Business Development Associate

Founded in 1955, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation (Helvetas) is the largest Swiss international development NGO. With 300+ projects worldwide, Helvetas is present in 39 countries around the world and initiates real change in the lives of over five million disadvantaged people each year.

For our US team based in Washington, DC, we are looking for a Business Development Associate to support our new business initiatives, including identifying opportunities, gathering business intelligence, identifying clients and partners, supporting capture and proposal development efforts, and building relationships with partners and strategic networks.

The Business Development Associate will report to the Director of Business Development and will focus on the lifecycle of proposal development. This is a fully remote position, but the applicant should be based in the US and have a work authorization.

Your Main Tasks

  • Contribute to the development and maintenance of a robust pipeline of opportunities, including sourcing and identifying USAID opportunities. 
  • Support the entire life cycle of USAID bids, from capture through proposal submission.
  • Support early go/no-go discussions with the business development, technical and country teams and guide them through the decision-making process.
  • Develop organizational capability statements and tailor them to specific opportunities.
  • Assist with the development of winning proposals, in partnership with Helvetas’ technical teams (at HQ and country offices) and prime/sub partners.
  • Review and edit technical proposals.
  • Support the recruitment efforts for the personnel to be included in proposals, such as posting job announcements and setting up and conducting interviews, if needed.
  • Explore opportunities in key markets, primarily in countries with a substantial Helvetas presence.
  • Research clients and understand their hot buttons; build relationships with existing and new partners – both international and local – for country-specific pursuits.
  • Be ready and willing to represent Helvetas at various industry events to promote the organization within the international development community.
  • Be ready to travel if needed.
  • Maintain a CRM system to ensure the most up-to-date information is filed on opportunities and clients.

Your Qualifications 

  • Master’s Degree in international relations, international development, business administration or a related field, with at least 1 year of relevant work experience; or, a bachelor’s degree in international relations, international development, business administration or a related field with 2 years of relevant work experience.
  • Excellent oral and written English communication skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex processes under tight deadlines.
  • Some experience supporting proposals for USAID.
  • Ability to manage diverse teams, paying attention to cultural sensitivities.
  • Ability to represent an organization at external events.
  • Excellent organizational skills, ability to pay attention to details without losing sight of the bigger picture.
  • Knowledge of a foreign language, such as Spanish or French, is a plus.  
  • Must be based in the United States and eligible to work without sponsorship.

Our Offer

We offer a competitive salary, generous paid time off, a motivated and caring team, multiple professional development opportunities, occasional international travel, and a healthy work-life balance environment.

We look forward to receiving your CV by September 29, 2023, via email to usa@helvetas.org.