About the position

The Partnerships department is seeking for an Associate Officer with proven experience in fundraising proposal development, particularly for large and complex proposals. These positions are integral to the Science Engagement and Resource Mobilization team and will directly support Alliance researchers in achieving their fundraising objectives. The Associate Officers role will support Researchers by coordinating the proposal development cycle, from identifying key fundraising opportunities to coordinating pre-award services. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Science Engagement and Resource Mobilization, they will ensure compliance with proposal procedures and provide expert guidance throughout the process.

• Coordinate all the administrative timeline planning of priority proposals, allowing researchers to focus on scientific content. They will collaborate with relevant units to ensure efficient proposal development.
• Contribute to the administrative coordination, planning and execution of all aspects during the proposal cycle. This includes timeline planning, ensuring adherence to compliance requirements, and managing contributions from various support units.
• Cooperate as the central point of contact for coordinating all pre-award support services involved in proposal development. Work closely with Finance, Legal, the OPD Proposal Enhancement team, and other relevant units to ensure that administrative, budgetary, and legal requirements are met.
• Provide procedural guidance to researchers by conducting opportunity analyses, supporting them with operational coordination and ensuring procedural assistance. Focus on administrative facilitation by preparing and organizing relevant analyses to understand contextual factors and available resources, ensuring efficient administrative support throughout.
• Support and oversee the proposal timeline and manage the flow of information between stakeholders to ensure that all necessary steps are completed on schedule. This includes coordinating with Lever Program Management Officers (PMOs), the OPD Proposal Enhancement team, the Project Financial Analysis and Support (PLANS) team, and Regional Partnerships Officers.
• Collaborate with the Head of Science Engagement and Resource Mobilization, PIs, and other contributing scientists to systematize lessons learned from both successful and unsuccessful proposals, aiming to enhance future proposal development processes.
• Handle all administrative tasks related to proposal development, including document management, scheduling, and compliance checks, ensuring that Researchers are free to focus on the scientific content of their proposals.
• Share insights, knowledge, and priorities with Science Communications Associate Officers to ensure that proposals are not only scientifically robust but also clearly communicated to potential funders.
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between PIs, Lever Directors, and all relevant support units, ensuring alignment throughout the proposal development process.
• Collaborate with relevant teams to review and integrate feedback from proposal outcomes, driving enhancements in future proposal development efforts.

Delivery responsibilities

• Produce and refine initial drafts of proposals, ensuring timely input from all contributors and adherence to submission deadlines.
• Prepare inputs for written guidance notes for high-value funding calls ensuring consistency and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Oversee the end-to-end administrative of proposal cycle, timelines and deliverables, ensuring all steps are completed efficiently and on schedule.
• Contribute to post-proposal evaluations by analyzing outcomes and incorporating lessons learned to enhance and refine future proposal processes, fostering continuous improvement.

Requirements

Qualifications and requirements

• Master’s degree in agricultural, environmental, or biological sciences, international development, business administration, science communications, or related fields.
• Advance English level with proven high-level verbal and written communication skills.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in supporting resource mobilization and research proposal development, particularly in agriculture, environment, rural development, or natural/social sciences.
• Proven experience in managing large, complex, technical proposals in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams in international settings.
• Experience in preparing analyses, guidance notes, or educational materials to support proposal development.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multi-cultural and interdisciplinary environments.
• Ability to assess complex proposals and provide strategic input to enhance success rates.
• Managing multiple priorities and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality proposals.
• Proficiency in articulating complex ideas clearly in both written and verbal forms, tailored to diverse audiences including scientists and funders.
• Proven ability to work within multi-disciplinary teams and engage with various stakeholders across different functions.
• Ability to work independently, demonstrating a proactive approach in managing proposal processes.
• Advanced skills in using the Microsoft Office suite and other relevant software for document preparation, communication, and project management.

Benefits

Terms of employment

This is a nationally recruited position placed at BG8 within the job classification system, on a scale of 14 levels, with level 14 being the highest.

This position will be managed through a fixed-term contract of one (1) year, subject to a probation period according to local legislation, and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salaries and excellent benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer and strive for gender, diversity, and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.

Applications

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the qualifications, competencies, and skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae. All correspondence should be addressed to the following link: Associate Officer- Partnerships & Communications (zohorecruit.eu) and clearly indicate “Application: Associate Officer – Science Engagement and Research Proposals–“.

Closing date for applications: September 25^th, 2024 

We invite you to learn more about us at: Careers | Alliance Bioversity International – CIAT (alliancebioversityciat.org)