Senior Business Development and Project Management Specialist at American Institutes for Research

• AIR International is currently seeking a Senior Business Development and Project Management Specialist to join our International Development Division to grow AIR’s reputation in research, monitoring, evaluation and learning and achieve its business objectives in East Africa. The position will involve collaborating closely with AIR’s Managing Director for the Kenya and Ethiopia offices to r epresent AIR at meetings with potential funders and policymakers to learn about funding opportunities, publicize AIR’s capabilities, and to enhance AIR’s visibility throughout the region. S/he will tap into international donor organizations, international and local NGOs and civil society organizations, national government agencies, and academic institutions to develop a deep understanding of their needs in the following sectors – basic education, training and vocational education, global health, food, nutrition, agriculture, and climate change. S/he will leverage, and supplement current systems focused on identification of new business opportunities and coordinate proposal efforts in one or more of these sectors.
• The Senior Business Development and Project Management Specialist is also expected to provide monitoring, evaluation, and collaborating, learning, and adapting support to current projects. S/he will engage project stakeholders in gathering information and lessons emerging from program implementation and ensure their use by project participants.

Responsibilities
The responsibilities for the position include:
Business development

• Gathers business reconnaissance data to provide information about social, demographic, and economic indicators, and funding trends.
• Maps and establishes and maintains relationships with potential partners in East Africa.
• Identifies and develops new business leads and supports business development planning, capture, and proposal writing.
• Leads proposal efforts in response to clients requests and drafts solicited and unsolicited proposals and concepts to generate and win new business.
• Promotes AIR’s values, standards, and unique capabilities by attending events, networking with clients and counterparts, and displaying a clear understanding of AIR’s service offerings.
• Discusses research and evaluation approaches for different studies, and evidence-based decision making with donor agencies and governments.
• S/he may also be required to provide program management and technical support to US Government and other international donor-funded projects which might include budget oversight, management of subcontractors, compliance of field projects with donor requirements, mentoring and training of staff and monitoring performance.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

• Facilitates pause and reflect sessions, peer-to-peer learning; knowledge management, sharing, and application of collaborating, learning and adapting techniques.
• Facilitates MEL plan development, including indicators and methods to ensure consistent, rigorous collection and analysis.
• Supports the development of quality communications to external stakeholders to influence thought leadership and future programming.
• Reviews project deliverables to ensure they are of high quality and meet the needs of the various audiences such as USAID, counterparts in government, and other stakeholders.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as required.

Qualifications
Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in a discipline related to international development or business management.
• Content knowledge in at least one or more of the following areas: education, global health, food security, nutrition, agriculture, climate change, training and vocational education, monitoring, evaluation, learning and adapting.
• At least 8 years (with a BA) or 7 years (with a MA) related experience in business development and/or project management for internationally funded programs.
• Demonstrated experience in organizational and peer-to-peer learning, capacity strengthening, and collaborative learning and adaptation.
• Established networks with international donors such as the UN, UNICEF, USAID, Gates Foundation, World Bank, and other implementers.
• Demonstrated experience leading and mentoring junior staff and conducting internal training related to proposal development and project life cycle, will be an advantage.

Skills

• Excellent organizational and time management skills; ability to prioritize and multi-task, and work under and adhere to tight deadlines.
• Excellent writing skills and ability to translate complex technical language and ideas into a form easily comprehensible to non-technical audiences.
• Excellent cross-cultural and interpersonal communication skills and sensitivity in dealing with diverse audiences.
• Demonstrable initiative, creativity, and flexibility.
• Demonstrable ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate efficiently in a virtual work environment.