Business Development Manager, Education

Overview

Background:

Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing, mission-driven global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, governance and post-crisis stabilization. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.

Position Summary:

Creative is seeking a dynamic, self-driven professional to serve as a Senior Business Development Manager. The BD Manager is expected to be a lead contributor to Creative’s growth strategy and worldwide impact, with particular focus on our education portfolio. Representing the Education Division and working closely with Regional Business Development Directors in the Business Development Division, you will be responsible for developing, tracking and managing a robust pipeline of focused opportunities that align Creative’s vision for expanding our global education strategy with our business objectives. This position will be the primary liaison between the Education Division and the Business Development divisions. You will help spearhead efforts to ensure the Education Division’s growth plan is well informed, responsive to client priorities, are underpinned by a communication and marketing strategy and ultimately serve to expand our capacity to support children around the world through increased equitable access to quality education.

You will work strategically with senior BD Leadership, ED leadership and external partners to develop and implement strategies and plans for successful opportunity capture. In conjunction with Regional Business Development Directors, you will coordinate resources needed to establish capture teams, create viable win strategies, and ensure divisional readiness for responding to proposals. This includes collaborating with the subject matter experts, proposal teams, as well as contracts, pricing, and talent acquisition staff. You will build and strengthen relationships with counterparts across the division to promote company collaboration and leverage corporate cross cutting capacity.

Reporting & Supervision:

The position reports to the Senior Vice President of Education. The position regularly interacts with the Ed Division’s regionally oriented Portfolio Directors and Principal Technical Advisor, and Regional Business Development Directors.

Responsibilities

Expected Outcomes:

• A well-conceived marketing strategy that elevates probability for new target opportunities;
• Well-coordinated and managed use of divisional resources to support capture and proposal efforts;
• Achieving bid and win targets according to the divisional annual business plan.

Primary Responsibilities

While the complexity, breadth and depth of specific portfolio and department assignments (and job classification/title) will be based on experience and qualifications, all Business Development Managers are expected to be able to perform the following general responsibilities:

• Be the Ed Division’s main driver in working with Business Development Division and other corporate stakeholders in capturing new USG and international donor government contracts for the division.
• Guide proposal development process within the division for strategically important small bid opportunities (under $2.5 million)
• Leverage professional relationships and market knowledge to Identify and qualify new education related business opportunities that align to Creative’s target capabilities and development approaches. Specifically, within USAID, DFID, World Bank and other international development funders.
• Evaluate education specific business portfolio trends and develop market level strategic studies to support new market entry, expansion, or business model design. Oversee ongoing market strategy for education business portfolio and multi-year planning activities, including a long-term bid pipeline to achieve growth objectives.
• Maintain current knowledge and understanding of relevant policies, news, and industry trends for education (e.g. CDCS, host-country policies and initiatives).
• Populate, update, and maintain a consultant database for the array of SME and proposal development STTA needs that may arise during capture and proposal development, with specific focus on education sector. Manage the contracting process for capture and marketing consultants.
• Conduct client and industry partner visits to understand current and emerging customer needs and requirements. Obtain competitive intelligence and data pertaining to targeted pursuits.
• Oversee the Ed Divisions ongoing market strategy and multi-year position planning activities that enhances our win probability.
• Assist the Bid Champions to develop capture plans and shape initiatives for the pursuit and successful capture of key qualified opportunities.
• Work with ED Leadership and bid champions to define capture team resource requirements and costs associated with bids, and present budgets to Division Director for approval.
• Represent ED division, and assist Regional BD Directors in formal, but rapid assessment of corporate/team capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses, develop win themes, and, differentiators; and coordinate with other capture and corporate support teams (e.g., finance/pricing, marketing, human resources/recruitment).
• Represent ED division, assist Regional BD Directors in managing the opportunity assessment process to recommend bid/no bid decisions.
• Build relationships with key partners for education opportunities, including identifying U.S. small businesses, regional and local partners and private sector partners for consideration.
• Develop, mentor/train staff within the dDivision and across the organization in leveraging Creative’s years of successful engagement in delivering quality education solutions to expand our opportunities to reach more children globally. Qualifications

Minimum Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in international development or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in international development, with at least 5 of those years leading new business development efforts, including experience with international education programs.
• Ability to make significant contributions to development and execution of business plans, including marketing strategies and tactics that strengthen the position of the Education Division.
• Significant prior experience marketing, capture management, and USAID/Department of State proposal development.
• Has existing connections and networks within the industry.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate, influence and manage risk.
• Demonstrated dynamic leadership ability and ability to be a team builder and player at all levels
• Ability to engage successfully in solution development for large scale ($20M+), highly strategic, and complex deals
• Proven ability to conduct competitive assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead teams.
• Excellent English language oral, written and presentation skills with ability to present to senior level executives as well as represent the company at public service or industry forums.
• Business acumen and solid understanding of contracting with federal agencies/entities.
• Ability to interact with high level internal and external personnel.
• Ability to travel up to 20%.

Desired Skills & Qualifications:

• Professional fluency (written and oral) in Arabic, French
• Experience working and living abroad

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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