Overview
Background:
Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, democratic institutions and stabilization. The Cost & Pricing (C&P) team is one of the driving forces behind this growth, working alongside business development and technical experts to produce budgets and narratives in response to funder solicitations. As Creative ramps up its business development efforts, it is expanding its C&P team to ensure reasonable workloads and a strong capacity to adapt to increasingly diverse work. The C&P team is closely integrated with the Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) team, with regular cross-training and assistance provided. Team members regularly interact with stakeholders from across the organization and gain broad understanding of Creative’s efforts over time.
Position Summary:
The Cost and Pricing Analyst will be a member of the Cost and Pricing Unit in the Finance and Contracts (F&C) Division. The C&P Analyst will work alongside Business Development, Contracts, programmatic, and other teams to develop proposals budgets and narratives. They will provide guidance on strategic pricing, lead discussions on cost and operational realism, and assist in the development and delivery of training. The C&P Analyst will assist the FP&A team in transitioning proposals to implementation upon award and may development financial reports or conduct budget realignments for active projects. The position is hybrid in-office & work-from-home, with flexibility for longer remote work as needed.
Reporting & Supervision:
The Cost and Pricing Associate will report to the Cost and Pricing Manager in the F&C Division.
Responsibilities
Primary Responsibilities:
- Lead proposal costing efforts, working closely with technical and proposal development teams;
- Prepare budget templates in accordance with funder requirements and Creative’s policies and procedures;
- Develop and revise complex proposal budgets in accordance with donor requirements using advanced Microsoft Excel techniques;
- Draft in-depth budget narratives and proposal annexes using descriptive and persuasive language;
- Serve as point of contact to subcontractors and provide guidance to assist with the budget and other cost related matters;
- Attend and lead proposal budget meetings, provide costs based on proposal design inputs, and propose recommendations to the technical team to develop a competitive proposal;
- Assist in management of C&P resources, including templates, tools, Power BI reports, SharePoint sites, and other resources;
- Assist in the development of trainings on budgeting, pricing strategies and budget templates;
- Work closely with Financial Analysis team to transition projects to implementation, conduct budget modifications, assist in corporate forecasting and budgeting, produce financial reports, and other financial analysis tasks; and
- Perform other duties as may be assigned.**Qualifications**
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- 2-5 years of cost & pricing, financial analysis, or related experience;
- Bachelor’s degree with Finance, Accounting, and Economics majors preferred;
- High proficiency in the use of Microsoft Excel, including ability to manipulate and use large spreadsheets and complex formulas and pivot tables;
- Familiarity with cost reimbursable, fixed price, and time & materials contracts and the financial accounting thereof;
- Familiarity with US government regulations on cost accounting standards, including indirect rate applications;
- Excellent writing skills with capacity to accurately and positively present information in writing;
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in writing and verbally;
- Strong attention to detail;
- Strong planning, organizational, and prioritization skills; and
- Ability to work both independently and in a team.
Preferred Skills & Qualifications:
- Cost & pricing experience with a USAID-funded organization;
- Familiarity with financial information systems, including PowerBI and/or Dynamics SL; and
- Basic proficiency in a second language, especially Spanish, French, Arabic, or Portuguese.
Only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (gender/race/disability/veteran) and provides equal opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.
Please view Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.
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