Business Development Lead
Business Development Lead
Amref Health Africa
Nairobi, Kenya
Amref Health Africa is the largest international health development organization based in Africa. Working with and through African communities, health systems and governments, Amref Health Africa’s vision is to bring lasting health change in Africa and is committed to improving the health of people in Africa by partnering with and empowering communities, and strengthening health systems. For more information on Amref Health Africa, please visit www.amref.org.
The Strategic Purchasing Africa Resource Center (SPARC) is a resource hub aimed at strengthening strategic purchasing capacity in sub-Saharan Africa. Our vision is to empower countries with knowledge and practical tools to make access to affordable and quality health care a reality for all. SPARC is a complementary resource and partner to the many health financing initiatives on the African continent and globally. SPARC is supported by Amref Health Africa as the institutional host and Results for Development (R4D) as the core technical partner. An advisory committee made up of key global, regional, and country stakeholders provides additional input and guidance to SPARC's approach and activities.
SPARC is not just a resource center - it is a movement. SPARC is engaging individuals from stakeholder groups across sub-Saharan Africa to understand, talk about and advocate for strategic purchasing as a way to make better use of limited resources for universal health coverage (UHC) and to hold decision-makers accountable for effective health spending. We are also working with partners to change how technical assistance is provided - tapping into and deepening regional expertise and building a coaching approach that emphasizes learning by doing. We are creating a network of regional experts who can support countries to develop practical, home-grown solutions that advance their strategic purchasing objectives.
THE JOB
Under the leadership of the Program Manager, the Business Development Lead will drive SPARC's effort towards achieving a financially sustainable organization with the compliment of required resources (Relationships, technical and financial) to generate demand for SPARC's offerings continuously.
The Business Development Lead will identify business development and partnership opportunities, pursue, and harness those opportunities for SPARC. He/She will also support the development of SPARC's product/service offerings working with SPARC's pillar leads. Under the guidance of the program manager, the BDL will support the development of relevant tools, processes and systems that will ensure a systematic implementation and institutionalization of SPARC's Business Development and Partnership Approach. Principal responsibilities are detailed below:
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Demand Generation & Business Development
- Spearhead proposal development to secure funding and business for SPARC;
- Support the development and patronage of SPARC's fee-based product offerings;
- Liaise with the marketing and communications team to increase awareness of SPARC and its programs;
- Conduct prospecting visits to donor/partner Offices to identify and prepare for upcoming funding opportunities;
- Maintain ongoing communication with potential partners and other key stakeholders to identify and pursue growth opportunities;
- Support SPARC’s program pillars to identify and market financially viable products/services;
- Continuously scan the environment (USAID grant schedule etc) to identify opportunities for SPARC through advance intelligence gathering, partner relationships, and other available resources;
- Manage pre-solicitation proposal preparations and bid planning including teaming, bid strategy, development of win-themes, oversight of and contribution to technical design, drafting management and other sections of the proposal in advance of the solicitation;
- Manage major solicitations and other proposal submissions, including teaming agreements, oversight of technical design and cost proposal, capacity statements, internal review/quality control processes, drafting sections of the proposal where appropriate;
- Represent SPARC’s business development interests at relevant meetings, events, and within resource mobilization or donor-specific peer networks;
- Contribute to the expansion of SPARC’s consultant roster for key technical and bid preparation functions;
- Support development of SPARC's Sustainability Strategy.
Collaboration
- Establish and maintain partnerships with government teams, relevant institutions, and program partners;
- Liaise with Amref Partnerships and BD teams to leverage funding opportunities Amref Country offices;
- Explore opportunities for joint financial bids with Amref and other partners.
Donor Liaison
- Develop and continuously update a donor register for key areas of SPARC’s work, including the Bilingual approach;
- Support communication with donors and other financial partners;
- Liaise with donors to identify potential areas of donor support for SPARC activities and to create partnerships that foster effective use of skills and resources.
Partnership
- Develop and implement a global partnership strategy as aligned with and contributing to SPARC’s overall strategic objectives;
- Strategically identify and develop key partner relationships that support the advocacy of strategies that accelerate strategic purchasing;
- Contribute to the development and implementation of SPARC’s strategic plan to improve its visibility through key NGOs partnerships;
- Provide advice and guidance to internal stakeholders, members, groups and governments on the importance and effective methods of partner engagement for proposed SPARC projects.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES
Minimum Education
- Master’s Degree preferred in Public Health, Health Economics, Social Sciences, International Development or other relevant fields. Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline combined with substantive work and international development field experience will be considered.
Experience
- At least 5 years’ experience in grant making, business development and/or partnership development for similar initiatives or in a development/NGO setting.
Competencies
- Strong international development and program/project management background; knowledge of UHC, health financing and/or health economics is a bonus;
- Demonstrated proposal writing and grant making skills, with verifiable success;
- Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to communicate effectively in a variety of internal and external settings, and at different levels including the gravitas and carriage to publicly represent the Institute at all levels;
- Superior consultation, diplomacy, influencing and negotiating skills; ability to explain complex concepts in layman’s language, in a clear, convincing, and organized manner;
- Display exceptional listening and analytical skills to understand clients’ needs and concerns and the ability to respond promptly and effectively to these needs;
- Demonstrated leadership skills; ability to take initiative and solve problems independently; proven ability to design, implement, manage, and make sound business decisions; ability to analyse issues and use logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions and approaches to problems;
- Proven project management capability and knowledge; ability to develop goals and plans; allocate resources accordingly and prioritise work to meet deadlines and budget;
- High level of self-motivation and standards with the ability to multi-task; balancing “strategic thinking” with “doing”; Ability to set priorities and handle multiple competing time and resource demands; Ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously, work well under pressure and meet deadlines;
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience working with cross cultural teams;
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office products at expert level;
- Familiarity with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems (e.g. Salesforce, Zoho etc.);
- Willingness to travel within the region and across the African continent;
- Fluent in speaking, reading, and writing in English. Knowledge of French would be an asset.
Amref Health Africa is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Amref Health Africa is an equal opportunity employer and has a non-smoking environment policy.
