Sayara International is hiring a full-time Proposal Manager in Sudan. This job can be remote, or based in our country office in Khartoum, Sudan. Please read the full Terms of Reference below and guidelines on how to apply for this role. We look forward to hearing from you.
Position Description:
Working closely together with the Director – Sudan and the Director – Business Development, you will lead the coordination and development of proposals from initial development to submissions for a wide range of clients (U.S. Department of State, FCDO, UN, etc.) in Sudan. On a day-to-day basis, you will support our Sudanese team by exploring opportunities, leading capture planning processes and pre-positioning, managing the proposal development process, and writing proposals.
You have 4+ years of experience in proposal management in the international development sector and have worked on programs and proposal development for U.S. Department of State, UK FCDO, and UN organizations. You are familiar with Sayara’s major thematic areas of expertise, more specifically with MERL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning) and Strategic Communication, and preferably have working experience in a similar job. You have strong organizational and time management skills, excellent English-language writing and spoken communication skills, as well as excellent attention to detail, and you can work independently. You will work together with the Director of Business Development (functional reporting) and the Director – Sudan (operational reporting).
As Proposal Manager, you will support Sayara’s senior management team to build Sayara’s global business and contribute significantly to the work Sayara does to build positive change in societies that most need it. You will be working with a welcoming and diverse international team of experienced professionals.
About Sayara International:
Sayara International is a social enterprise combining rigorous research and communication to create positive change in fragile and conflict-affected societies.
Sayara provides complex monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) and social and behavior change communication (SBCC) in the most challenging environments. We work on countering disinformation, measuring social cohesion, and assessing education, migration, inclusive governance, climate change, and health.
Diverse perspectives and an emphasis on equity bring strength to Sayara. Gender, inclusion, and intersectional identities are cross-cutting themes across all our internal practices and our programs for governments, civil society organizations, and international institutions.
Sayara has evolved across unstable contexts. Our decentralized structure – with a global leadership network and investment in local talent – enables agility and rapid start-up, while equipping us with unique values and competencies.
Founded in 2003, Sayara operates in 30 countries across Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Our teams of professionals are based in field offices in Khartoum, Kyiv (until recently), and Nairobi, with support from our offices in Dubai, London, Marseille, and Warsaw.
Website: https://sayarainternational.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SayaraIntl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sayarainternational
Facebook – Sudan: https://www.facebook.com/SayaraSudan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/9407279/
Key Areas of Responsibility
Deliver the Sudanese Business Development strategy and position and manage all components of the bid development process, ensuring high quality and timely submissions. Manage and or/support post-submission and lessons learned processes. This includes supporting opportunity analysis, requirements analysis, consultant and partner negotiations, preparing and writing bid documents, writing sections of (technical) narratives, and supporting budget development for bids.
- Lead the coordination and development of proposals from initial development to submissions.
- Ensure full coverage and execution of bid team assignments, confirming all parties understand the responsibilities and expectations associated with their bid team role.
- Prepare (create, edit, and/or format) specific proposal content (e.g. non-technical sections, staffing matrices, key project personnel documentation).
- Participate in capture planning and outreach.
- Contribute to strategic/competitive analyses and facilitation of program design and strategy activities.
- Support the establishment of teaming arrangements with potential prime and sub-contract partners.
- Develop proposal management plan, as well as ensuring creation of compliant guidance documents, outlines, and templates.
- Manage proposal process and timeline, ensuring scheduling of and adherence to milestone deadlines and following up on all assignments to ensure timely progress.
- Manage proposal team communications and facilitate discussions, decision making, and feedback mechanisms, ensuring that outcomes are documented and appropriately shared.
- Prepare and submit client communications related to the opportunity.
- Conduct appropriate due diligence for proposed partners and conditional new hires.
- Facilitate communication with partners as needed to ensure timely guidance and opportunities for engagement are provided and inputs are received as needed.
- Support project managers and regional directors with key personnel recruitment activities and presentation of staffing content in the proposal.
- Conduct quality control of all proposal components at appropriate milestones, focusing on consistency, persuasiveness, and compliance to the client requirements.
- Schedule and facilitate reviews/approvals during bid development processes.
- Oversee editing, production, and submission activities, ensuring completeness and compliance checks for all final proposal content.
- Coordinate post-submission activities.
- Ensure quality controls are employed throughout the process.
- Maintain knowledge management platforms for the bid, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of content uploads and updates.
Desired Skills & Qualifications:
- Qualification (degree/post-graduate) in international relations, international development, international business, or a related technical field.
- 4+ years of relevant professional experience in bid management or institutional fundraising. Work experience in the international development field highly desired.
- Familiarity with the subjects of MERL and SBCC (Social and Behavior Change Communication) is considered a plus.
- Strong knowledge of the international development client market and understanding of U.S. Department of State, UK FCDO, and UN procurement processes.
- Demonstrated competency in decision-making and problem-solving; resource management; planning, prioritizing, and goal setting.
- Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Excellent English-language skills in writing, editing, formatting, research, and communications. Other national/local languages are a plus.
- Ability to work independently, remotely, as part of a regional/global team, and with minimal supervision.
- Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize under pressure to meet tight deadlines consistently.
- Ability to work long hours when needed and to take on tasks that may be outside these Terms of Reference.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to engage appropriately with various audiences, and support and coordinate the efforts of other professionals to effectively meet objectives in a timely manner.
- Computer proficiency in Windows Operating systems, Microsoft Office, knowledge of donor management databases.
- The right to work in the country where you are based (must have this before applying – we do not provide work visas).
Job Type and Location:
This is a full-time job, 40 hours a week. This can be a remote job; however, it is possible to work from the office in Khartoum, Sudan. If remote, preferably in CAT/CEST/CET time zone with some flexibility for the right candidate. The Sayara International team has regional hubs, support offices, and additional staff based in many locations around the world.
Duration:
The Proposal Manager will be offered a one (1) year Employment Contract, with a four (4) month probation period and the option for renewal, based on the discretion of, and mutual agreement between Sayara and the Proposal Manager.
How to apply
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV and cover letter with up-to-date contact information to jobs@sayarainternational.com. Use “Proposal Manager” as the subject line of your email. Applications must be received by November 20, 2022. Note that CVs will be screened on a rolling basis and Sayara will offer the position to the candidate who meets the requirements – even if it is before the deadline. We look forward to hearing from you.
Equal Opportunities
Sayara International is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.