The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
We’re striving to build an organization that is a supportive, kind and inspiring place to work. We encourage bold leadership, innovation, creative partnerships and accountability to those we serve.
Awards Management Unit (AMU)
The Pricing Advisor works within IRC’s Long Term Funding Team in the Business Development (BD) team of the Awards Management Unit. The BD Team leads IRC’s public business development, working with country programs and technical units globally. The team raises funds to achieve IRC ambitious impact goals. Alongside a wide humanitarian funding portfolio, we prioritize growing ‘Long Term Funding’ through contracts and awards from priority donors, including USAID, FCDO, and other key multilateral and government donors.
Purpose of the Role
The Pricing Advisor serves as a budgeting expert and will be the pricing lead for many of IRC’s most important and large scale public funding opportunities.
The role provides essential guidance, technical assistance, quality assurance and hands-on support throughout the business development lifecycle, ensuring a delicate balance between cost recovery, risk mitigation, price competitiveness, and compliance with internal policies and donor regulations.
The Pricing Advisor specializes in working with IRC’s ‘Long Term Funding Donors’ including USG, FCDO World Bank, GAVI and AFD. The Pricing Advisor may also be asked to work on opportunities for other donors in IRC’s portfolio, including European Union and other donors when required.
As a key member of proposal teams, this position collaborates closely with IRC Country Offices, Finance Department, and Technical Units to facilitate the development of cost proposals.
Responsibilities
Capture & Program Design
• Serve as the ‘Capture Pricing Lead’ to ensure IRC is well prepared to develop an effective budget proposal for important funding opportunities
• Conduct research and evaluation of cost drivers specific to each country to understand cost proposal development challenges and opportunities to improve pricing strategies within the predefined clients’ needs and regulations.
• Aggregate all available budgetary details at the activity level, encompassing all anticipated interventions and necessary support provisions, into clear rough estimates.
Pricing Strategy & Budget Development
• Lead Budget Development and/or provide quality assurance or backstopping for budgeting for major proposals.
• Review released solicitations to assess whether cost-related considerations might hinder the development of a competitive, compliant, and viable bid
• Provide pricing expertise to the donor budget proposal process to ensure proposals are of high quality; reflect the needs of the solicitation and include the necessary shared costs.
• Ensure the proposal team understands the financial requirements and donor regulations of the bid, by clearly communicating what is required and providing guidance and support as needed. Identify all key financial and commercial risks and proactively propose a tailored mitigation plan and adjustments as necessary.
• Drive and/or ensure that pricing inputs from IRC Country Offices, technical or other contributors are integrated effectively. Lead all aspects of detailed cost, and technical queries in anticipation of submission timelines.
• Maintain, expand and apply technical knowledge in USG, FCDO, World Bank and European Union by attending educational workshops and trainings, reviewing the latest donors’ regulations and policies and market trends
• Offer guidance and strategies for creating intricate budgets, presenting cost-related aspects efficiently and effectively, developing payment by results structures and fee payment schedules
• Develop comprehensive donor budgets in line with internal and external requirements, ensuring that all cost drivers are adequately considered, drawing input from different collaborators.
• Engage with and provide technical guidance to partners, and integrate all partner pricing inputs into the consolidated budget, budget narrative, and overall cost application
• When required, develop or adapt budget development tools, guidance and materials for existing and new donors and contractual mechanisms
• When required, conduct cost reviews of selected proposals
• Ensure adherence to IRC’s standard processes and policies, as well as compliance with solicitation requirements and client policies across a variety of opportunities and donors.
Strategic Pricing and Capacity Building
• As a donor budgeting expert, the Pricing Advisor will be invited to contribute to wider organizational initiatives to improve pricing approaches and capacity in the organization. This may include, the development or review of pricing tools, templates or strategies.
• Support training and other capacity development initiatives to strengthen organizational donor pricing approaches
• Participate in learning initiatives, including After Action Reviews to ensure IRC continuously improves its pricing approaches.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
• Demonstrable experience developing cost proposals. Demonstrable experience developing cost proposals for grant and contract types including Payment by Results approaches and fee rate structures.
• Demonstrates in depth understanding of USG, FCDO or EU financial rules and regulations; is able to identify donor-specific risks and design cost proposals in a way that mitigates those risks.
• Flexible work attitude: the ability to work in an inclusive team environment, independently and ability to meet unexpected demands.
• Demonstrates ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues in ‘remote’ and complementary teams.
• Excellent inter-personal skills and able to communicate clearly and concisely complex financial information with diverse set of stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and work prioritization skills, and ability to focus and pay attention to details.
• Able to plan ahead and manage a complex and diverse workload with tight deadlines
• Ability to travel internationally; (up to 20% of time).
• Ability to work autonomously and under remote management.
• Proficient in written and spoken English is required; French, Spanish or Arabic is highly desirable.
Compensation:
Posted pay ranges apply to US and UK-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.
US Benefits:
The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.
In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.
Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.