Business Development Manager (Expat Position) At Acción contra el Hambre España

General job description

The Business Development Manager plays a key role as part of the Programmes Department of AAH Syria, as it helps set the programme funding strategy for the country programme, is responsible for coordinating high quality and complex proposal development processes, represents Action Against Hunger Syria with donors, and ensures impactful reporting.

Key activities

Objective 1: Actively support the Syria mission in identifying and responding to new funding opportunities:

• Support the Country Director and Deputy Country Director Programmes in terms of donor intelligence by gathering and maintaining up to date a donor mapping and search for background information on key donors. This will take the form of a donor database, briefing notes and any other relevant document.
• Monitor new call for proposals and thoroughly review the ones published, identifying risks and constraints for each one as well as AAH’s eligibility and brief DCD-Programmes and other relevant staff accordingly.
• Support and/or lead proposal writing effort in coordination with DCD-Programmes and technical teams in the field. This entails the preparation of internal work plan, proposal templates, review of donor guidelines, writing of sections of or full concept notes and proposal, quality and coherence check, language editing, financial vs. narrative coherence review etc.
• Ensure proposals/concept notes are in accordance with donor frameworks, guidelines and language.
• Coordinate any donor feedback and ensure timely submission of requested feedback and resubmission
• Lead on the launch of the kick-off meeting for each approved project and ensure Programme Managers have all the needed documents and information to manage the project and contractual requirements in collaboration with the Programme Coordinator.

Objective 2: Coordinate and lead the production and submission of quality and timely donor reports

• Maintain up to date reporting schedule and ensure information sharing to all relevant staff within the mission so reports are adequately anticipated
• Support AAH field teams and coordination with admin/finance to understand donor requirements and anticipate any difficulty in fulfilling them
• Prepare reporting formats and support field teams not familiar with them to understand them
• Assist field teams in drafting of donor reports by ensuring that reports are in accordance with donor requirements and are submitted on time
• Liaise with either HQ or donor to stay up to date on reporting requirements and in follow-up/tracking of submitted reports
• When feasible, ensure that reporting requirements are kept minimal for the Mission and that processes are streamlined and efficient.

Objective 3: Provide Strategic and Technical support to Grant Management and Partnership

• Lead and support the mission process of due diligence with partners. This includes briefing staff members on the process, supporting them in filling the documentation with AAH’s new partners and maintaining an up to date database of all the required documents.
• In coordination with the Deputy Country Director-programmes and Country Director, liaise with HQ staff (throughout the Action Against Hunger international network, including the Donor Relations Unit and with Madrid HQ Operations) on potential funding opportunities, as and when requested, including donor mapping/intelligence.
• Review thoroughly all contract and memorandum of understanding signed by AAH with donors, partners, institutions and ensure use of standard formats. Ensure alignment with AAH and donor requirements.
• Maintain up to date archives of key contractual documents (proposal, contract, partners’ MoU). This includes the maintenance of the related sections in GESPRA (Online Project Management Tool), at least on a weekly basis.
• Provide briefing papers and support the development of external communication tools relevant for donor visits/meetings.
• Set up and constantly update database for donor guidelines and regulations, and create fact sheets for main donors.
• Inform programme and support teams on any changes to existing donor guidelines and regulations; answer/investigate any compliance related questions during the course of the projects
• Coordination with Admin/Finance Coordinator on donor compliance issue and contractual issues
• Support Programme Teams in ensuring donor visibility requirements are met and in the planning and organisation of donor field visits.
• Follow up on technical compliance regarding donor rules and regulations (means of verification, quality of documentation, and technical archiving) and support field team to comply with relevant programmatic archiving

Candidate description

• Degree and/or Master’s Degree in Humanitarian Action or any related field (communications, social or political sciences, law, etc.)
• Good experience in proposal writing, donor rules and regulations, coordination of processes.Experience in humanitarian/development funding and grant management. Ability to write donor reports and proposals.
• Excellent communication including writing, presenting and pitching skills
• Previous experience in a similar position and/or in the humanitarian field of at least 3 years.
• Previous experience with Action Against Hunger or organization with similar sectors (Health, Nutrition, WASH, FSL) and donors (ECHO, OCHA country-based pooled funds, UN agencies, bilateral European Member State donors, private trusts and foundations) strongly preferred considering length of assignment. Experience with these specific donors’ digital grant management systems is a plus.
• Native level English language competence, Excellent writing skills are required for this position, Arabic: Useful Spanish: An asset.
• IT and specific systems:Good skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Remuneration package

We offer immediate incorporation to a dynamic international network with the following remuneration package:

Formal work contract: 12 months

• Base: Damascus
• Salary: according to Action Against Hunger salary scale and according to candidate’s previous experience
• This package includes:
  • Expatriate insurance (health, live, repatriation, travel, etc.)
  • Break flights/trips to defined area: (break per diem: 215 EUR)
  • Yearly holiday return flight ticket
  • Accommodation and housing expenses (in shared guest house)
  • Travel costs to and from the mission.
  • 25 working days of paid leave per year.
  • Extra per month and per child (Under 18 years old): from 100€ to 225€ monthly (according to standard list of Action Against Hunger -Spain).

– Candidates may be contacted for other suitable positions within Action Against Hunger.

– Due to the high-number of application received, only potential applicants will be contacted.

– Applications will be assessed and vacancy might be closed before the end of the announcement as per qualifications availability.

– The organization is committed to the principles of non-discrimination and diversity and is particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people.

In the process of recruitment, selection and appointment Action Against Hunger implement a range of procedures and actions including Criminal Background Checks/ International vetting/Certificate of good conduct to ensure children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded and abuse is prevented.