

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.