Business Development Associate
The Business Development Associate will work as part of a high-performing team to help ensure that MSH consistently delivers at or above long-term revenue goals. The Business Development Associate supports all aspects of new business acquisition at MSH through three key functions: (1) supporting the Proposal Manager, Proposal Writer, other members of the SBDP team, and the Technical Strategy Lead so that final proposals are responsive to the needs of the client, reflect the technical approach of MSH, and are professionally produced; (2) helping to manage selected small proposals to public and private funders; and (3) assisting in activities to develop the capacity of MSH staff in areas related to business development.
Specific Responsibilities
Assist in the management of selected small proposals (45%)
- Working under the direction of the Proposal Manager or Senior Business Development Specialist to support development of competitive proposals, including win strategy, partner strategy, and cost strategy.
- Check and help ensure the responsiveness and compliance of proposals to the requirements of solicitations.
- Develop and maintain the proposal calendar and monitor adherence to the defined process and deadlines for technical proposals, rosters/recruiting, production schedules, and quality standards for proposals. Work with the other team members to resolve issues with delays or other roadblocks in the proposal process.
- Coordinate team communications through meetings and email, and continuously clarify the roles and responsibilities of team members.
- Collect and track proposal-related information, including taking meeting minutes, and disseminate information to team members.
- Support the Proposal Manager and Technical Strategy Lead by coordinating scopes of work and negotiations of pre-teaming and teaming agreements.
- Work with proposed partners to be sure that they provide their required information as needed to support the proposal.
- Assist the Proposal Manager in coordinating with Cost Proposal Unit staff on best-value cost strategies.
- Coordinate with human resources staff to track recruitment efforts to meet staffing priorities.
- Close out proposals after submission by organizing electronic proposal documents according to BDP procedures, coordinating after-action reviews, and updating proposal-related materials in BDP file systems.
Draft parts of proposals, applications, expressions of interest, and other procurement documents (15%)
- Drafting: Draft sections of proposals, writing concisely and correctly, as requested by the Proposal Manager, Senior Business Development Specialist, or Principal Writer, which may include capabilities statements, past performance sections, and annexes.
- Capability statements: Work with proposal teams so that the institutional capability statements and past performance narratives of MSH and partners are accurate, as directed by a Technical Strategy Lead, Proposal Manager, or another team member.
- Research: Contribute to identifying and reviewing high-quality background materials (from credible, authoritative, current sources, with documentation) to use in writing technical proposals or to provide to other team writers.
- Coordination: Coordinate with other team members to meet all deadlines for proposal drafts and proposal submission.
Develop graphics and assist in creation of technical strategies (10%)
- Participate in sessions to help develop the technical strategy.
- Â Assist the Technical Strategy Lead and Proposal Writer in developing high-quality, compelling graphic portrayals of key concepts and strategies.
- Make sure that graphics use consistent fonts, colors, and styles.
- Create customized maps and locate appropriate photos for proposals.
Produce proposals (10%)
- Manage production of selected proposals, ensuring their quality using standard templates and job aids.
- Check that technical proposals are compliant, internally consistent, and appropriately address all procurement requirements.
- Submit proposals, as assigned, on time in the required file formats.
Edit proposals (5%)
- Edit selected proposals efficiently in accordance with the standards of the BDP unit.
Other duties (15%)
- Maintain SBDP databases (e.g., capes database, Salesforce)
- Maintain SBDP templates in current MSH styles (e.g., proposal template, capacity statement template)
- Special projects as assigned
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in English, communications, health sciences, international development, or related field.
Experience
- One year of relevant experience, including time spent working as part of a team to develop and produce reports, documents, or proposals, with graphics, in a professional setting.
Knowledge and Skills
- Advanced skills in the Microsoft Office suite, especially MS Word (proven ability to lay out and format complex documents) and PowerPoint; familiarity with SharePoint and MS Teams useful.
- Skills in writing correctly and concisely.
- Strong editing skills (familiarity with Chicago Manual of Style a plus).
- Skills in developing and designing presentations in PowerPoint.
- Ability to conduct research efficiently to identify or check information.
- Familiarity with issues related to international development, public health, the social sector, or the social sciences desired.
- Professional proficiency in Spanish or French a plus
Competencies
- Excellent interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to handle the high-stress environment of business development with diplomacy and a sense of humor.
- Demonstrated good judgment and ability to prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously and work proactively.
- Ability to organize work and meet strict deadlines with attention to detail and quality.
Physical Demands
- Keyboard use, pulling out drawers, lifting papers < 10 lbs.
- Ability to travel internationally and domestically occasionally and on short notice.