The Organisation
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.
We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
PLEASE NOTE: READVERTISEMENT OF THIS POSITION – CANDIDATES WHO HAD APPLIED BEFORE ARE KINDLY ASKED NOT TO RE-APPLY.
Plan International Sierra Leone is seeking to recruit top-notch professional to fulfil the position of Business Development Manager (national position) based at the Country Office-Freetown to deliver the tasks outlined below:
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION
The Business Development Manager manages the Business Development Unit (BDU). The BDU is responsible for identifying funding opportunities in line with Plan International Sierra Leone’s priorities, leading the production of successful grant proposals in coordination with program colleagues, and supporting grant holders during implementation on donor contract compliance.
The Business Development Manager leads Plan International Sierra Leone’s efforts to achieve country fundraising targets and supports the Country Office to develop strong relationships with National Organisations (NOs) and donors.
DIMENSIONS OF ROLE
The post holder will report to the Country Director and is a member of Country Leadership Team. S/he directly supervises two staff in the BDU. In line with the Country Strategic Plan and the income target for Sierra Leone, the incumbent will be responsible for managing a resource mobilization strategy and periodically revising the strategy, expanding and diversifying the institutional donor portfolio as well as the corporate donor base (including locally based corporate partners). The post holder will manage a Grants Specialist who will ensure strong donor and contract compliance and linkages between projects in implementation and in design. They will also manage a Resource Mobilization Specialist who will work proactively with NOs to identify and win appropriate grant opportunities including leading the development and writing of successful grant proposals with relevant departments. In all activities, the post holder will use participatory training and coaching approaches with teams to progressively build capacity in the relevant skill areas.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Plan International Sierra Leone has a diverse portfolio of suitable, medium and large grants and pipeline of future funding opportunities to maintain agreed future grant expenditure targets.
- Lead the development, implementation and monitoring of the resource mobilization plan (RMS) / Grants Strategic Plan.
- Actively identify grant opportunities and develop grant proposals in close coordination with Resource Mobilization Specialist and Program Department.
- Where donor requirements allow, ensure that key cross cutting issues such as advocacy and influencing, child protection, gender and DRM are an integral part of programme development.
- Ensure all project designs address Plan International’s commitment to gender transformative programming.
- Ensure that all categories of program costs are taken into account at the conceptualization and submission stage of grant preparation.
- Ensure quality and timeliness of grants reporting to all external donors and National Organisations.
- Ensure a healthy pipeline is in place using robust donor opportunity tracking tools.
- Monitor, analyze and consolidate relevant grant information and disseminate where relevant within Plan International Sierra Leone.
Plan International Sierra Leone has a large portfolio of grants and contracts in implementation with sound and compliance management
Work with the Grants Specialist and programmes department to support their capacity to ensure projects are implemented according to donor standards and regulations as well as Plan International policies.
Oversee reporting schedules and ensure project reports are submitted to relevant donors in a timely manner and with quality.
Plan Sierra Leone has excellent working relationship with all Nos, in-country partners and donors
- Act as Plan International Sierra Leone’s representative on grant matters, representing the interests of Plan International Sierra Leone to National Organisations, donors and other stakeholders.
- Work with appropriate corporates to align their sustainable strategies with Plan International Sierra Leone to identify win-win positions.
- Develop, manage and maintain strategic partnerships with local actors, including bilateral, multilaterals, corporate donors and external networks.
- Manage the link between Program Implementation and Influencing Areas (PIIAs), donors and external networks.
- Develop and maintain a strong and professional image of Plan International Sierra Leone among relevant donors.
Lead a high performing grants team in Sierra Leone and ensure all departments have the necessary knowledge and skills to acquire and implement increased sustainable grant funding
- Manage two members of staff including a Resource Mobilization Specialist and Grants Specialist, including performance management and support.
- Identify and coach competent staff for grants acquisition and implementation including coaching and mentoring to support their ability in:
- Researching where potential opportunities for grants funding can be found;
- Produce and regularly update a comprehensive mapping of all donor opportunities (by sector and geography) in Sierra Leone
- Packaging grant proposals to suit the requirements of different donors, including working with the Communications team to develop separate marketing collateral aimed at different audiences (NOs, Institutional donors, Corporates, etc.)
- Building successful, proactive relationships which align donors’ priorities with program needs
- Ensuring successful on-going donor relationship management and ‘ownership’ of relations with donor representatives locally
- Understanding which sources and types of funding are / are not appropriate to CO needs;
- Developing strategic partnerships
- Facilitating more collaborative working between the Grants Team and the Program Teams.
- Facilitating donor meetings as part of a capacity building exercise. The post holder will have to judge how best to handle the conflicting priorities of maximizing funding opportunities with staff capacity development. Such priorities should be agreed with the Country Director
- Promote and abide by internal policies and procedures including but not limited to: Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy and Code of Conduct.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Internal:
- Excellent working relationships will need to be built with the Head of Programmes, Deputy Country Director – Operations, Sector Specialists, Project Managers and PIIA Managers, National Organisation counterparts, and with WACA staff as appropriate.
- Regularly inform and advise country’s grants and management teams of strategic funding information and trends to ensure Plan International has necessary information to secure funding.
External:
- Donors including DFID and the governments of the Netherlands and Germany.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Education/Professional Background:
Essential
Qualification and Experience
- At least first degree in the relevant field
- Demonstrable knowledge as a result of study, training and practical experience on grants acquisition
- Knowledge of the various donors’ strategic interests, priorities and requirements
- Excellent English oral and written communication skills
- Proven strategic relationship management skills, including negotiation skills
- Marketing skills
- Coaching, mentoring, training and facilitation skills
- High level of computer proficiency
- Experience working with people from different cultures to deliver complex work tasks.
Behaviours
- Ability to maintain strategic vision and link with everyday work
- Clear and effective communication that builds relationships in order to influence others
- Proactive, demonstrates record of creativity and entrepreneurship
- Accountability and responsibility for own performance
- Promotes team work and cooperation
- Confident in taking initiative and exploring new opportunities
- The numerical ability to analyse financial information, budget and monitor costs
- Excellent people skills
- Team builder
- Ability to think and work proactively, creatively and strategically under pressure or when faced with competing demands
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
The incumbent will be based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Field travel will be required to rural and remote locations up to 25% of time.
GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
Ensure staff understand Plan International’s commitment to driving a feminist agenda within the organization, and the ambition for gender equality and gender transformative leadership is embedded in our value-based leadership framework.
Plan International’s Values
https://plan-international.org/about-us/careers-plan-international/our-values-work
APPLICATIONS:
Last date for submission of Application (CV and cover letter) is: 28th May by 5:00 pm
To apply for this job, kindly click on “Apply” Your application should include:
- A cover letter
- A comprehensive CV including details of two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent supervisor
Only short-listed candidates shall be contacted. References will be taken and background and anti-terrorism checks will be carried out in conformity with Plans Child Protection Policy. Plan follows an equal opportunity policy and actively encourages diversity welcoming applications from all especially women and people living with disability.
Location: Country Office – Freetown
Type of Role: Business Development Manager
Reports to: Country Diretor
Grade: E
Closing Date: 15th July,2020
More Information
- Job City Freetown
