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Background

The CRS Europe, Middle East, Central Asia (EMECA) region consists of 10 country programs and 20 outreach countries. This includes 18 countries in Europe, 10 in the Middle East and North Africa, and 2 in Central Asia, reflecting recent expansion amid the Ukraine crisis and registration in Pakistan and Yemen. EMECA is home to many complex environments along the humanitarian-development spectrum with populations reflecting immense religious and ethnic diversity. Many countries are beset by protracted conflicts, including the world’s worst humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and Gaza. Other countries are recovering from prior conflicts, and working toward resilience and development, such as Egypt, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Successive crises have led to large refugee flows and long-term displacement.

Job Summary

As Regional Technical Advisor III- Budget/ Cost Proposals, you will lead the production and review of high-quality cost applications and proposals for the EMECA Region, in support of CRS’ engagement with institutional donors and initiatives. Your knowledge and skills will allow you to provide specialized assistance in all dimensions of the BD cycle to cross-disciplines and cross-functional teams. This position requires strategic thinking on high-level pricing strategies, solid hands-on experience building proposal budgets, and the ability to transfer skills and knowledge via training and other capacity strengthening approaches.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• With a particular focus on pricing strategy and cost inputs, provide BD expertise in positioning, capture planning and proposal preparation for specific opportunities with institutional donors (government and inter-governmental award issuing organizations, as well as foundations, corporations and other awarding non-governmental organizations).
• During the proposal capture phase, lead proposal teams in collecting, preparing, and analyzing historical cost data for use in budgeting. Support and guide identification of partners and negotiation of CRS’ role on proposal consortia, ensuring a competitive position for CRS that adheres to the agency’s partnership principles and strategic directions.
• Coordinate cost proposal development processes to ensure timely submission of high quality cost proposals that are responsive to donor requirements, applicable regulations, and CRS’ technical and cost standards. Lead and support proposal budget processes and propose recommendations to develop a competitive proposal.
• Serve as budget lead on proposal teams, working with technical staff, management, local finance staff, and partner staff to integrate inputs into a responsive, cost competitive detailed budget and budget narrative. Collaborate with proposal teams to ensure an understanding of the proposal requirements and to establish competitive and reasonable cost and pricing data for the development of cost proposals in accordance and alignment with relevant proposal specifications. Create or modify budget spreadsheet templates in accordance with client requirements.
• In close collaboration with proposal coordinators and technical leads, lead or contribute to the writing of competitive cost proposal narratives.
• Manage partners as a part of the proposal process and perform activities including developing budget templates, providing budget assumptions, negotiating budgets, reviewing budgets and notes, and ensuring final submissions comply with donor requirements.
• Provide compliance reviews and cost competitive analyses, to ensure adherence to the solicitation, donor rules and regulations and internal CRS policies and cost standards.
• As appropriate, serve in other lead or supporting role on a proposal team, working with proposal teams to ensure the timely submission of high-quality proposals that are responsive to donor requirements, applicable regulations, and CRS’ technical and cost standards.

Capacity Building: 

• Lead in developing and/or updating of relevant cost proposal tools, resources and training modules. Develop templates and tools for efficient and effective cost proposal preparation and review according to donor and industry best practices (e.g. Excel budget templates and cost notes).
• Develop and lead EMECA proposal budget review processes, including compliance reviews and cost competitive analyses, to ensure adherence to the solicitation, donor rules and regulations and internal CRS policies and cost standards.
• Train and mentor finance, operations and program staff to improve their skills in cost proposal and pricing strategy development across a variety of donors.

Required Languages – Fluency in English required, working ability in Arabic preferred.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 25%.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in international development, international relations, finance, economics, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum seven years of international development experience, with at least three years experience in a developing country.
• Five years of proposal development budgeting experience, with familiarity with USAID.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing diverse, proactive strategies to competitively position his/her organization for new funding and productive institutional relationships.
• Demonstrated experience leading and producing competitive cost applications and proposals in programming contexts similar to CRS. Strong preference for experience leading complex US government contract proposal processes.
• Demonstrated experience managing teams and processes, leading teams to produce deliverables under tight deadlines and at exceptional quality. Experience providing remote support to diverse teams strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience developing complete cost proposals (including detailed budgets, budget narratives and other supporting cost information) for a variety of donors, including USAID; experience with both cooperative agreement/grant and contract mechanisms strongly preferred.
• Proficient in the application of relevant cost principles, budgeting methodologies, and cost presentations of US government donor agencies (USAID, Department of State). Preference for similar knowledge with other non-US government donors (e.g. FCDO, EU, and World Bank).

Preferred Qualifications

• Possesses working knowledge of all US government contract types, including CPFF, CPAF, FFP, T&M, and IDIQ
• Familiarity with relevant institutional donor regulations, policies, procedures and priorities. Must understand Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), AIDAR, USAID Standard Provisions, 2 CFR 200 and 700, and other relevant federal regulations.
• Experience in developing content for and facilitating trainings related to key business development practices. Knowledge of adult learning approaches desired.
• Knowledge of CRS programs, justice agenda and Catholic Social Teaching principles a plus
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and experience preparing complicated spreadsheets and budgets.
• Ability to manage multiple ongoing responsibilities and strong organization and prioritization skills.
• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, detail-oriented and results-oriented.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Regional BD team, Regional Finance Officer and regional finance staff, Country Program Finance Managers and other finance and operations staff, Heads of Programming and other program quality staff, the Business Development Community.
• External: Business development staff of collaborating partner organizations; select donor representatives as appropriate

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

What we offer

CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, generous retirement savings plan and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements