United States Government (USG) Business Development Specialist

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

The Opportunity

The United States Government (USG) Business Development Specialist position purpose is to coordinate with Country Offices, subregional Clusters, the Regional Hub and Plan International USA to build US Government engagement strategies, across the development and humanitarian funding streams.  With a good understanding of US Government funding mechanisms and a strong network of relevant contacts and relationships within US Government entities, the USG Business Development Specialist will coordinate and support engagement and business development efforts across the countries of concentration of the Region of the Americas (ROA), helping to ensure Plan International is well-positioned with the USG agencies. 

This position is accountable for:

- Building and maintaining proper relationships with development & humanitarian donors.

• Establish and maintain relationships with both public and private profit and non-profit organizations, focusing on USG development and humanitarian opportunities.
• Develop and/or strengthen relationships with the in-country representatives of US institutional donors.
• Collect and analyze data and intelligence on donor activities and competitor strategies to inform engagement efforts.
• Identify and track relevant upcoming USG funding opportunities through portals and advance intelligence gathering to support Plan International's positioning.
• Collaborate with Plan International USA, clusters, and country offices to co-develop and implement a clear engagement plan for the USG portfolio.
• Represent Plan International interests at relevant meetings, events, and within resource mobilization or donor-specific peer networks related to USG funding streams.

- Management of funding portfolio

• Work with US based BD staff to gather information on relevant upcoming USG funding opportunities to support Plan International positioning.
• Lead grants resource mobilization efforts during humanitarian responses to identify, develop, secure, and follow up on USG funding opportunities.
• Support Country Offices (CO) by communicating donor priorities, developing strategies in alignment to Plan strengths and identifying opportunities and linkages to increase relationships and funding.
• Support, as needed, on the development of live opportunities in close coordination with US based BD staff, both for country-based programs and regional programs, ensuring responsive proposals to USG donors’ interests
• Partner with US based BD staff on the capture stage for new USG opportunities within the Latin American & Caribbean region.
• Support the recruitment of qualified personnel, as needed.

- Working collaboratively between the countries of the cluster

• Strengthen the capacity of country offices (Business Development, Programme, and Finance teams), and other internal stakeholders, to fully understand what is required to pursue opportunities with USG donors, including the processes of identification, implementation, and compliance.
• Gives direction and strengthens organizational capacities at the country level to increase Plan International’s competitiveness for USG opportunities.
• Coordinate efforts with internal stakeholders (Programmes, Finance, Communications, PMERL, amongst others) to ensure projects are fit for the donors (according to their priorities and requirements).

The USG Business Development Specialist will lead the engagement with institutional USG representatives, fund managers, and partners, understanding their needs, and presenting Plan International’s programs in Latin America & Caribbean region.

Technical Knowledge and skills

• Experience (5+ years) of managing engagement and proposal responses for USG donors (including USAID, BHA, PRM, DOL, and/or DOS [ J/TIP, DRL]).
• Understanding of USG priorities and different funding mechanisms in LAC.
• Pre-built network of contacts around USG in LAC
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal in English, and working knowledge of Spanish is preferred
• Excellent technical skills in writing, editing, formatting, research, negotiation, and verbal communications

• High level of attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to coordinate with multiple countries simultaneously
• Work well under pressure and meet deadlines in short timelines, including coordination with in-country and US based colleagues
• Willingness to travel, sometimes with short notice, for specific assignments in country offices

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in relevant field

Location:  El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, or Colombia

Reports to: the Regional Head of Business Development, with matrix line management to ROAH Business Development lead in the U.S., belonging to the Regional Hub of the Americas & Caribbea

Closing Date:  18/10/2024

Job Profile:  JD - USG Business Development Specialist - Final 8.21.docx

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.