Costing and Pricing Lead

As a Costing and Pricing Lead you will play a key role in ensuring VSO is financially sustainable. You will ensure all bid budgets submitted and agreed with donors are fully costed in line with VSO’s guidance and financial model, as well as articulate VSO value and demonstrate Value for Money. You will develop organisational processes and guidelines in order to achieve this and play a key part in negotiating bids with donors.

Responsabilities

Bid and proposal costing and pricing standards,

· In close collaboration with Senior managers across the organisation, develop clear processes, guidance and tools in order to price and costs bids to achieve full cost recovery on all bids and contracts developed, ensure they are communicated and understood across the organisation.

· Set, maintain and actively communicate to all relevant stakeholders a database of standard costs and charge out rates to be used in bids development process.

· International Overhead rate calculation, communication and audit as necessary, this includes FCDO Non Project Attributable Costs (NPAC) and USAID Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA),

Bid and proposal budget review for full cost recovery

· Lead a small team of bid costing managers

· Feed into Go/No go decisions in the funding processes, advising on strategies of engagement with donors with regard to budgeting.

· In close collaboration with the opportunity leads and Practice Area leads, ensure clear financial strategies for budget development are set for each bids, financial negotiations parameters and red lines are in place later in the process.

· Review all bid submitted to donors to ensure Full Cost recovery principals are followed and VSO does not subsidise any grants/contracts unknowingly.

· Ensure all bids submitted cover all costs that will be incurred, articulate VSO value and demonstrate value for money to the donor before they are submitted.

· Lead on particularly complex or large bid budget development and negotiation.

· Work closely with the Implementation team on budget re-negotiation

Key donor specific guidance development

· Develop specific guidance and tools (knowledge hub) for VSO key donors

· Ensure bid budgets and negotiations briefs are tailored to donors and that cost recovery are maximised

Reporting and performance management

· Set and report on Key Performance that demonstrate full costs recovery is achieve

· Maintain a global view on risk and liabilities arising from funding submissions.

People management

· Effectively build relationship with and influence senior managers across the organisation, especially those involved in bid development and project implementation.

· Effectively lead and develop a high performing team within the performance management framework.

· Ensure team ways of working and behaviours are in line with VSO People First values and policies and comply with legal and organisation requirements.

· Ensure team responds positively to change, delivers a consistent high-level customer-focused approach, and achieves objectives.

Skills, qualifications and experience

The ideal applicant will have excellent commercial acumen and negotiations skills and extensive experience of costing and pricing large bids in the International Development sector. S/he will be an experienced leader with excellent communication skills, able to bring changes and influence senior stakeholders across a range of functions and locations.

Skills

• Copywriting and/or editing skills.

• Great attention to detail in all areas of work, including in project management and feeding back and shaping effective and engaging fundraising copy.

• Understanding and experience of data segmentation and personalisation.

• Excellent communicator used to working with stakeholders at all levels both internally and externally. A good team player.

• Competent in Microsoft tools for presentation, campaign management and budget management to a strong level.

• Ability to show initiative and develop processes to manage and improve campaigns.

• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work towards multiple deadlines at the same time.

Knowledge

• Good knowledge of the principles of direct marketing and understanding of relationship-based fundraising.

• IT and data – competent at Word, Excel and Powerpoint

Experience

• Good experience in direct marketing fundraising to drive income and manage attrition and engagement of supporters. • Project management across multiple stakeholders (internal and external).

Desirable

• Fundraising or marketing qualification such as IDM or IoF Diploma.

• Knowledge of the Raiser’s Edge database (RE).

• Project management qualifications.

• Commitment and passion for VSO’s mission and vision, and for international development.

• Proven success in and expertise in retention fundraising campaigns and strategies, specifically regular giving products and/or telemarketing.

• Experience in running and leading training/teaching sessions.

• Understanding of theory of direct marketing and fundraising practice.

Core behavior and competence

At VSO we believe progress is only possible by working together. Whether you want to join us as an employee, or as a volunteer working in your own country, overseas or online, our selection process includes an assessment based on these core competencies:
• Ability to be open minded and respectful
• Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations
• Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships
• Ability to seek and share knowledge