Business Development Manager

The Role:

Oxfam GB is looking for Business Development Manager

To proactively fundraise for the Syria programme. To support and capacity build the programme teams and country office in planning, securing and managing restricted funds. To ensure that donor procedures and processes are adhered to.

In full collaboration with the Country Programme team and with support from the MECIS Regional team and Oxfam Affiliates raise funds for Oxfam’s programme in Syria. To develop and maintain good quality and consistent relationships with donors; To ensure high quality contract management: To effectively support programme teams to develop and plan concept papers, proposals and reports in accordance with country strategy and donor requirements. To ensure effective liaison with government departments and compliance with Government requirements for INGOs operating in Syria.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Business development, partnerships and resource mobilisation strategies (25%):

• Leads the design and implementation of country resource mobilization strategy intended to strengthen income and partnerships to deliver the country strategy. Under the supervision of the Deputy Country Director – Programme and in close coordination with the Senior Management Team (SMT), leads the production and updates of the Country Office (CO) funding strategy and annual plans.
• Actively identifies, qualifies and tracks funding and partnership opportunities in a systematic manner in pursuit of supporting Oxfam’s CO and programs; with Oxfam Affiliates, institutional and other donors. Makes propositions, to the Deputy Country Director – Programme and SMT, on how to best seize them, attract and establish new partnerships and support.
• Seeks to grow income for the country program and for the confederation through funding opportunities and scoping new consortium partnerships with stakeholders at national, regional and global levels.
• Facilitates inter-affiliate negotiations on prime applicant selection and supports the Deputy Country Director – Programme for the final decision.
• Monitors the funding pipeline and leads on income planning and forecasting at national level in link with the region. Collaborates to support confederation public fundraising by effective matching of program needs within the country to affiliate based public fundraising efforts. Monitors and mentors the country office’s performance on fundraising and, in consultation with the Institutional Funding Units at PA level, provides the country office input into relevant monitoring tools and systems.

Building Strategic Donor relations and Affiliates’ engagement – (25%):

• Together with the Deputy Country Director-Programme, ensures the development and management of Oxfam’s relationships with institutional – and other types of – donor representatives within a country and multi-country context, building on Oxfam’s track record and reputation.
• In close cooperation with the Deputy Country Director and Policy teams, proactively engage in influencing donors’ policy and thinking, and identify key areas of potential cooperation, including program funding, and promote Oxfam’s strategic and operational positioning, and thereby contribute to an effective and proactive fundraising.
• Co-ordinates business development and funding activities with relevant Oxfam staff in country and at regional level as well as with Oxfam Affiliates, and reports on progress to the Deputy Country Director – Programme and SMT.
• Active engagement in Oxfam co-ordination mechanisms within the region to improve inter-country and inter-affiliate collaboration
• Links with the confederation funding architecture to access intelligence, opportunities and skills.
• Brokers and streamlines assistance from donor account managers in Affiliate HQs and shared services and builds collaborative relationships with these.
• Participates and actively engages in relevant regional Funding bodies.
• Support preparation for affiliate and donor visits of donor funded programs as required

Bid Development, Management & Compliance Assurance – (25%):

• In close collaboration with the programme and finance teams, prepares all necessary groundwork for proposal development and bid management – including multi-country and multi-affiliate ones -, helps assemble bid development teams, ensures effective and qualitative bid development to ensure high quality competitive proposals.
• Liaise closely with the MEAL unit to ensure it is incorporated in each step of the PCM and adequate budget is allocated for MEAL functions for new proposals
• Contributes to drafting and editing proposals in coordination with the programme team. Manage all required internal sign off and facilitate the submission of all bids and proposals in close consultation with the Deputy Country Director.
• Provides technical advice in negotiations with institutional donors or business partners over contracts, costs, governance and accountability, and compliance requirements. Advices programme and finance staff to deliver strong donor compliance and undertake quality assurance for reports for donors in the region considered to be high risk, to help minimise any negative impact to Oxfam’s income and reputation
• Supports staff to adhere to funding policies and guidelines of the Oxfam confederation.
• Analyse and provide advice/training to relevant staff on funding policies and formal requirements of donors.

Grant Management (25%):

• Coordinates and leads on Donor Contract Management (DCM) of restricted funds, including support to grant management, reporting, revisions and close out. Monitor and track restricted grants for compliance with donor guidelines, and capacity building of country teams and partners.
• Supports programme teams (including logistics, HR and finance) to effectively plan, secure and manage donor contracts using appropriate methodology, including formal training, technical guidance, coaching and accompaniment to ensure the timely submission of quality proposals and reports. Provide specific advice and support to country team (with Finance Department) in all aspects of the financial management of specific restricted and unrestricted funds, including donor budgeting, compliance with donor requirements, managing income, financial reporting and the necessary financial reconciliation on Oxfam management systems.
• Works closely with the teams (in particular finance) to ensure greatest use of restricted funds through strategic recharging to donor contracts where possible, and to ensure budget spend is maximised.
• Strengthens the capacity of partner organisations in funding skills as part of their organisational development with Oxfam.

Management (cross-cutting):

• Manages and ensures capacity building of the Funding Team, with development plans drawn up and fulfilled.
• Help individuals and the team to achieve objectives through day-to-day support, monthly face to face meetings, regular team meetings, which include discussions of progress against objectives, giving feedback, challenges and encouragement.
• Keep abreast of changing donors requirements and policies for Syria to ensure that information is always up to date
• Participate in the SMT, ensuring a consistent standard of excellence in resource mobilization and business development. Advises management as needed on recruitment, risk identification, skills training and capacity building and help ensure that the country programs are adequately resourced.

Strengthen the capacity of the local partner organisation teams in relation to grant management and donor compliance.

What we are looking for:

We’re looking for a candidate who cares about Oxfam’s mission to end poverty and is personally aligned to our feminist principles and values of empowerment, accountability and inclusion in all you do.

An ideal candidate for the role will also be / have:

Essential:

• A university degree – or equivalent – in Social Sciences, Business Administration, Law, Economics or International Development or other relevant experience.
• At least 5 years of demonstrable experience and success working in fundraising, programme development and management in the humanitarian & development sector.
• Demonstrable experience and success in engaging with bilateral and multilateral donors for an international agency; demonstrated ability to devise and implement resource mobilisation strategies; and proven ability to identify new business opportunities and partnerships.
• Experience with key institutional donors’ guidelines and procedures (EU, ECHO, UN, DFID, GAC, SDC, SIDA, etc).
• Solid Experience working in a confederation setting
• High level of analytical skills and critical thinking with the ability to research, analyse, and report
• Knowledge of Project Cycle Management with previous field experience
• Solid experience, very good knowledge and understanding of the donor and funding context, environment and key players in the Middle East.
• Experience of or very good understanding of the Middle East context and of key issues of development and transition.
• Excellent written skills with proven ability to develop and present proposals and donor reports, for both internal and external audiences.
• Strong numeracy and financial skills, particularly in developing budgets, financial management/monitoring and reporting.
• Experience in staff management, capacity building; coaching and delivering training at an individual and group level.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication and relationship skills with ability to influence external organisations and individuals and ability to work effectively with others in diverse team situations to achieve fundraising targets
• Information management and IT skills with attention to detail to develop and analyse donor budgets and financial reports; and to develop/maintain, and give guidance on electronic and manual contract management and reporting systems.
• Self-motivated, target-driven and a proactive approach to funding
• Ability to manage his/her time effectively.
• Ability to work within a multicultural, multilingual, and multidisciplinary environment and to work effectively with others in a team across institutional boundaries and business units. Proven ability to utilise talent and expertise of team members to achieve objectives.
• Solid understanding and convictions of a rights-based approach and gender sensitive, and experience in the NGO sector
• Excellent command of English
• Ability to make effective, timely decisions and take prudent risks.

In addition:

• Decisiveness
• Influencing
• Humility
• Relationship Building
• Listening
• Mutual Accountability
• Agility, Complexity, and Ambiguity
• Systems Thinking
• Strategic Thinking and Judgment
• Self-Awareness
• Enabling

Desirable

• Knowledge of Oxfam GB’s internal contract management system (“PEOPLESOFT”)
• Proficiency in Arabic
• Knowledge of the Syrian context and the current situation of donors and funding trends in Syria
• Good knowledge and awareness of issues related to Oxfam’s strategic objectives and 2020 model.

How to apply

Please follow the link to view and apply for the vacancy via Oxfam’s website: https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/vacancy/business-development-manager-int10198/20610/description/