The Near East Foundation (NEF) is seeking candidates for Vice President of Program Development to be based in its Syracuse headquarters. For 100 years, NEF has worked to build more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive communities in the Middle East and Africa through education, governance, and economic development initiatives. Working through a network of country offices and local partners, NEF currently has approximately 125 staff members – all nationals – and programs in nine countries: Armenia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Palestine, Senegal and Sudan. Our programs are organized around four themes: Peacebuilding, Civic Engagement and Education, Sustainable Agriculture, and Microenterprise Development.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Vice President of Program Development is a member of the leadership team. S/he leads donor cultivation and proposal development for large and complex funding opportunities with the Program Development Unit. As a member of the leadership team, s/he contributes to the elaboration and implementation of the program development strategy and leads the pursuit of specific new opportunities to meet NEF’s annual revenue targets. The Vice President maintains effective working and strategic relationships with US government agencies (such as USAID and the State Department), foreign government and multi-lateral donors, NGOs and other partner institutions to position NEF to secure funding and partnerships in support of overseas programs.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Vice President for Program Development is responsible for developing NEF’s program development plans to meet NEF’s annual revenue targets and to sustain and expand NEF programs. S/he stays current on information/intelligence on government priorities, donor trends, development methodologies that impact NEF’s programs and proposal development process. The Vice President has the following specific responsibilities:
Program/Proposal Development: (1) leads strategic planning for the Program Development Unit and creates and implements action plans to realize new initiatives; (2) develops capture management action and proposal management work plans as the roadmap for proposal development; (3) leads proposal development efforts, serving as proposal lead for specific opportunities; (4) coordinates program design, proposal strategy/vision, and budget strategy in cooperation with colleagues at the headquarters and NEF country offices as needed; (5) ensures the highest quality and compliance of all proposals; (5) determines final go/no go decisions and recommends them to the President and the Leadership Team.
Donor Relations/Partnership Development: (1) markets and positions NEF with donor decision-makers, potential partners, private sector entities and government counterparts; (2) engages with clients to identify their priorities, defines issues, and provides clear and articulate information about NEF experience, expertise, and effectiveness; (3) participates in national and international program development meetings, sharing knowledge and professional expertise.
Management and Capacity Building: (1) coordinate with AVP of Operations to ensure the smooth transition from proposal to project implementation with implementation, program, and technical staff; (2) promotes teamwork and cooperation to achieve shared objectives within the Foundation; (3) conducts regular internal trainings for staff that contribute to the needs of the organization and cultivate talent within the Program Development Unit; (4) provides technical assistance to country offices as needed through field visits, workshops, seminars, and capacity building activities, so that country office staff can meet proposal, performance, quality assurance, and communications for various sectors and donors; (5) contributes to increased capacity of the Program Development Unit through ongoing professional development; (6) performs other duties as assigned by the President.
QUALIFICATIONS
Master’s degree in a technical area relevant to NEF
Minimum 10 years related experience, or combination of formal education/training and experience
Experience in and thorough understanding of the priorities and decision-making of donors, including potentially the U.S. State Department, USAID, DFID and other National European Donors, EuropeAid, UN system, World Bank, and large private foundations
Experience leading proposal development and proposal teams for multi-million dollar funding opportunities
Proven ability to lead proposal strategy development and to develop proposal value proposition and themes
Proven experience negotiating roles in partnerships, consortia and strategic alliances
Strong analytical and assessment skills, including the ability to analyze development challenges and propose innovative and unique ways to address them
Excellent written communication skills including ability to write, integrate, and edit technical proposals on a wide range of development topics, articulating solutions in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner
Effective interpersonal and oral communication skills
Must posses cultural sensitivity as well as ability and aptitude to intercultural communication
Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment; to perform duties under pressure and meet deadlines in a timely manner; to work as part of a team as well as to complete assignments independently; to take instructions; to exercise problem-solving skills; and to interact with co-workers, network employees, donors and the public in a professional and pleasant manner.
How to apply
Please apply by sending to search@neareast.org the following documents:
Cover letter outlining all relevant experience, availability and salary history
Curriculum Vitae
List of three references (including one from current, or most recent, employer)
Subject line: Vice President-Program Development Search
Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Near East Foundation by visiting the NEF website at www.neareast.org.
The Near East Foundation will conduct pre-employment background checks that may include contacting off-list references from past employers.
The Near East Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.