Head of Business Development, MENAU
International Rescue Committee (IRC) · Berlin, Germany
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
This role is open to candidates located and with the right to work in Germany, Jordan and Lebanon.
Background
Over the past 90+ years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild through long-term, sustainable development solutions. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC’s mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. The International Rescue Committee is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. Through 28 regional offices in cities across the United States, the IRC also helps refugees resettle in the US and become self-sufficient. The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.
Crisis Response, Recovery and Development Department (CRRD)
The Crisis Response, Recovery and Development Department (CRRD) have a portfolio of humanitarian relief, post-crisis recovery, and development programs under their remit. This work focuses support in five key areas: ensuring safety from harm, improving health, increasing access to education, improving economic well-being and ensuring people have the power to influence decisions that affect their lives. In all these programs, there is a drive to address the unique needs of women and girls (who represent the majority of those displaced) – and the universal barriers they face.
The Awards Management Unit (AMU) is one of four pillars within CRRD. The unit is responsible for identifying, securing, and supporting the management of all funding from statutory/government donors. The AMU is a bridge between donors and country programs: providing expert technical advice to the country teams, while maintaining portfolio-level visibility to ensure consistency and compliance and manage risk. This pillar ensures that donor compliance policies and procedures are implemented consistently and supports all staff working across the award management cycle for all restricted funding from global government sources.
The Purpose of the Role
Reporting to the Director, Awards Management, the Head of Business Development (HBD), MENAU, leads IRC’s business development efforts in support of the region’s country programs and is a key part of IRC’s global business development team, serving as the region's representative in developing and implementing IRC’s global business development strategy. The HBD plays a strategic role in the planning, identification, and successful pursuit of new business in line with country Strategy Action Plans (SAPs). HBD support includes all phases of the business development process, including strategic planning, donor outreach and engagement, pre-positioning (capture), partnering, proposal development, due diligence, issues letter and agreement negotiation.
The HBD is responsible for maintaining regional level oversight of all business development for institutional donors in the IRC’s Middle East, North Africa, and Ukraine (MENAU) region, which comprises country programs in Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen. As a member of the Regional Program and Award Support (RPAS) team, the HBD also provides business development support to IRC’s Emergency Response in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt).
Scope and Authority
The Head of Business Development exercises overall leadership for business development in the region and line management of regional Program Development Advisors (PDAs). The role oversees regional and supports country business development strategies and planning, including reviewing the pipeline and individual opportunities and ensuring appropriate resourcing for successful bid submissions. The HBD provides development oversight of regionally assigned opportunities and serves as a key regional focal point for global opportunities supported by AMU’s Proposal Leadership team.
Key Working Relationships
The HBD reports to the Director, Awards Management (DAM) and manages regional PDAs. The HBD works closely with the regional Senior Management Team, all RPAS team members, and the wider AMU Global Business Development team, including peers in the Donor Engagement, BD Services, and BD Strategy, Operations, & Resourcing teams. The HBD also collaborates with other teams within the Crisis Response Recovery and Development Department, especially AMU, the Emergency Unit, and Technical Excellence, as well as with External Relations, Global Supply Chain, Finance, Office of General Counsel, and other key departments within IRC who contribute to regional business development efforts. The HBD serves as point of contact with external donor and partner stakeholders during the pre-award stage, as applicable per region.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Planning and Strategic Leadership (40%)
- Provide strategic vision on regional BD efforts in support of country program Strategy Action Plans (SAP), in collaboration with regional and AMU leadership.
- Maintain visibility on the overall pipeline across all public and institutional donors, in collaboration with RPAS team members.
- Maintain up to date knowledge of donor funding priorities and geographical interests relevant to IRC’s areas of work.
- Provide advice, analysis and guidance to AMU, Regional and Country leadership on BD trends, target-setting, donor engagement, and support needs in the region, ensuring leaders have the right level of information to make decisions.
- Lead and support BD strategy development efforts and planning at regional and country level, to establish clear funding priorities and targets, to support decision making and enable effective positioning and resource planning.
- Coordinate support to country teams in the identification, tracking and pursuit of new business opportunities across a variety of technical sectors and donors, including ensuring that technical brainstorming, partner, and competitor landscape analysis and win theme sessions with technical and country staff are occurring.
End to End Program Development (20%)
- Support effective and timely Go/No Go decisions, including sharing initial assessment of new opportunities and providing insight and inputs based on donor knowledge, likelihood of success and experience.
- Plan and manage effective division of bid leadership across the portfolio at capture and live stages of development to ensure appropriate support on all opportunities.
- At the early stage of opportunity identification, work with country teams, DAM and others in identifying and addressing escalated support needs.
- Act as the regional business development focal point for escalated bid opportunities, providing regional advice and coordinating escalated support in connection with bid leads assigned by the Proposal Leadership team or others.
- Collaborate with other BD staff, especially Proposal Leadership team members and technical staff on h