Program Officer, Business Development

Fellowship

08/27/2021

Chevy Chase, MD

URC

University Research Co., LLC (URC)
URC is a global company dedicated to improving the quality of health care, social services, and health education worldwide. With a non-profit affiliate, the Center for Human Services (CHS), URC manages projects in over 45 countries, including the United States.

Established in 1965, URC offers a range of technical assistance to strengthen health and social systems and service quality by empowering communities and health workers to identify and scale up locally appropriate solutions to critical problems. Internationally, we expand access to and improve the quality of services addressing maternal, newborn, and child health; infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria; reproductive health and family planning; food and nutrition; and vulnerable children and families. In the US, we focus on improving communication related to issues like substance abuse, with a particular focus on reaching underserved populations.

URC’s mission is to provide innovative, evidence-based solutions to health and social challenges worldwide. Please join us in carrying out our mission (http://www.urc-chs.com/).

Division & Position Overview:
This position plays a key role in all aspects of new business acquisition through the following key functions: (1) working with all divisions and departments in URC headquarters and field personnel, to win new business; (2) managing proposals in collaboration with respective divisions or units within URC headquarters and field offices; and (3) working with and supporting colleagues in other divisions to streamline business development functions and processes company-wide. Reporting to the Director of Business Development, the incumbent may be working with either regional or field staff (domestically and internationally) based on a project’s focus and area of geographical implementation.

NOTE: The contract and grant application process requires that proposals be developed and reviewed under deadline. Therefore, candidates must be flexible, and willing and able to work overtime occasionally and, at times, on a regular basis to communicate with national or international partners based in different time zones and be able to meet firm deadline requirements established by private foundations or government agencies.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Participate in capture, including serving on capture teams with travel to the field; develop and maintain comprehensive capture plans. Provide oversight for research and analysis of funding trends among key donors/clients.
• Provide oversight for management and coordination within proposal teams and serve as proposal manager for select strategic proposals, as requested, in a fast-paced, production-oriented environment. Proactively resolve any problems/issues that arise, including, in conferral with technical leads and BD senior management, assuring mobilization of all resources needed throughout the proposal cycle.
• Write, edit, and proofread proposals sections and supporting annexes, including the technical approach, expressions of interest, situational analysis, background, corporate capabilities, staffing, management, past performance, and others.
• Proactively support liaison and engagement with professional networks, the USG and non-USG donor community, and other organizations (US-based, international, and host-country for effective relationship management and potential partnership opportunities with URC.
• Facilitate, coordinate, and ensure ongoing and effective communication cross-departmentally among URC technical staff, BD, pricing, HR, and external partners. Communicate regular updates, identify potential issues and/or delays, and troubleshoot solutions with the technical lead, Director of Business Development, SVP, and/or other senior management.
• Work with all levels of technical staff at HQ and in the field to: maintain a robust and continuously updated pipeline of opportunities; write, update, and organize corporate capability statements; and manage information in support of proposals, such as corporate accolades, etc.
• Serve as a leader within the BD Department; supervise and mentor junior-level and other BD staff, including both direct and indirect reports.
• Guide and support proposal teams through necessary corporate-level reviews and decisions, adhering to established policies and protocols.
• Mentor and train others company-wide in all aspects of the business development lifecycle, with special emphases on effective writing of proposal sections and use of internal processes and tools/resources. In coordination with technical division leadership, support capacity building of field leadership in business development processes.
• Contribute to URC’s donor diversification strategies with USG and non-USG donors.
• Contribute to, disseminate, and model the use of standardized business development processes, tools, templates and information.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in public health (MPH or MHS), international relations (MA), or related social sciences degree preferred but candidates with a minimum a Bachelor's degree similar fields will be considered.
• Prefer a minimum of 6 years of experience in business development, capture planning and implementation, and proposal development, preferably in the field of international development.
• Excellent research and business-intelligence gathering and organizational skills.
• Solid writing skills, including previous experience writing proposals in response to solicitations from USG (e.g., USAID, MCC, and CDC) and other donors.
• Demonstrated ability to consistently and successfully follow through on commitments and produce high-quality deliverables in a fast-paced and sometimes high-pressure environment.
• Able to maintain diplomacy working under pressure is critical.
• Ability to cultivate and maintain professional relationships with colleagues and contacts in donor and peer organizations.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, including comfort in making presentations and facilitating effective meetings.
• Strong computer skills in all Microsoft applications, particularly Word and Excel.
• Ability to maintain professionalism and uphold strict confidentiality of URC’s business development tools, intelligence, and documentation.
• Ability and willingness to travel (up to 25% time) for one to two weeks at a time, to developing countries.
• International "hands-on" work experience in developing countries preferred.
• Fluency in English is a must. Additional language qualifications – particularly in French – are desired, but not required.
• Please note: Only candidates who are eligible to work in the United States for an indefinite period without a need for sponsorship will be considered for this position. This Position Description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.

To Apply: For immediate consideration, please visit URC’s Career Opportunities page at www.urc-chs.com/careers. Due to the large number of inquiries we receive, only candidates who have met the required experience & qualifications for this position will be contacted. No phone calls please. However, since we are active around the world in the field of public health, we may wish to retain your CV in our database for other/future opportunities, unless you direct us otherwise. URC’s Commitment URC is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We value, seek, and promote diversity in our workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please visit Join Our Team. Employment Eligibility All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin. In compliance with federal law, URC will only require verification of identity and employment eligibility through the I-9 and E-Verify processes from those individuals who have already accepted our offer of employment to work in the United States upon and within three business days from date of hire. Thank you very much for your interest.

You must upload your CV/Résumé and your Cover Letter where indicated. Also, please complete your application form and attach a completed USAID Form 1420 Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet as well.